Timeless. I'm very new to Fate so this is my first experience with the franchise but I'd compare this to something like Evangelion in that it feels very deliberate and meaningful, and also impactful. Did not realize how many stories I enjoy have been influenced by it.
Regardless, it would be a bit dishonest of me to rate it 5/5 because I found HF and Fate routes had some pretty frustrating and slowly paced middle sections, that, even if they were meant to build to a later payoff, felt a bit too long. Also I wish that HF route felt more relevant to the other two. A lot of stuff from the routes gradually builds to each other for the intended order, but I feel the other routes didn't foreshadow it nearly enough.
Aside from that the only other issue to me comes down to the censored versus uncensored versions, as I feel that some things that were changed were better in the original, but some stuff in the original is pretty cringe at the same time, so there's no real ideal version.
Top 3 characters for me: 1. Kirei 2. Issei 3. Shirou
Regardless, it would be a bit dishonest of me to rate it 5/5 because I found HF and Fate routes had some pretty frustrating and slowly paced middle sections, that, even if they were meant to build to a later payoff, felt a bit too long. Also I wish that HF route felt more relevant to the other two. A lot of stuff from the routes gradually builds to each other for the intended order, but I feel the other routes didn't foreshadow it nearly enough.
Aside from that the only other issue to me comes down to the censored versus uncensored versions, as I feel that some things that were changed were better in the original, but some stuff in the original is pretty cringe at the same time, so there's no real ideal version.
Top 3 characters for me: 1. Kirei 2. Issei 3. Shirou