Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom
Added October 24th, 2006 by Patrick Ewing
Now, I personally was a fan of the Kingdom Under Fire series on the Xbox and was excited to hear that a third game in the series was going to appear on the 360. However, this new addition to the series has taken a step towards a different path from the original games. Originally, KUF was a unique strategy-action game; Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom though has turned the series into an action-RPG where you get to challenge hordes of foes either alone or with three other people over Xbox Live. The game has received some remodeling that even the hardcore fans like me can appreciate in a game.
If you have played either of the other two KUF games, you will know that the gameplay is an interesting blend of action and strategy. Circle of Doom fails to follow its predecessors in this style of gameplay; instead of charging across the map with your army while you hack and slash your way through enemies, your character will go in single handedly in an action-RPG. The game now focuses solely on your hero instead of a huge army and its lieutenants.
Unlike the previous games, a more in-depth customization system allows you to mold your hero and his weapons to your own liking. Like many, I personally was disappointed in the fact that the first two had such a small amount of customization on the individual characters. As you can predict, I was happy when I heard about a more in-depth character play. With the new RPG elements in the game, you still have the same old hack-n-slash elements that made the old games entertaining. In addition to the RPG elements, there are 50 or more skills and spells at your disposal, giving you a bit more variety in your gameplay.
There will be six characters to choose from for your quest. Each character has his or her own path to follow; each character will add to the story by playing through the missions. Two of the characters return from the original KUF: The Crusaders, Kendal and Regnier. From what has been shown so far in footage, Kendal controls the same massive hammer and much smaller mace in his off hand. Joining the crew is an elf named Celine wielding two slender swords and a wondering warrior named Curia. As of right now little is known about the roles each character plays in this Circle of Doom.
Thanks to the amazing graphics on the 360 our two new characters look simply amazing. New to the series, it looks as if these heroes will all have a ranged weapon in their inventory. Ranged weapons will help thin out the massive numbers that pose a threat to your life. The other two characters to star in the game are yet unknown; however they will likely be usable after unlocking them using the original characters.
Despite the major changes to the game that we have already seen, there are a few minor ones. In the other two games, you entered battle to the sounds of some awesome rock music that added to the chaotic battles. In Circle of Doom, we find that the music has been replaced with more classical music that works well with the new game play. CoD now has a new co-op multiplier mode over Xbox live. In the earlier games, two people could battle army against army, now you work together with three other people to partake in missions. Once you join up with other people over Xbox live, you can then trade items to each other, such as weapons that you craft yourself for a specific job and want to loan to a friend.
The Outlook:
From what has been revealed on the game so far, Circle of Doom could be the best of the series so far. With the new enhancements to the graphics, music, gameplay, and online multiplayer modes, Kingdom Under Fire has never looked better. If, like me, you were a big fan of the earlier two series of the game and were drawn in by the unique style and interesting story, then CoD will not disappoint.
If you have played either of the other two KUF games, you will know that the gameplay is an interesting blend of action and strategy. Circle of Doom fails to follow its predecessors in this style of gameplay; instead of charging across the map with your army while you hack and slash your way through enemies, your character will go in single handedly in an action-RPG. The game now focuses solely on your hero instead of a huge army and its lieutenants.
Unlike the previous games, a more in-depth customization system allows you to mold your hero and his weapons to your own liking. Like many, I personally was disappointed in the fact that the first two had such a small amount of customization on the individual characters. As you can predict, I was happy when I heard about a more in-depth character play. With the new RPG elements in the game, you still have the same old hack-n-slash elements that made the old games entertaining. In addition to the RPG elements, there are 50 or more skills and spells at your disposal, giving you a bit more variety in your gameplay.
There will be six characters to choose from for your quest. Each character has his or her own path to follow; each character will add to the story by playing through the missions. Two of the characters return from the original KUF: The Crusaders, Kendal and Regnier. From what has been shown so far in footage, Kendal controls the same massive hammer and much smaller mace in his off hand. Joining the crew is an elf named Celine wielding two slender swords and a wondering warrior named Curia. As of right now little is known about the roles each character plays in this Circle of Doom.
Thanks to the amazing graphics on the 360 our two new characters look simply amazing. New to the series, it looks as if these heroes will all have a ranged weapon in their inventory. Ranged weapons will help thin out the massive numbers that pose a threat to your life. The other two characters to star in the game are yet unknown; however they will likely be usable after unlocking them using the original characters.
Despite the major changes to the game that we have already seen, there are a few minor ones. In the other two games, you entered battle to the sounds of some awesome rock music that added to the chaotic battles. In Circle of Doom, we find that the music has been replaced with more classical music that works well with the new game play. CoD now has a new co-op multiplier mode over Xbox live. In the earlier games, two people could battle army against army, now you work together with three other people to partake in missions. Once you join up with other people over Xbox live, you can then trade items to each other, such as weapons that you craft yourself for a specific job and want to loan to a friend.
The Outlook:
From what has been revealed on the game so far, Circle of Doom could be the best of the series so far. With the new enhancements to the graphics, music, gameplay, and online multiplayer modes, Kingdom Under Fire has never looked better. If, like me, you were a big fan of the earlier two series of the game and were drawn in by the unique style and interesting story, then CoD will not disappoint.
