Chile ACE Team tries every time. Even though they belong to quite traditional genres, their games are always filled with a peculiar style that makes them unique. Their portfolio consists of seemingly very different productions, such as the action The Deadly Tower of Monsters, the similar Actaiser SolSeraph, or the series that mixes racing, strategy, and action from Rock of Ages, but they all have in-depth research in common. The style is sometimes derived from the authors’ passion for painting, and sometimes from their passion for cinema.
Following the eccentricity and sadly overlooked, The Eternal Cylinder, one of the few original survivors in circulation, the studio’s latest effort continues the series for which ACE Team is known to the general public, namely the series created by Zeno Clash. two very successful first-person fighting games. we therefore I tried the Clash: Artifacts of Chaos demoPublished on the occasion. Steam Next Festhope to rediscover the same atmosphere and we can say that we were not disappointed.
a strange world
World of Clash: Artifacts of ChaosA surreal fresco that mixes punk and fantasy, called the Zenozoic. The protagonist of the game, Pseudo, a warrior monk who takes action to defend the Boy, a strange creature that travels on his shoulder, is populated by unique characters endowed with unknown powers that intrigue the Gemini known as the Lady. . The demo allowed us to experience the first part of the game where Pseudo comes out of seclusion and meets Boy for the first time.
As soon as the game starts, you must make a basic choice: fighting style. There are three available, and we can experiment with a dummy, following the guidance of the Spirit of the Pseudo-master from whom we learn to dodge and dodge at the right time. The tutorial continues in the game world (not so much in the demo) where we can use some tools to train and start collecting the raw materials, plants and animals we will need to make potions and other objects. We also have the initial skill points to be assigned to improve the Pseudo’s characteristics, making him stronger or more resistant.
One of the key concepts conveyed to us is the difference between traveling. day or night. During waking hours, Pseudo can move freely around the Zenozoic, an open world whose size is difficult to determine from the portion of the game we tested. He can then move away from the camps and create new ones. Meanwhile, here you can sleep, make potions and save your game. But during the day, it loses one essential feature that is useful for exploring certain places. When it gets dark, its skin actually becomes wood, which makes it more durable and allows, for example, to run through blackberries to reach inaccessible areas. Enemy creatures also change depending on whether it’s day or night, making it interesting to explore in all light conditions to access different loot.
Fight
As it is easily understood, when one or more meet enemies (not all creatures are enemies), the battle begins. In reality, you can participate in a ritual first against the smart ones, i.e. a mini-game whose ultimate goal is to have a higher dice value than the opponent’s dice value, offering advantages in case of victory. Of course, disadvantages in case of defeat. When the ritual is over, we start dancing. Supposedly, there are different attack techniques that vary according to the style originally adopted. In general, it has a weak attack, a strong attack, and a charged blow. As you continue the adventure, various moves are unlocked that increase your chances and make the fight more diverse.
Their enemies all have unique attack patterns, some more effective, some less. The fights are very easy at the beginning of the game, as the first creatures are slow and do very little damage when hit, but right after we meet the Boy, things start to get tougher if we haven’t told you, and yes. meeting the first identifiable competitors is really dangerous.
It is difficult to describe them, because unique style strange beings living inside the barrels, dwarf trolls with huge heads covering almost their entire bodies, giant pigs with pointed faces, bird-headed monkeys etc. Moreover, he is also a strange being, supposedly anthropomorphic, but with a narrow waist and a head that looks like a mass of smoked meat with eyes and mouth.
in terms of Gameplay the graphic style in this case is not indifferent. Just like in Zeno Clash, where the combat is more physical (in Clash: Artifacts of Chaos there is an action setting and generally the beats are faster, also because it is played in third person), one of them is an incredible expressionist with Progress motives, crazy characters and brutal architecture is to continue to marvel at the strangeness of the game world overlaid by a magical realism made with awareness. Fighting on your own, making alternating fast and powerful attacks, understanding when is the right time to attempt a charged attack (which can stun the opponent), and developing the right skills to dodge and dodge (you can’t hold the button and absorb all the shots, but you have to press it at the right time) ).
Too bad the demo ends at its best, that’s when the plot starts to develop and the real problems begin. Whatever the case, we were left with a sensation to try it, as we look forward to getting the final version of Clash: Artifacts of Chaos scheduled for February 9, 2023. next year’s surprises.
Clash: Artifacts of Chaos is a surprising title in some ways: it’s an open world that doesn’t fit the amusement park style from Rockstar Games or Ubisoft, and despite some concessions to the market, it seems to want to confirm it. above all for its unique features. In short, it is a game that needs attention, even if it comes out especially in a crowded period.
DOCUMENTS
- Unique visual and narrative style
- The combat system seems to work fine
- They seem to miss some finishing touches every once in a while
Source: Multiplayer
