and some of the illusion starts to break. Where once you were just privy to a few screens and the vague suggestion of an elsewhere, the universe is now a palpable burden for the game maker to carry. The passage of time and the effects of your actions leave physical scars on the world in which you inhabit.Īnd it is a world now, with a growing history and a cast of characters. Chair had done away with the genetic tragedy of the original, too.
Do you weave and parry with two blades? Do you smash enemies into submission with a two-handed monstrosity? Or do you keep things the same and rely on the shield-and-sword combo that proved so successful in the first game? Infinity Blade II's real 'trick' was its range of combat styles. I clamber into a well, grabbing bags of gold as I descend out of the morning light.Ī beast awaits that barely fits into the cramped space, its heavy club almost scraping gouges into the ceiling as it rains its blows down on me. The edges are smoother the foes, more interesting. Too soon, though, you're back among sandstone and portcullis, in dark nooks and dank corridors where feral beasts and cunning warriors wait to test the pace of your fingers once again. It was unequivocally a more beautiful creature: the Japanese opening - all falling petals, pagodas, and greenery - represented a welcome change from the collapsing grandeur of the first game. Some of the purity of the original is lost, however, in a desperate grasp for scope and scale.
An explosion of threads, an outpouring of freedom and narrative. Where Infinity Blade was a tightly closed loop of rinse and repeat violence, Infinity Blade II is a tangle. In three and a half, I'm walking up to the castle gates. I plunge my blade into his chest and step forward to meet destiny once more. He's slow, a far-from-worthy challenge now. The dark knight steps forward and I dispatch him with ease. These are my rewards for the most recent push through the dungeons. I ascend again, with a new blade and a new helm.
However, it's all dressed up in the garb of the smartphone era. From the rafts of customisable equipment to the recharging magical attacks. From the ornate chests to the hidden gold. And if you're right, you live to guess again.Īll the trappings of a fantasy dungeon-crawler are firmly in place here, though. In accordance with the sway of a sword or the curve of a spine, you choose your riposte. It's all about the subtleties of movement, the tells of each gargantuan beast or long-limbed harlequin. When he feigns left, you know a dodge will leave him vulnerable to a strike.įor all the brute force, all the grunting swings of barbed axes, Infinity Blade is a game of fencing. The castle itself is far from huge, and its secrets are all revealed in a few playthroughs. He's stunned, and my poisoned blade senses a kill. Genetic memory flares and I stab with all my force. My father killed him, and his father before him. The sun catches my armour, and I throw myself aside, dodging the swing of the troll. They roared and postured, the camera swirling between the two of you like the epic final battle in some fantasy film you haven't seen yet. Your enemies towered over you, brutish feral things with spiked clubs and venom in their blood. The precise slashes and swipes, the considered dodges and blocks gave a weight to proceedings. Here was a real game custom-built for Apple's phones and tablets. It looked stunning - its crumbling walls, grotesque foes, and seemingly infinite skyboxes mouthwatering reminders of the sheer power of the phone in your pocket.
The original Infinity Blade was a jolt to the chest of iOS gaming. Infinity Blade is a fairy tale, a cycle of wandering into the seemingly empty castle to defeat the slumbering dragon at its core.Īnd every time you face down the God King, you get a little bit closer, and his powers become that little bit less impressive. I am a son avenging the crumpled form of a father who failed to slay a beast. That sword is destined to pierce my armour, and I'm destined to start all over again. My frantic swipes and taps are useless against the heavy barrage of blows. The God King lifts his sword, and in a few swings I'm done for.