I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t like Attack on Titan. In fact, I’d even go as far as to say I think it’s one of the most overrated manga and anime series of all time. But that said, I can’t ignore that Hajime Isayama’s twisted epic would be a perfect fit for a video game adaptation, and there is nobody more capable of creating that game than Omega Force.
During our meeting with Koei Tecmo at E3 2016, I got to get my hands on the current build of Attack on Titan, currently in development for the Playstation 4, Playstation Vita, Xbox One, and PC.
The game was fast and fluid – but above all else, it was fun. The build came with three different game modes, though I only played two, opting to simply skip the tutorial mode so I wouldn’t waste any time.
The first mode I played was Cadet mode – a game mode that allowed me to play the cadets tasked with killing the Titans that threaten their home. Armed with the typical duel blades and the now iconic 3 dimensional movement gear, you zip around the environments at lightning speeds cutting down all who stand in your way.
This was the game mode where the gameplay really shined. From what I saw during my demo, there are at least three different types of Titan for you to go up against, each with their own size and abilities. In addition, none of the more unique Titans showed up in the demo.
To kill a titan, you will need to cut it’s neck, just like in the actual series. There is a layer of strategy to the game that makes every Titan kill enjoyable, as the player can select which body part to target, and must propel themselves towards the Titan with enough speed from the gear to deal massive damage.
Admittedly, the controls take a little while to get the hang of. I probably could have avoided that adjustment period had I actually taken the time to go into the tutorial mode beforehand – but the moment you get the hang of the controls you will be swinging around the city like your Spider-man.
In fact, after my time with the demo, I talked with a Koei Tecmo PR representative, and we came to the conclusion that Attack on Titan is the best Spider-Man game since Spider-Man 2.
The second game mode in the demo was Titan mode. In this mode you play as Eren in his Titan mode and you fight other Titans. To be honest, based on what I saw, I’d prefer to call this “Eren is a Bully Mode”, because as a titan, you are practically a God and none of the other titans can even compare to you. You will be kicking and punching your way through a sea of inferior titans, as you play Godzilla and knock down all the buildings in the village.
It was extremely entertaining to punt smaller titans into buildings like a football player, but I was unable to do much else. However, it felt like Titan Mode could have a lot of depth given the chance, but I only scratched it’s surface during my time with it.
I went into Attack on Titan with no expectations and very little interest in the game – but after I was done, I have to say it’s my personal game of the show.
I can’t wait to get my hands on it at the end of August, when the game launches on August 26th in Europe and on August 30th in North America for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, PC, and PS Vita. Who knows. Maybe I’ll even give the manga another try. (…I won’t.)
