AeternoBlade II starts as it means to go on, clunky, confusing and thinking that it was smarter than it is. The game dives right in, without giving an explanation of what has happened before, what is happening currently. Most annoyingly, there was no indication or hint of what may happen next, the story just jumps along. The hack and slash combat may be at times rewarding, but that style of combat is indicative of the title as a whole. The confusing combat is at times unrewarding and messy which mirrors the game’s overall feel. Perhaps most heinously, the game’s story is incredibly forgettable, as it jumps from character to character without developing any of them beyond their basic appearance and characteristics.

Story

One thing that must be said is that AeternoBlade II is certainly ambitious, with decent ideas dotted around the game. From research, I have managed to get a basic understanding of the story, and it seems relatively rewarding for anyone who was invested in it, but to me it served to provide very little motivation to continue. Constant thoughts of “who?” “what?” and “really?” dotted with the occasional peaking of interest meant that I was never ever dying to get back to learn what was to come.

The constant switching between characters meant that I never truly understood exactly what any of their abilities were until I had gone far beyond caring. While the combat system overall can be quite intuitive, the lack of meaty progression means that I stuck the moves that I began with. Any new move available, didn’t seem effective so I merely pushed through any barrier to this. That being said, it was pretty responsive and interesting, when I wasn’t completely frustrated.

Say Cheese… for the camera that can’t stop moving

By far the most jarring part of the game was it’s changing camera angles/ depth. The game jumps from a 2D platformer to 2D fighting, to 3D fighting. This part of the game seems under-developed and overall, felt like weights halting my progression. The random switches were incredibly annoying, and 3D especially was incredibly glitchy, as I struggled with the camera and lock-on system. Had the developers merely made a 2D platform/fighting game, the game would have been much more rewarding. When I learned that there was a troubled development, I began to understand more and more.

The smooth, 00s aesthetic could be interesting, but many textures in the game just look so out of place. Even certain characters, such as Bernard, have highly detailed hair and clothing, but a face that wouldn’t be out of place 20 years ago. This was another low blow on my immersion in the game. The animations match this aesthetic, with some being incredibly impressive, while others made me want to play a better game with similar graphics from years gone by. The most frustrating aspect for me was the fact that the world which AeternoBlade II creates. Its interesting backgrounds in each level touched my inner RPG love, as I drudged along the monotonous path towards the next shift in camera angle, away from the world I imagined exploring.

Verdict

Overall, AeternoBlade II somehow kept me playing, eager for the game to redeem itself. Unfortunately, this iteration was unable to do so, but there is hope. There is potential in this series, to really hook fans of all sort. A narrower focus, coupled with more a polished finish ought to make that a reality. As something extra for your Switch, it’s fine, but the price-tag warrants more substance, polish and care than is provided.

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Dark Devotion is an Action-Adventure Side-Scrolling RPG from Hibernian Workshop and The Arcade Crew. You explore the secrets of ‘a fallen temple’ where you play the part of a Templar whose faith is put to the test. The game is based around a combat system which is initially quite simple, but as you progress becomes far more rhythmic and skill-based. In this system, even the slightest mistiming can lead to your death.

Your devotion and bravery are put to the test when you face off against a formidable cohort of foes. The game received a sizeable Kickstarter backing and is sure to appeal hugely to fans of challenging RPG titles. The issues come with the lighting, UI and certain frustrating mechanics take away from the experience. At times, I was left feeling frustrated at what could have been.

Setting the Stage

In true RPG spirit, along your quest, you can ascertain an array of weapons, armor, and relics that will upgrade your character. The strict inventory system ensures that you are forced to adapt and maximise each item full potential. Every chest you open, every item that’s found, every character that you interact with unravels more and more of the story, and as a game system. At times, it is near flawless in ensuring that the story progresses at a steady pace. However, perhaps one of the larger issues with the game is that its story is far from compelling at times.

The game opens with a rather lengthy cinematic explaining your place in a grand and interesting world. Once the gameplay begins, you are placed in a gloomy dungeon, which is perhaps a poor starting point. The confusing UI mixed with overly-pixelated fonts meant that I really found it hard to understand where our character fits into the world.

The Meat and Bones

Once I began to understand my character’s place in the world, I started to enjoy myself a little more. As with most RPGs, the game encourages you to push forward and explore. Often, however,  it does not allow you to explore the map fully due to the fact that there is no turning back.

This is one of my biggest bugbears with the game. As someone who enjoys RPGs, I always feel the need to explore an area to its full potential. This is something which is not always achievable in Dark Devotion. It must be said, however, that this ensures the game’s replayability is there for those who do get hooked. There seems to be endless new caverns and tunnels to explore, and I’m sure that those who are hooked will remain so.

One final area which continuously frustrated me was the games’ stamina mechanic. At various points through the game, I would perform dodges, strong hits and duck and rolls to put myself in the position for a final killer blow. This was to be thwarted by my character’s stamina running out and I was left at the mercy of my enemy. Surprisingly, this did not occur in boss battles, but instead, I found it more prevalent when fighting a cluster of lesser enemies.

The stamina bar is placed off centre and is unlikely to catch your eye mid-fight, and I often would find myself at a loss. Mid-fight my character had suddenly become immobilized waiting to be struck down mercilessly. Obviously, I can understand that the simple retort to this would be to ‘get better at the game’. Nonetheless, I found it to be unnecessarily finicky and infuriating leading me to stop playing on more than one occasion.

The Verdict

Overall, Dark Devotion to me is not a game that grabbed me, but I can see why it would others. As a PC title, it must be said that Dark Devotion shows potential, but at times proves frustrating. I was left what it may have been, rather than what it is.

On a smaller screen such as the Nintendo Switch, the game could be hugely enjoyable. For PC players, the experience is, at times, one of perseverance rather than enjoyment.  Dark Devotion is out now on Steam and is to be available on PS4 and Nintendo Switch soon.

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