For Honor is an upcoming hack and slash game for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC, with a strong focus on hand to hand combat called "The Art of Battle." It's being developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft, and is targeting release on February 14, 2017 (pure coincidence it happens to be on Valentines day, and actually incredibly ironic as there is nothing about it that screams "love is in the air").
Control the battlefield by slaughtering masses of opposing infantry, and/or duel it out in personal encounters with those in charge. There are three factions to choose from allowing you to play as Knights, Samurais, or Vikings.
For Honor is already showing signs that it has potential to be a major success. Keep reading to find out why.
Immersive Wars and Maps
The battles you'll partake in will be filled with constant living and breathing (I use those terms loosely) battles across gorgeous environments. AI minions will flood the field of combat, battling each other, and the commanders who lead them. Catapults will be shooting massive attacks, archers will taking aim, and the sword-wielding footmen will be clashing. You'll influence battles as you take out large groups of opposing soldiers, and controlling territories around the maps.
And speaking of maps, there are a couple you'll trudge through with honor and rage. You may find yourself in the Vikings' fortress, River Fort -- a once-popular fishing village reinforced for chaotic war. Or the Knights' fortress, Citadel Gate -- a castle designed fortress with barracks and archer positions stationed outside the gates that provide shelter for thousands of citizens. You may end up in the Samurai fortress, Overwatch -- a cliff-side Japanese fortress with an outer perimeter and a core full of siege defenses.
"The Art of Battle"
For Honor reinvents the sword fighting controls of games set in medieval times. While you'll hack and slash your way through infantry, swinging your weapon of choice with powerful recklessness, the up-close and personal encounters with the field commanders will bring a completely different gameplay. If you haven't seen the gameplay yet, look it up. You won't be disappointed. It involves more strategy, patience, and quick reaction skills.
You'll need to time your parries perfectly to avoid getting a sharp blade through your limbs -- or worse, a violent swing that will remove your head. Timing is just as important when attacking as when defending; you'll need to catch your opponent off guard and unexpected of your intended target in regards to their bodies.
These battles look like they can last a few seconds to a minute or two depending on the skill and honor (ha!) of both parties. Outnumber an opponent for fast executions, or have a watchful eye in the event you are the outnumbered individual -- either way, these encounters are shaping up to be some insane action!
The Diversity of Heroes and Lore
For Honor creates a medieval fantasy world where some of our favorite types of historic warriors compete for supremacy (Knights, Samurai, and Vikings). These are just snippets of the potential soldiers you'll be able to choose from within the three opposing factions -- the official For Honor website features a page called Heroes of For Honor where you can see the 2 remaining warriors for each faction that have yet to make a full fledged appearance.
Each warrior from each respected faction has their own persona and skills: weapons, attacks, perks, abilities. Since the game is aiming to provide at most 4v4 gameplay (as of now), you'll run into someone playing as the same character on semi-rare occasions (under the assumption the game allows for two people to play as the same warrior and doesn't lock them upon selection). The lore behind each faction will hopefully make for amazing single player campaigns. Oh wait... that's the next slide.
Story Campaign
Knowing you will be able to partake in the story for any faction of your choosing is such an exciting thing. But what could make it even better? That it can be played as a two-player co-op! Here's how Ubisoft describes the campaign's backstory and current story:
Hundreds of years after a cataclysm reshaped the world, Knights, Vikings, and Samurai have adapted and thrive once more. Each now has the power to defy the other factions, tipping a fragile equilibrium into all-out war.
Embodying the greatest warriors of each faction, players experience some of the defining moments that led to the war. Dealing with manipulation, betrayal, and catastrophic reversal, they will need wits and skills to ensure victory.
Storming castles and fortresses, turning the tide of key battles, and defeating deadly bosses in intense duels, players will incarnate as battle-hardened heroes who will shape the course of a violent history.
4K Support
With the major hype surrounding Sony's PS4 Pro, and eventually Microsoft's Xbox Scorpio, gaming in 4K will soon be an expectation just as much as it is a demand for the "future of gaming." While I can't speak much on behalf of the Xbox One S or the later Xbox Scorpio, the PS4 Pro 4K capabilities have been a target since the beginning of development and it has delivered so far.
With all the gorgeous graphics it has already showcased in the many demos, trailers, and previews, what better way to enjoy it all than in the top tier of graphical presentation and performance? (And yes PC players, you will already have access to this but that's nothing new; you've had top grade technology for awhile now.)
Are you excited to play For Honor? Think it's destined for greatness? Let me know in the comments below!
Published: Sep 15, 2016 07:45 pm