Gameloft's New Masterpiece: Wild Blood

On August 22, 2012, news about Gameloft's first Unreal Engine masterpiece, 'Wild Blood,' sparked a flurry of discussion among players, with accusations of it being a knockoff emerging. Interestingly, the official concept art and promotional videos seemed to exude a vibe reminiscent of the Infinity Blade series. But is this really the case? Recently, the well-known gaming website Gamescom obtained a demo version of the game and played it, so let's take a look at the actual gameplay experience.

The game is set in a dark medieval period, where players take on the role of Lancelot, the greatest knight of the legendary Round Table in Britain. In the game, however, King Arthur becomes the main villain, continuously sending his mages and witches to summon demons with the intent to conquer the world. This setting is both familiar and novel, reminiscent of Kratos' god-slaying adventures, as players will also enact a dramatic 'regicide' storyline.

Previous photos and videos released by the developers gave the impression that 'this is just another hack-and-slash and dodge game.' In reality, the game feels more like the 'God of War' series—characters can move freely and attack using a variety of moves and combos. Unlike what many had imagined, the game is not structured like Infinity Blade or Dungeon Hunter; instead, it uses a unique 'epic linear level design' that is stylish and novel.

Combat in the game requires only two buttons: standard attack (automatically targeting and attacking the nearest enemy) and magic attack. Additionally, once the 'dash' ability is learned, players can use it to evade enemies. Despite its simplicity, the game's main style emphasizes offense over defense, allowing players to enjoy the satisfying feeling of attacking enemies. The weapon system is a major highlight; from melee weapons like a two-handed axe to ranged weapons like a longbow, each weapon has unique magical abilities and combo moves. The game also designs special levels and enemies around these weapons, requiring players to continuously switch them to progress.

Regarding graphics, the Unreal Engine certainly delivers. Whether it's the subtle details of a gentle breeze or the grand scene of birds gliding against the sunset, players can feel a vast and realistic game world, significantly surpassing the visuals created using Gameloft's own engine in previous games.Gameloft has not yet announced the specific release date of the game; we only know that the approximate time is in September, and this trial play has also made me look forward to the official version even more.