Koei's latest
strategic fighting epic with a Western twist has arrived on the XBox
360 which allows gamers to control a "rogue commander" who puts them
in control of a mercenary army in turn assisting either the French
or the English for their own personal needs.
Similar to Koei's
Dynasty Warrior series, Bladestorm: The Hundred Year War features
Western history as opposed to Chinese history and gives the player
access to a variety of units which include elephants, cannonries and
your standard infantry units to name a few.
Bladestorm: The
Hundred Years War really draw's you from the first moment the game
is loaded from its amazing CGI introduction which feels like a
Hollywood blockbuster set during the medieval times. Although Koei
have inputted elements of the Dynasty Warriors into Bladestorm, the
title deviates slightly from this path as gamers control a powerful
commander who can perform all the heroic feats of his Asian
counterparts but in this current incarnation, your character can
order other units which will shape the tides of war.
These units under
your control can perform a variety of maneuvers which assist the
player in completing their objectives and missions. Koei have really
upped the ante with the strategic aspects of this game which allows
for some interesting gaming, depending on whether you use a
defensive, offensive or a mixture of both in your tactics. The units
that you control all add to the atmosphere of the title with each
unit having their pros and cons and assists in the replayability of
the title.
There is also an RPG
element of the title and between missions or "contracts", your
character can purchase a variety of weapons and equipment and
distribute experience points. My favourite aspect of Bladestorm: The
Hundred Years War is the ability for the gamer to purchase banners
which are used as temporary powerups to boost your forces on the
battlefields.
Graphically, Bladestorm: The Hundred Years War is quite impressive
on the XBox 360 from its realistic and amazing CGI cutscenes to its
highly detailed in game graphics with some highly realistic looking
textures. The attention to detail on the small things in the game
assists in the overall enjoyment and graphical power of the title
with animals frolicking in the forests to the stylised lighting and
weather effects.
Musically, Bladestorm features a majestic orchestral soundtrack that
changes throughout the different sections and battles in the game. The
sound effects go hand-in-hand with the graphics and gameplay and
once again that over the top voice acting by Koei makes an amusing
return. It would pay Koei to organise some professional voice
acting but at the end of the day, it would take away that "magic" of
Koei's strategic fighting titles.
In conclusion,
Bladestorm: The Hundred Years War will definitely draw a plethora of
new gamers into the Dynasty Warrior franchise with this European
incarnation. Sturdy gameplay, great graphics and a very highly
addictive title, Bladestorm: The Hundred Years War is definitely a
title for those who enjoy strategic light titles with a healthy dose
of arcade fun.
Specifications
1 Players
15MB to save game
HDTV 480p/720p/1080i/1080p
In-Game Dolby Digital
60Hz only
