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What do you take when you mix anime-inspired visuals with intense hack-n-slash action, fun gun-play and awesomely graphical magical powers? Southpeak's X-Blades, that's what.
When I picked up and started playing this promising action game, I couldn't help but think that this was what Heavenly Sword should have been.
The game's highly stylized graphics will pit you against everything from massive werewolves, to reaper-type creatures and huge flying bug-like things, and your progress through the game will unlock tons of abilities that will enhance everything from the spells you can cast, to your ability to mow down enemies with your pistols, and even the kinds of tricks you can pull off with your swords.
While talking to Jake DiGennaro, Marketing Associate for Topware Interactive (the developers of X-Blades), we discussed the team's desire to improve the hack-n-slash genre and work out many of the criticisms posed to other, similar games. For instance, MP comes cheap and easy in this game, pretty much any villain's death will grant you quite a bit of magical ability. This is opposed to games that have you open a box, or obtain magic in some other, more rare manner. The good thing about this is that you will be able to use your big magical attacks more often, instead of trying to save them for the next boss because you don't know when you will get more magic.
Also of note is the fact that in the 15 minutes or so of playing the game, I never got that hum-drum or repetitive feeling that always comes from these games (even the demos that I get to play at events like PAX).
X-Blades will feature over 40 indoor and outdoor environments, 30 different types of enemies and 20 different magical classes to develop. It is slated for release January of 2009 on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. |
