Lots of people dream of flying, especially as kids. Even I did, and I'm afraid of heights. Swordplay is also a popular subject, in games and in film. So, it was probably just a matter of time before a game came along that included both in the main theme of the game: a game about aerial dueling with swords. Determinance powered by the Torque Game Engine, is such a game.
The game focuses on the one-on-one duel, but battles against multiple opponents are possible by use of a targeting system that switches a lock from opponent to opponent at your command. Online and offline play are included, though I get the impression that offline is more of a way to train the player for online dueling. Still, I tend to focus on the single-player experience first in games, and if that doesn't click for me, I will rarely venture online. Or, in some cases, single-player mode turns out to be enough.
It's possible to go up against various bots, including an arcade-style mode that has the player going up against a succession of opponents. It's also possible to just set up a duel and go at it, with death matches being either regular or team-based. The tutorial is the best place to start, however. In fact, the tutorial is excellent, especially considering the somewhat steep learning curve of a fairly deep dueling game such as this one. I went through it twice, and feel like it helped me each time.
Part of this is just me, not entirely the game's fault, it could just be that I'm not particularly in the mood for a game like this at this point in my gaming life, but if certain things worked a bit better, and made more sense to me, I'd certainly be having a better time with it.
Part of the issue I have is with the mechanics and controls for blocking, and for angling one's blade either to strike or block. This is done manually, by holding down the mouse wheel and moving the mouse, or by spinning the mouse wheel. The overall movement of the blade is done by simply moving the mouse with no buttons held down; the blade follows the mouse's path, leaving a glowing trail.
Hit an opponent with the blade, or with the trail, and you will damage them in various areas. There are limits to how much the blade can be swung about without pause. There's an energy meter for the blade/trail, and when it runs out and turns red, then motion of the blade must stop before it replenishes and recovers the ability to do damage once more. I like this aspect of it, actually. It's a nice mechanic to get people to do something other than mindlessly hacking and slashing away without a break. What I don't like so much is the business with the mouse wheel, manually angling the blade for attacking and blocking.
It's not intuitive, it's very difficult when under pressure (such as during a duel), and it ends up being rather random as to when I am able manage it effectively. I do feel a bit like I'm fumbling with it in general, rather than being smooth. Add in the difficulty of keeping up with and keeping track of an opponent (or multiple opponents) along both horizontal and vertical axes, and it gets even more boggling at times. Tapping the mouse wheel button rather than holding it down is supposed to bring the blade back to neutral position, but it does not always seem to register properly.
This is obviously not realistic game, and is not intended to be, and I'm not saying it needs to be. However, does it have to be unrealistic in such a contrary way? And must it be so in a way that makes it harder on the player, rather than easier and perhaps more intuitive? Speaking for myself, I'd just as soon drop the whole manual angling business and be done with it; the game would be more fun without it.
Things could use a bit more user-friendliness in other areas as well, such as when dealing with switching characters and weapons, perhaps asking a new player to choose a character when entering the arcade mode or tutorial, rather than being assigned a default one.
Movement is handled primarily using the WSAD set of keys, and the camera is controlled by holding down the right mouse button while moving the mouse. I found myself wishing for a control option that made movement the default, and enabled the blade-control by holding down the mouse button, but I imagine that could be more difficult for the combat portion of the game. I wanted it mainly for when I was just having fun flying around. Flying is enjoyable in itself!
This game is a nifty idea, and has some potential, but like I said, I just had trouble getting into it, maintaining an interest, etc., and thus have not bothered to cultivate the necessary experience to get past some of the stumbling blocks. It's one that I appreciate aesthetically and academically, but when it comes down to actually playing and having fun with something, I just find myself reaching for a different game. I find myself wishing I liked it better, because there's a fair bit to like, it has a sense of humor about it that is appealing, and seems fairly original; but I am not drawn in by it. As always, your mileage may vary, but that is how I feel about it. I'll be keeping an eye out for updates in the future, however, and may come back to it at some point.
I'm a gamer from way back, I've gone from playing on my Atari 2600 or Commodore 64 to adventuring away on my relatively modern PC, Xbox, or PS2. I've played a pretty eclectic assortment over the years, and frequented my share of arcades (even worked in one) when I was younger, now I mainly do my gaming at home.
