Konami unveiled Blades of Time at E3 back in June last year, the title that stars ‘Ayumi’, the star of Konami’s 2009 X-Blade (ye, we don’t remember either). At gamescom, the publisher says it will show off the Blades of Time’s new desert level which Konami says will introduce new gameplay elements to the action genre.
The desert world is a harsh, arid plain and has been left dry and cracked by the unrelenting sun. In addition to the adversaries the user faces, they must also stay out of direct sunlight or will lose health as they are gradually burned by the rays.
Konami have now formally announced the new action title along with the games’ description. Blades of Time is currently in development by Gaijin and is headed to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in early January 2012.
Konami’s Blades of Time Description:
Blades of Time is an original action title boasting a sword-wielding treasure hunter named Ayumi, fighting for survival within a hostile fantasy realm. The game is set in the world of Dragonland, legendary for its treasure, where a demonic being has taken control and is wreaking havoc. Armed with a pair of swords, Ayumi is charged with toppling the evil overlord, and must evolve her fighting skills and magic abilities in order to proceed.
As such, the player must guide Ayumi through the shadier parts, working out the best route to stay out of the direct sunlight. This new level truly shows off Blades of Time’s clever elements. The game is set within a 3D landscape, which Ayumi can freely explore. As she does so, however, she will be pursued by hordes of creatures, all of whom must be bested. Using a special dual-wield system, Ayumi can cut a path through the hundreds of adversaries that stand in her way, while combo attacks, and magic spells can be learned en route.
Ayumi can also learn spells based on both Chaos and Order, including the ability to turn back time and fight alongside herself! This ‘Time Rewind’ function sends Ayumi back to an earlier point, allowing her to assist herself in combat or solve puzzles by leaving items that will be useful at a later point. The ability to play with time also comes to the fore within the arid desert, as Ayumi can use her skills to create shadows that will give her an advantage over her assailants.
Blades of Time’s Dragonland setting is rife with traps, which have to be thwarted or avoided, while the various locations throw up a series of themed inhabitants. The game progresses from the island’s snowy locales, through to balmy jungles, decaying cities, and sky islands. Each brings a fresh look and differing inhabitants into play, pushing Ayumi’s new-found skills to their limits, while a second player can step in via the game’s all-action Co-Op mode, which is a bonus next to the single player story mode.
With over 40 possible attacking combos, and levels that will constantly surprise and delight, Blades of Time is so much more than a 3D combat title. It forces the user to think as they fight and to plot their actions in order to make the most of the time-travelling elements.
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The publisher’s bold statements alone are not enough to sway us. The developer’s modest success with their previous title is also not that convincing.
However, our opinion is not the beginning and ending of all things gaming. And let’s not forget, Rocksteady was not exactly at the forefront of the developer world until they took on the Dark Knight.
So we’ll keep and eye on Gaijin and see what they can bring with this one.
