A combat system from an overlooked game

The game is "Severance" blade of darkness", and excellent game. It could be considered as a classic except for a couple of flaws*. But here I want to talk about its innovative combat system.

You all know about the boring click, click and click of most swash-buckling games. Some games such as Gothics have tried to change that with some success ( and got some criticisms ) and you may want to discuss that if you feel like. But first, I will explain the essentials of the combat system used in BoD:

It uses a sequence of keys to accomplish a martial art move ( with increase in damage ). It is not easy as it sounds since the timing is important. For example, the second key has to happened in a split-second after the first etc. I feel this system is more suitable to computer games. I imagine that Japanese ninja games may have some good combat systems but I haven't get far into that yet.

* the game has 4 role characters to choose. The Amazon is the best and near perfect.

Euh. Sorry, I intent to post it in non-rpg forum, but somehow, I just slipped my fingers.

Moved!! I like combat to be simple; any fast clicking is not my style. Turn based is the only way to go!!

Originally Posted by Corwin
Moved!! I like combat to be simple; any fast clicking is not my style. Turn based is the only way to go!!

I agree. That's why Civilization is my favourite strategy game.

I have talked about Blade of Darkness multiple times here … I LOVE the game … I played all of the characters, but prefer either the Amazon or the Knight. And I LOVE picking up someone's severed head and killing the next enemy with it.

Originally Posted by txa1265
And I LOVE picking up someone's severed head and killing the next enemy with it.

In the very first, I think even unpatched, version of Sacred 1 it was possible to pick up a skull and use it as a weapon !

I have never seen a game that uses this possibility - Blade of Darkness is actually the first other game featuring this I hear about.

Actually the player can pick up anything and use it as weapon. He can even pick up a stool and throw it at his enemy, safer this way too. Considering cutting off the head of one monster then throwing it smack in the face of the next. That would stun him.

Here’s an entire franchise going tragically underplayed. Both Condemned games are brutally satisfying shooters, but the first barely pushed half a million copies and the sequel didn’t reach a million on multiple platforms.

You play as a down-on-his-luck cop tangled in a world of nightmares, murderers, CSI investigation and homeless crack addicts. The sequel ups the ante, blending the line between reality and fiction further and improving the gameplay all around.

Did we mention the awesome hand-to-hand combat system? Or that this series will scare the crap out of you? Why haven’t you played this again?

Yes, this was a very 'bloody' game indeed, a great game with phenominal key-stroke moves. It took me some time to correctly learn all of the more advanced combo' moves. My favourite was the backward flip which enabled the hero to do a 'backward-somersault-and-strike' move which was the only real way of killing that terrible red devil robed guy who would also use the same evasive move just as he was about to be struck.

The melee lock-on routine was uniquely deceptive in that the strafing circle unknowingly diminished (reducing the circle radius) to a point where the opponent could strike and kill. If i can remember the correct evasive routine (and at the same time replenishing the stamina bar) it went something like - straf left 2 paces - strike - straf left 2 paces - on full circle take 1 step back - repeat untill the opponent was worn down and killed. It was mastery of the keyboard skill which mattered most, it required an alarming level of alacrity and dexterous ability similar to that of a legal court-room stenographer!

A strange thing about S-BOD is the lack of main quest info' in reviews, many do not even mention it or are unaware that the player has to gather the various pieces of the sword and have it magically consecrated but why at the game ending? - somewhere mid-game would have been more handy!

S-BOD had just a sprinkling of rpg elements, which however sparse, makes it unarguably an action rpg.

I remember this one, anyone know what happened to the devs of this game?

I found this link which appears self explanatory, seems there was a sequel lined up at one time?

http://blade-of-darkness.bigtruck-ca…stamante_2.htm

Thanks for the interview (linked). I read that interview, and I learned a lot.

Mostly about the Spanish market and the U.S. market from an european point of view.

Originally Posted by Corwin
Turn based is the only way to go!!

I could not agree more.
Rpgs have lost what made them great. Imho