Category: Infinity Blade

A New Way to Die

The part about Infinity Blade III, and the series as a whole, that I loved was that death was an explained and important part of the gameplay. If you die within the castle or level to a major enemy, you are dead for good and must restart. Instead of restarting with no explanation the game … Continue reading “A New Way to Die”

The part about Infinity Blade III, and the series as a whole, that I loved was that death was an explained and important part of the gameplay. If you die within the castle or level to a major enemy, you are dead for good and must restart. Instead of restarting with no explanation the game wove death into the story. In the first Infinity Blade you restart 20 years later with your new character saying “I will avenge you father.” Basically you are the son of your previous play through and you must attempt to beat the whole castle and take back the all-powerful sword that the main boss controls. If you beat the boss then the story says that you were meant to do this because you are not like the ancestors that came before you. This was all an interesting way to weave death into the gameplay.

In Infinity Blade III the story has been more flushed out and you are still playing as the character that killed the main boss in the first game. This time you have access to this machine that builds your body again whenever you die. Your immortal soul  reenters the body and you try to beat the level again. All of this was so intricate and fascinating that it really helped me be more drawn to the gameplay. I did not feel as though I was simply replaying the same thing over and over like in a game such as Mario. Instead it all felt like a continuous story. This game changed how I viewed death in games.

Death is usually viewed as a break in the game. Where the game world ends briefly before restarting. The Infinity Blade games solve this with their integration of games into the story. By making the player feel as though they did not fail, but merely progressed they are less discouraged and want to continue playing the game. I only got stronger each time I died as I was able to level up and purchase better items. It felt like a necessary and useful part of the gameplay, whereas usually death works as a way to punish the player for a mistake.

Mobile is not Casual

The term “casual game” hardly applies to this sword swinging beauty of a game. Infinity Blade III could easily be sold on console and flushed out into a full RPG. The game already has depth and incredible graphics, because of this I question the title of “causal.” When we hear the term “casual” we think … Continue reading “Mobile is not Casual”

The term “casual game” hardly applies to this sword swinging beauty of a game. Infinity Blade III could easily be sold on console and flushed out into a full RPG. The game already has depth and incredible graphics, because of this I question the title of “causal.” When we hear the term “casual” we think of Flappy Bird and Doodlejump. Games that are inherently simple and easy to play. Infinity Blade has an original yet simple concept similar to other mobile games yet it branches out in a direction that no other game had ever tried. By forcing you to practice over and over and buy new gear and level up your characters this game no longer feels causal.

There is a big difference between causal and mobile games. These two game types are often roped together. I believe this a misconception that grew out of the limited capabilities that mobile games had during their early years. Apps were just a way to entertain yourself when you had a free second. They consisted of the basics, because that all we thought we needed. I would argue that the Infinity Blade series changed the mobile gaming scene by showing everyone just how complex and stunning apps can be. The series is a trilogy and it was wildly popular. People would play it as religiously as console games, anxiously awaiting the next episode to be released. Infinity Blade broke the mold and proved that a mobile game does not have to be casual.

Infinity Blade III incentivizes you to play more with complex side plots and powerful rewards for diligence. There are legendary weapons that can be collected and used to fight off the evil “deathless” the player can only acquire them through hours and hours of gameplay. The game can be completed without the need to spend real money or wait crazy amounts of real time for upgrades. It is a full game, it is not casual, it is just mobile.

Infinity Blade III: Back to the 90’s

  The Infinity Blade series changed how people played iphone games. It had new and better graphics with unique and fun gameplay. Yet it all felt familiar. The style of two champions competing to deplete the other’s heath-bar dates back to the late 80’s-90’s. When the original Street Fighter came out in 1987. This was … Continue reading “Infinity Blade III: Back to the 90’s”

 

The Infinity Blade series changed how people played iphone games. It had new and better graphics with unique and fun gameplay. Yet it all felt familiar. The style of two champions competing to deplete the other’s heath-bar dates back to the late 80’s-90’s. When the original Street Fighter came out in 1987. This was followed by the now wildly popular game, Mortal Combat which released in 1992. When I was playing Infinity Blade III I thought back to these games and how mobile games are almost repeating the path of other consoles and devices.

The original Street Fighter was released as an arcade game. Its gameplay was simple, dodge, block, punch, kick. There were more complexities than that, but those were the key aspects. In Infinity Blade you have dodge, block, parry, attack. They each work for different enemies and scenarios, yet they are very simple. The game is nothing special for the console world. In fact, had it been released on consul it most likely would not have sold very well because it wasn’t anything special. It even copied additions made in Street Fighter II by adding special moves that helped execute enemies fast by completing combos and successful attacks. The game was made better by the limitations of the device on which it was played.

By the third addition of the Infinity Blade series the game had lost its charm. You could find the gameplay in other games and every version played almost exactly the same. This is something all fighting games have to deal with. How can you make the exact same game new and fun again. Some games add more characters, Infinity Blade added a playable female character in the third game. Others, such as the Mortal Combat games make bloodier and more fantastical deaths for the player to enjoy. Through my research into this style of videogame I realized that my love for the Infinity Blade series did not come from the gameplay itself, but from my own nostalgia and excitement over a new way to play a game that I had once loved.

 

“Games Nobody Talks about Anymore: 1987’s Street Fighter.” Den of Geek. N.p., n.d. Web. Dec. 2016. <http://www.denofgeek.com/us/games/street-fighter/242821/games-nobody-talks-about-anymore-1987-s-street-fighter>.