Hellraid E3 Previews
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More hands-off E3 coverage of Techland's fantasy-themed FPS/RPG Hellraid has emerged this week, so it only makes sense to start rounding the articles up into one place.
GameInformer:
The core of Hellraid's gameplay lies in the weapons you wield. Hefty axes, swords, and mauls offer melee-based offensive options against the demonic forces. The weighty swing of these weapons and their impact on enemies seems reminiscent of Dead Island, but Techland says Hellraid's engine is entirely unique. Players can block enemy blows using the weapon to parry, or equip a shield to block and bash. Even magical rods can be acquired from fallen enemies, letting you quickly cast lightning, ice, or fire magic at enemies. The versatility of the arsenal mixed with the dark, first-person fantasy setting and RPG elements makes me remember id's Hexen. And that's a good thing.
Combat is slow and deliberate. A well-timed charged attack with a maul will shatter a skeleton into bony bits. You can also dodge in any direction to evade enemy attacks, but at the cost of some stamina. Heavy attacks and quick mobility all drain stamina, which may leave you vulnerable to attacks if drained. The developer demonstrating the game used the dodge frequently when fighting bigger enemies like a bipedal goat demon and corrupted paladin. The massive axes and swords these enemies drop are free for the taking once their defeated.
While the game shares its DNA with Dead Island, having started out as an internal weapons mod for the zombie title, Hellraid will combine first-person dungeon crawling with preternatural creatures from European fairytales. As shown in a hands-off presentation during this week's E3, one of these creatures includes the Hircus, an evil goat-like creature similar to a Satyr.
The company also gave us a glimpse at the game's story mode, which will be one of three gameplay modes available at launch. In Hellraid, players take on the role of a rough barbarian with mage-like skills who is forced into an alliance with one particular mage. The short preview takes us into the depths of a catacomb and tasks the protagonist with seeking out a monastery abbott.
You aren't limited to melee weapons, though they were the focus of the presentation. Occasionally, however, the player would switch to a magical staff that spewed forth lightning, which came in handy when dealing with skeletal archers. Techland says that weapons provide a lot of variety and that you can customize your loadout to best suit your play style. Additionally, you can enchant your weapons to make them more effective in combat. There was a lot of groaning during the demo as hellish creatures moaned and growled, particularly during the few boss fights I saw, which feature grotesque demons filling the screen.
There are other ways to deal with foes, such as smashing a chain and causing a hanging light fixture to fall on the fiend beneath. And Techland promises a variety of locations, including outdoor arenas and labyrinthine castles. But what I saw during the demo was wholly uninspired, a string of one smashing encounter after another until my eyes were tired of the bland gothicness of the setting, and my brain was aggravated by the tedium of seeing and hearing the same combat moves used again and again against the usual suspects. There just wasn't a lot to it, to the point where one mission objective simply stated "defeat evil." Hellraid felt tired, and the promise of visiting hell in the final levels of the game isn't enough to spark my enthusiasm.
Loot is randomly generated and scales with you, as does enemy difficulty. There are no "classes" per se, but like many other familiar RPGs you can customize your character through skills. "The skill system is like a web," explained Kruczkiewicz. "You can invest all your energy into becoming a warrior, or you can mix it up by adding a little bit of magic."
The game has three distinct modes. The demo we saw was an early portion of the story mode, estimated to take between 6-8 hours of gameplay. However, the team is very focused on the other two modes, mission and arena, to provide enough replayability to make the game worth the purchase price. "Because of the way we scale loot and enemies with you, if you have a map you really like you could play it a thousand times and it will remain a challenge," said Kruczkiewicz.
Aside from shambling skeletons, there were also larger foes. For example the giant, weapon wielding Blinded (with a helmet nailed to his skull), which acted as mini-bosses ripped from the pages of medieval fantasy lore. These required a little more innovation to deal with, making use of dodging, magic, and power weapons to deal damage in-between their sweeping attacks. The combat, especially during boss battles, seemed rather cathartic - hits felt like they were landing with each sickening crunch of slick slash. But there's more than one way to purify evil than smashing its head with a hammer: players are able to locate cursed shrines, which they can then purify.
As for story, Techland claimed that, though it may seem a little crazy, it all works, and the way in which this story is delivered to us is through cuts-scenes, character dialogue, the world itself, and stray literature dotted around the levels so it's what we're used to.
Uncovering equipment and mastering combat is paramount in Hellraid, requiring players to master different types of weaponry to slaughter their varied enemies. Each weapon has two different attack types fast light attacks and crushing heavy strikes that can be used. In Hellraid, different weapons impact how damage is dealt on a given attack, encouraging players to mix and match until their find their preferred weaponry.
Attacking isn't all that there is to surviving and overcoming your foes, however. The dodge mechanic is an integral part of gameplay in Hellraid, and one that will save your life more often than not. Learning to properly attack and dodge when necessary allows for players to better find their opening when fighting enemies, all of whom require different tactics to defeat.
And Twinfinite:
You won't be worrying about classes or anything so complicated. No, instead you're given the freedom to change your class on the fly with the switch of a weapon. One of the important features of the game is the procedurally generated loot which places crafting elements, potions, money, and new weapons all within your reach. Swords, shields, daggers, massive hammers, and magical staffs are all usable by any and every character. As you level up, you're able to pump more skill points into specialities you find yourself favoring. In short, you're essentially given a class system that gives you the freedom to be whatever you want to be.
Though our hands-off demo showed only a catacomb styled dungeon, the development team assured us that both interior and exterior levels will be featured. Fighting your way through a forest is just as likely as fighting your way through a castle. The developer joked that eventually, given the game is called Hellraid, he expects he'll have to create a level in hell. Wherever you end up battling the forces of hell, expect to be creative with your combat. Environmental kills, such as dropping a chandelier on an enemy or kicking them off a ledge, are just as effective to dispatch a foe as a hammer to the face.
