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| Game: |
Kingdom Under Fire - Heroes |
| Genre: |
Real Time Strategy |
| Developer: |
Blueside Inc |
| Publisher: |
Phantagram Interactive |
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| Related Links: |
Coming Soon. |
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Hands On Preview:
The original Kingdom Under Fire game by Korean based Phantagram received relative praise and success when it was released last year. As a clear competitor to games such as Dynasty Warriors, which have pretty much cornered the market when it comes to hack and slash games, Kingdom Under Fire offered un-paralleled graphics and a touch of strategy into the mix as players got stuck into epic battles following a campaign from several perspectives using a number of different characters. Well the war still rages on and set within that same war comes a new title that aims to thrust the player once more into the battle field. Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes introduces 7 new heroes (some familiar faces from the previous title) as they fight their own side of the story across more than 50 campaign missions.
If you are unaware of what this game is about then let me enlighten you. Basically you have 2 seamless modes of play whereby the first mode has you controlling the movement of an army across the map. Here you are given objectives and it is here where the strategy element comes into play especially if you have more then one unit in your control such as Archers and Infantry. The second method of play is more your typical arcade hack and slash game play where you take control of a single character and slash away at the opposing troops alongside your own troops who are also slashing away at the enemy. It’s pretty mindless to be honest although what makes it more interesting is the fact that you can hunt down the opposing army’s captain and win the battle easier if you manage to take him or her out first. There are some minor RPG elements to the game which allow players the chance to upgrade and purchase different units to add to their army to add some variety to proceedings. Then there is the Xbox Live play which although somewhat limited on the first game has been improved in this latest version where players will be able to have 4 player epic battles or even 6 player battles with their selected hero. Kindom Under Fire : Heroes also boasts a new spectator and replay mode which allows the less experienced to watch and learn from others via Live.
Upon selecting one of several characters (although not all were available in this demo version of the game) you are presented with their portrait and a level of difficulty which ranges from easy to Extreme. Naturally I decided to work my way through the characters one by one to get a feel for what was on offer here. Despite some problems with the speech plus I noticed the dreaded lip moving is still in the game (this is where the animation simply loops when a character is talking) the game thrusts you into the thick of it from the offset; although if you choose the EASY character then you will be given various hints to familiarise yourself with the general workings of the game such as movement.
From what I played the game play remains faithful to the original title in fact from what I could tell is pretty much the exact same thing albeit with different characters. The camera still is very much a major pain to work with as it only offers certain views but the combat and sense of scale is generally very good. I think some of the animations for when you take direct control of your hero and start slashing away at enemies have been improved as they were a little jerky in the previous game. I also think that the execution of combos has been made a little easier this time.
There is no doubt that Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes will be a welcome addition to the Xbox Library of games when it is released later this year (September 2005) especially for fans of the first game. Newcomers will also do well to check out the game also, although I do feel that getting the first game would be beneficial although not a necessity. As mentioned earlier, if the developers can fix the camera to be a little more user friendly and perhaps add some more frames of animation to the characters when they speak (for realism sake) then they could be onto another very good game for action and strategy fans.
Key Features:
• A vastly enhanced sequel to the international hit Action RTS, Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders
• First-hand experience of a fantasy / medieval battlefield as a warrior general.
• Slay enemies with stylish combos, special skills, and magic spells.
• Command hundreds of soldiers with your own strategy to the ultimate victory.
• Epic scale battles with over 3,000 soldiers in a battle field. Up to 200 soldiers displayed on screen.
• Realistically detailed characters (main characters = 5,000 polygons, large units = 10,000 polygons)
• Choose from 7 characters, each with his/her own campaign to show many sides of a continental war.
• 50+ Campaign Missions. Plus Random Missions and Custom Missions available. (50+ hours)
• Various types of missions; all-out war, castle siege, scouting trapping, etc.
• 3 distinctive Live Game Modes: 4-Player Troop Battle, 6-Player Hero Battle, and Invasion Mode.
• Watch and learn from others' game or your own game: Spectator Mode and Replay Mode.
• Numerous features to help the new-comers quickly pick up skills and enjoy the Live matches.
• Over 35 different types of troops with diverse abilities. (Soldiers, Beasts, Dragons, Catapults, etc.)
• Knowing how to use the environment and counter enemy units are keys to victory.
• Mercenaries can be hired to lead your armies or aid you on battlefield with attacks and healing skills.
• Gold and experience earned from each battle can be used to train troops and buy new equipments.
• Intuitive interfaces and optimized difficulty levels will let you approach the game with no frustration.
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