For Honor

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to think of a game based on a trailer. That’s how I felt about For Honor, Ubisoft’s upcoming competitive third-person melee game. I wasn’t exactly wowed, but I was intrigued by a multiplayer game that takes sword fighting and makes it about more than button-mushing. Thankfully, at this year’s PlayStation Experience, I was able to finally get my hands-on the game and I’m glad I did. For Honor is so much more complex and fun than I expected. Associate editor Brian Shea tried the same demo at this past E3, so we discussed what we like and where our concerns lie.

Brian: So I had a chance to check out the demo at E3 and I remember liking it more than I thought I would. There are so many possibilities in the maps, and the sword fighting feels really awesome and involved. What were your impressions and thoughts going in?

Kim: I had a similar reaction. I ended up finding it a lot more fun than I ever imagined it would be. I think it’s a lot of different things that factor into that. First off, you actually need to communicate with your team. The Dominion mode that we played is one big tug-of-war to capture zones and isn’t so much about kills, but defending these points. Also, the combat forces you to anticipate your opponent’s actions and parry. It sounds simple, but it’s a lot to wrap your head around at first because you’re not just looking out for you, but you’re also responsible for making sure your teammate doesn’t get ambushed and keeps the point secure. It feels like a game you need to play a few times to get the hang of. Did you feel that way?

Brian:I think that’s probably a safe assessment. I was only able to play one match at E3 this year, but I remember my first encounter was very different from my encounters later in the match. The parry system and the fact that the encounters feel like the kinds you would have in scripted A.I. encounters, only with other human players kind of blew me away. The match structure is fun for me, but I think the combat is always going to be the main draw for me.

Kim: Same here. So many times melee combat comes off more like button-mashing than actual strategizing. Here you need to always keep your stance in mind. You want to take a left, right, or high stance depending on the incoming attack’s direction, but you also want to throw off your opponent with heavy and light attacks in a direction different from your stance. At the same time, you’re in the heat of battle. You don’t even have time to think. It’s so reactionary and intense. Think fast, but think smartly. You’re at odds there. But that’s what makes it satisfying when you succeed. At times, I was able to sneak up on someone and blindside them; others, it looked like I was doomed and miraculously made a comeback. How did you feel about the challenge and chaos of the multiplayer setup?

Brian: I like the MOBA-esque feel of having the A.I. characters duking it out while the human characters do the meaningful tasks, but you’re absolutely right. It can feel like pure chaos. That said, I keep going back to that combat system. Even amidst the chaos, that combat system provides order because I always knew exactly why I died. There was never that Call of Duty feeling where you die and you had absolutely no way of preventing it because you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sure, you can be outnumbered and be at a severe disadvantage, but I always felt like I had a chance – as slim as it might be.

Kim: In many ways, it feels as satisfying as a competitive shooter, but with swords instead. I’m really interested in testing out other classes and modes. Ubisoft has been super quiet on For Honor. I’m not sure if it’s just waiting for the right moment to focus on it and show more, but I’d love to get an idea of the game’s longevity, especially considering we’ve had games like Evolve and Titanfall that had such drop-offs in participation.

Brian: Yeah, that’s the major pitfall of these online-focused games. How do you keep playing coming back for more time and time again? Communication is key in For Honor, and it seems like fewer and fewer players bring a mic when they hop online these days, so what implication does that have for how well this will work outside of the convention scene? I’m super curious about any kind of progression system as well, because as you’ve mentioned by bringing up games like Evolve and Titanfall, great gameplay just isn’t enough to maintain a large community in most cases. For Honor has the strong gameplay aspect, now it just needs the infrastructure in place to keep its players around.

Kim: Yeah, so far this one mode is fun, but we need to see more of what’s under the hood. I’m hoping Ubisoft does that soon. Still, I was pleasantly surprised with what I played. I expected it wouldn’t be my thing, but I liked it for the fact that it’s not easy to master off the bat. I kept thinking about different strategies that could have worked better after my match. Walking away from a demo and wanting to try again just to do better and figure out a game’s kinks is a great feeling.

Are you excited for For Honor? Let us know in the comments below.