I’ve been twirling round with kusarigama and stabbing guts with gladii in preparation for the second season of For Honor, Shadow and Might, which kicks off at this time, no less than for season move holders. For everybody else, it’s due out subsequent week. Two new lessons are becoming a member of the fray, together with epic customized gear and a few maps ready to be drenched within the blood of numerous perpetually offended warriors. First impressions? For Honor continues to be very a lot my cup of tea.
Related: our For Honor PC review.
The highlights are undoubtedly the brand new lessons. The maps and epic objects largely fall into the class of ‘ain’t it purdy’, not likely bringing something contemporary to the desk. It’s extra stuff, new locations, new objects to unlock, extra excuses to maintain taking part in, however none of this has any tangible impression on the moment-to-moment gameplay.
Not so the Shinobi and Centurion, nevertheless. Let’s test in with the previous, first. This masked ninja seems like a response to gamers who felt that For Honor was a little bit sluggish. That’s kinda the purpose, I really feel – it’s a sport of armoured warriors stepping into duels, in spite of everything. But a little bit of range continues to be welcome, and that’s positively what the Shinobi brings. It is, unsurprisingly, an Assassin, role-wise, just like the Orochi, Berserker and Peacekeeper, and is very just like the latter – a quick, nimble duel-wielding combatant. But it’s additionally fully unpredictable.
At shut vary, the Shinobi can put a variety of strain on a foe with their lightning-fast assaults, however their actual power is in counterattack expertise. Deflect an assault and you’ll teleport behind an enemy whereas chopping them, inflicting a bleeding debuff and getting right into a superior place from which you’ll be able to unleash some extra combos. Time it proper and you may also finish the teleport with a swift kick, knocking your opponent again. This can be utilized to provide your self some respiratory room, but it surely’s not simply defensive. Kick them once they’re standing on the sting of a river or a cliff, for example, and bid them farewell.
What makes the Shinobi a extremely fascinating class is its potential to change stances. Not eager on the concept of working proper as much as the brutish Shugoki? No drawback. The kusarigama is a ranged weapon, too. The sickles are linked by a sequence, so it may be tossed to punish foes from a distance. This is useful if you wish to keep out of an enemy’s grasp, but it surely’s additionally useful if you wish to shut the hole. Think Scorpion’s basic Get Over Here assault from Mortal Kombat. The tremendous dash serves an analogous function. Hit the dash button twice and the Shinobi will transfer with preternatural velocity, good for each chasing fleeing enemies or getting the hell out of a harmful scenario.
Double dodges, backflips, teleports – the Shinobi has a toy field stuffed with tips, however this additionally makes it a difficult class to play. There are so many choices, it may be arduous to determine the most effective method in the midst of a tense battle. And all it takes is a cut up second of indecision for the squishy ninja to get carved in half by a meatier opponent.
As enjoyable as it’s to slice and cube enemies with the Shinobi, I’m much less enthused about going through them. They’re a bit annoying, frankly. So a lot leaping and twirling and working away. If a Shinobi participant is doing their job, then they’ll be a irritating adversary relatively than an entertaining one, and in the event that they aren’t, then the battle will in all probability final ten seconds, which isn’t any extra satisfying. The different lessons shine the brightest in tense duels, circling their prey, patiently ready for that opening, however ninjas don’t have time for that nonsense.
The Centurion, a beefy Roman scrapper, is extra standard. He likes to get in shut along with his gladius and stab, stab, stab. After chopping up fools with the Shinobi, he’s not fairly as thrilling, and even his combos are a bit staid, visually, however from a tactical perspective he’s truly an fascinating fella.
When preventing the Centurion, you’d be forgiven for principally worrying about his blade, however he’s simply as lethal along with his fists or the butt of his sword. He’s a fan of punching, grabbing, and crushing faces, draining his opponent’s stamina so he can end them off whereas they’re staggering about like they’ve simply fallen out of a kebab store at 3AM.
He pushes folks round like a heavily-armoured bully, knocking them in regards to the battlefield earlier than leaping at them and planting his sword of their chest. Just a few of his combos finish with a nasty unblockable stab, too, that means that you just’ll have to be fast in your toes, dodging out of his approach relatively than making an attempt to defend your self with a weapon or protect. Easier mentioned than carried out when your stamina bar is empty.
Being a Centurion means always serving up beatdowns and by no means letting different warriors preserve their stability. There’s a dizzying momentum – combo, seize, stun, push, unblockable assault. If an enemy will get away, throw in a soar. He may not be as quick because the Shinobi, however he’s surprisingly competent at closing gaps and chasing down cowardly adversaries.
Both of the brand new lessons have one factor in widespread: they really feel like they’re all about management. They create alternatives by conserving enemies off-kilter always, whether or not that’s by hooking them with a sickle and dragging them into melee vary, or smashing up their face till they’re too drained to swing their sword. It’s going to take some time earlier than I actually really feel like I’m making essentially the most out of them although, significantly the Shinobi with its extra unique moveset, however I anticipate having a variety of enjoyable making an attempt.
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