‘Extinction’ Mercilessly Mixes Medieval Fantasy With ‘Attack on Titan': E3 2017 Preview
There are few things as satisfying in a video game as taking down a foe that towers above you. In Extinction, enemy ogres are literally the size of towers (and larger), making their defeats that much more rewarding when you are able to finally whittle one down. Combining the fast-paced fighting Iron Galaxy is known for with the dismemberment mechanics that made Dead Space such a thrill might not seem like an idea that should work. However, when you mix in a premise eerily reminiscent of manga and anime, Attack on Titan, Extinction manages to mix all the disparate pieces together into a greater whole.
Extinction follows the story of Avil, one of the last guardians of humanity against the ogre onslaught. Avil's got some slick abilities from his life as a Sentinel, the group that tried and failed to prevent the ogres from devastating the world. A parkour expert, as well as a deft swordsman, Avil has quite a task ahead of him in defending that last few outposts of civilization from the towering giants banging at the gates of existence. In just watching Avil flip and run around the city, you could get a great idea of the maneuverability the developers have included. There was nary a surface that couldn't be used as a platform, either for running or jumping, and all of that will come in handy if Avil hopes to get high enough to leap onto a threatening monster.
While we didn't get to play the game ourselves, the combat looked equally as enticing. Before the giants roll up to the door, minions will appear throughout the city, and Avil will have to fend them off. This won't just keep the citizens safe, it will also help build up Avil's attack abilities and powers. Your basic attacks will diminish the low tier enemies quickly, but you'll need a buffed blade to challenge the ogres. It's not just because they're bigger than you, but also because they're wearing armor protecting their vital spots. It's almost as if they know Avil will be gunning for their limbs and neck.
Once you do get to face off against the ogres, Extinction starts to show what separates it from so many other action games. After a showy flurry of moves to get onto the ogre, Avil quickly got to work on smashing away at the buckles and fasteners holding the creature's armor together. Whittling those down doesn't stop an ogre outright, but does give Avil an opening to then slice bits and bobs of the monster off. If you need to buy yourself some time, Avil can lop of a foot or two, leaving the ogre stranded and sitting while it waits for its toes to grow back. Players will have to act quickly when dismantling enemies, as ogres do have regenerative powers, and the tougher the ogre, the more challenging it will be to get the job done.
Ogres can only be killed when their heads are shorn clean off, and it takes quite a bit of Avil's powers to make the blade strong enough to accomplish such a feat. Again, that's where staying active against your enemies will come in handy. The more damage Avil is doling out, the faster his sword's thirst for power is quenched. Then it's time to deliver some killing blows, which are quite a visual in and of themselves. Nothing Avil does is without a bit of style, and it seems his most memorable acts come with the finishing flourishes. Just be sure to watch out for ogres getting tired of your presence and swatting you off like a bug. It hurts. A lot.
Though still in pre-alpha, our hands-off demonstration of Extinction was rather impressive. The scope and size of the game is something we don't see very often, and Extinction's intriguing combat techniques have all the promise to win players over. Granted there is going to be a lot of time between this little slice of Extinction and the full, final game, but what Iron Galaxy has in mind is definitively appealing.
Extinction will be available on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2018.
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