For Honor review

For Honor review (PS4 version)


For Honor is a predominantly online multiplayer game that pits three of history's greatest warriors against one another, Knights, Vikings and the Samurai. With one of the most complex but fun combat systems I have ever played, it's just a few glaring flaws away from being great.

Each of the three warrior factions have four types of soldiers to pick from, these vary in sizes and style, from the larger warriors with big axes who dish out high damage but have little mobility. To smaller disruptive warriors who carry small knives or spears, who have plenty of speed but spill less blood with their attacks. The vast amount of character agency is truly breathtaking, however way you like to play the game, there is something here that will suit your needs.

The combat can be tricky at first, but it will become easy to master. Unlike most fighting games, each button on the control pad has a unique function, any button bashing here will be duly punished, because the combat in For Honor is more like a game of chess, strategy is everything, and learning is a process that requires patience. While the left analogue stick is used to move, the right analogue stick is used to direct where you want to both strike your opponent, and to also parry your opponents attacks. It's clever because it gives the player more agency in a genre that hasn't really evolved much since the mid nineties.

While there is a story mode, the game lives and dies on its multiplayer, there are five modes in total, Dominion which is a 4 v 4 in which players have to capture certain zones on the map, whoever gets the most points wins. Duel which is a traditional 1 v 1, Brawl is a 2 v 2, skirmish is the same as dominion but you don't have any zone points to capture, and finally elimination which is a 4 v 4 deathmatch, the team with the remaining warriors automatically wins.

Overall it's a mixed bag, I prefer to play For Honor as a traditional one on one duel, this is where the intricacy of the combat system comes into play, and where your skill is finely tuned and tested. While fun, Dominion becomes a bit of a mess, where hordes of AI minions can break up the flow of the game. And it also illustrates one of the small weaknesses in the combat system, because while it works perfectly in one on one duels it doesn't when you are fighting multiple opponents, because unless you're lucky you'll have practically no chance of winning whatsoever.

The customisation adds an extra layer to the game, where other multiplayer games can feel forced, For Honor has a reasonably good balance in its currency rewards you pick up. Loot and (sometimes) gear is rewarded after battles, you can then dismantle your rewards to receive iron, which you can then use to upgrade your inventory so it best fits the way you play. The grind in this game is a consequence of actually playing the game, rather than a cause within itself, which makes a nice change from what we're used to.

There are microtransactions, which always cheapens a gaming experience in my opinion, but it's still there if you wish to use them. The character progression system prevents this from being game breaking.  

The story campaign is okay, it's best used as a kind of training mode for the multiplayer, or a way to take a break from the often exhausting online battles. You will play the different types of soldiers in each warring faction as they go from one enemy base to the next, you will climb walls, destroy catapults, take down elephants and horses. But it does get a little repetitive beating the same enemies over and over, with a boss fight to distract you inbetween. After completing it on each of the factions, the chances are you'll probably never return.

The graphics are impressive, the different weapons and armour are visually nice to look at, which can also be said for the maps, with their diverse range of weather conditions. Some maps are like big arenas with plenty of movement, while others take place on narrow bridges and corridors. Which is where some maps bring a little imbalance to the game, and this is where the guard break comes into play, one of the least forgiving mechanics of the combat system, that can disrupt the flow of the game. A guard break is basically a lunge forward that completely dislocates the opponent's guard, it can be countered but it can be cruelly exploited by playing as one of the bigger characters on maps that are narrow and full of ledges that you can be thrown from. It feels cheap compared with the rest of what is an otherwise addictive gaming experience.

Another slight gripe is the network connection, from out of nowhere the game will suddenly lose connection and go back to the main menu, it's worse than any other online game that I have played on the PS4. But it's not a major issue, and it is the exception rather than the rule.

Verdict:

For Honor is bags of fun, even if the amount of content is slender, its saving grace is a combat system like no other, one that you will want to master no matter what joy and frustration it gives you, believe me it will hook you for endless hours. The variety of character styles can't compensate on what is the bare minimum of a complete game, the main story campaign feels a little tacked on, and there is only three warring factions that you can choose from. So while For Honor is a good game, it is far from being stellar, and its long term popularity will ultimately depend on the updates that Ubisoft make for it.

7.5/10- recommended