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In terms of sticking to a formula, Koei are right up there with the best of them. The last two generations of consoles have seen a steady flow of well realised, very similar oriental-themed battle simulators, catering for both tactical gamers (Kessen) and less subtle minds (Dynasty Warriors and the hoards of subsequent spin-offs). General consensus seems to suggest these games are all firmly in the 6-7/10 category, marked as average, slightly uninviting to a western audience, big on spectacle and light on variety.

So, to Bladestorm. Set in France and covering the Hundred-year war, Koei have bravely stepped away from the orient to explore the much more familiar world (for the PAL region at least) of European knights, swords and a hint of sorcery. Presentation wise the game is pretty average, with workman-like graphics, relatively clear option screens and some spectacularly bad voice-over work thrown in for comedy value. Instead of following either the Kessen or Dynasty Warriors template, Koei have gone for a unique blend of the two, giving the player direct control of a character, but also command of a selection of squads (swords, spears, horses, archers- take your pick). It’s a nice idea, providing both immediacy and a modicum of tactics, but in practice there are limitations and there is certainly no escaping the developer heritage.

Initially Bladestorm feels like a basic RPG, with some simple character outfitting, an operational hub (in this case a pub) and a lot of people eager to pass on information and tips if asked. A merchant is at hand to sell you all manner of pointy items and buy any bits and bobs that are plundered in battle, whilst skill upgrades are dealt with via books of tactics relating to different squad types. Initially baffling, it all starts to make sense fairly quickly even for those (like me) who tend to shy away from RPG’s in general. Cash, items, experience and reputation (a key element of your progress as a mercenary) are all gained on the battlefield, so in order to progress you have to select a mission and set about breaking some heads.

Battles take place over an accelerated day period, with night time signalling an end to hostilities and an opportunity to lick your wounds. To kick things off you have to select a start location, identify the point on the map you need to reach, and pay attention to the allies available for your command before dropping into the action proper. At this point, two things are immediately apparent: Firstly, this is definitely still a Koei project. Developer favourites including simple scenery, large groups of soldiers (both hostile and friendly) and noticeable pop-up are all present and correct, making anyone familiar with the genre feel right at home. The second revelation is initially a bit worrying; unaided, your character is fairly useless. Rather than dishing out button-bashing attacks as you might be accustomed, your swipes are timed similarly to those of a real-time strategy protagonist. Take on a group of soldiers alone and you will loose.

Obviously, however, you’ll have read the instruction booklet and listened to all the dialogue in the pub, thus understanding that the key to success lies in selecting some troops to command and launching them into battle. The selection is admirable; longbows allow you to pepper the enemy from afar, cavalry provide all manner of Lord of the Rings inspired charges, and various ground troops deal with the close-and-personal chopping. Each generally has three special attacks which can be triggered but then need time to recharge, and the bulk of the appeal of the game is experimenting to find the best way to use the guys under your command.

Whilst on paper this sounds like an appealing mix of strategy and action, in practice there are a few fairly substantial stumbling blocks. Once you get over the fact that your avatar is essentially useless alone, you realise that you are pretty much limited to running back and forth to join squads, and advancing at the pace of your A.I allies. This may be a realistic interpretation of medieval battle, but doesn’t really produce an exciting gaming experience. By far the biggest flaw, however, is the desperate lack of mission variety. For the first dozen or so battles you are charged with reaching a point and occupying a village. That’s it- Cue cut-scene singing your praises. If you’re patient you might get to defend a village, or escort a character, hardly an example of brave game design and not the greatest motivation for sustained play.

Your enjoyment of Bladestorm is likely to hinge on whether this is typically your sort of thing. As a Dynasty Warriors sceptic I was hopeful that this would be the title to drag me into the Koei groove but in practice it highlighted exactly the reasons why I’ve never been tempted in the past- repetitive missions and combat, recycled environments, slightly arbitrary mission success. It does represent a step away from the increasingly stale hack and slash bandwagon, but ultimately doesn’t do quite enough to sustain interest or provide the depth and variety that might help spread the appeal to a wider audience. Oh well…

Score: 6/10

(Xbox360 Version Reviewed)

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