Severance: Blade Of Darkness Review

8.7

Format PC

Developer Rebel Act

Publisher Codemasters

Genre Adventure

Usually, when you're commissioned to write a six-page review, the first thing that enters your mind is 'how the hell can I write 3,600 words about this?'

It doesn't matter how good or bad a game is. The simple fact is that, in most cases, if we're honest, we all know that 90 per cent of the titles knocking around your average games emporium fit into a specific category with common gameplay routines.

So, it's not often that you find a seemingly straightforward game that's so crammed full of features you feel totally vindicated in giving it the unadulterated full works. Spanish developer Rebel Act's debut offering of Severance is one of those very rare and joyous occasions.

FANTASY FRENZY

At first glance you wouldn't think Severance was any different from numerous other third-person hack 'n' slash fantasy funfests. In fact, initial reaction is one of slight disappointment; the basic walking, running and jumping animation is really quite stiff and there are no lithe acrobatics to speak of at all. Lara must be wonderingwhat all the fuss is about...

Adapting to the controls is also a bit of a problem. For some reason, Severance contains about twice as many keys as your usual action game and there's no gamepad option, either. The helpful tutorial does its best to clear things up, but with a keyboard overlay included in the package, it's clear that Codemasters is aware that the control system could be simpler. In short, this is a game that takes some time and patience to get into, but when you do... well, there's no turning back.

Delving deep into the game, you eventually hit upon an infectious addiction that's not only surprising, but also admirable. Severance encourages you to launch into your foes with the unbridled frenzy of a velociraptor on PCP.

Oh yes, we're talking the kind of abhorrent violence that makes you cringe and duck in your chair to avoid being splattered. We're talking severed heads flying through the starlit sky. We're talking fountains of blood spewing forth after deliberate and intentionally aimed thrusts. We're talking big, red, 18-certificate and inevitable tabloid-led repercussions on the moral-eroding qualities of modern videogames.

There's no doubt that the shock tactics will aid Severance's reputation and profile - it's a proven strategy that's worked on many an ad campaign in the past. What's refreshing here is that underneath all the gory hype lies an exceptional game. Severance actually possesses innovations. Gasp. Yes, as we said in last month's preview, the five-year development time has been well spent.

NO EMOTION

On most games of this type you eventually hit a psychological brick wall where you suddenly realise that you've been robotically dismembering people for the past three days and have forgotten why. Severance manages to push that particular barrier so far back you wonder whether it's there at all.

As soon as the slicing and dicing reaches that vaguely numbing stage where you've become cold, emotionless and detached from reality, your character advances a level and learns a brand-new 'combo'. All of a sudden, a basic action/adventure is transformed into Streetfighter 2 or Dead Or Alive 2, or any number of arcade/console beat 'em-ups you care to remember. However, the difference with this is that you're not in the limited confines of a small 2D arena. Here there's a whole 3D world to explore - and annihilate.

There are around 250 different moves, including exotically named creations such as Rage of the Goddess, Northern Lights and Snake's Breath. Each of the four characters has a favourite, but it's left up to the player to find out who's better suited to what. There are even certain stages that can only be reached if you're using a specific character. A direct result of all this is that you can complete the game with four different characters and experience new surprises each time you play. It's a nice touch, and one that should improve longevity.

Some may even perceive this form of experimentation as verging on RPG territory. There are others who wouldn't even consider comparing it to the likes of Deus Ex, Diablo II or System Shock 2. And sure enough, this feisty wannabe has nowhere near the complexity of any of those. Yet there are other elements that add weight to its RPG aspirations.

All characters begin the game with zero defence and power ratings. Each time you advance a level these attributes will increase. They will also change depending on the type of armour, shield or weapon that you use. There are also a few potions lying around which can be guzzled to temporarily increase your skill.

The arsenal at your disposal is absolutely mind-blowing. There are approximately 100 objects of destruction to choose from, ranging from fire-belching blades to traditional bow and arrows. Some of the more bizarre items you may or may not be tempted to use in anger include spades, severed limbs, rocks and chairs - you name it, you can use it. Playing Severance is like finding yourself in a pub fight where anything not nailed down is used as a lethal weapon.

FLAMING HELL

Fire also comes in very handy. Not only can you pick up unlit torches and light them to find your way around dark areas, you can actually set fire to stuff. Near the start of the game there's a room with an exit blocked by boxes. The solution is to simply burn the boxes to get through. It's common sense really, but with so many adventures of this kind, all too often it's common sense that's missing.

Severance doesn't take it too far though, and if you're looking for a completely cerebral experience, you're in the wrong place. Puzzles are not a strong point here. Sure, there are various points in the game where there's a break from the wanton mutilation and you get a chance to push a few blocks and pull a few levers. Spinning blades, swinging balls of fire and other standard obstacles also make an appearance, but that sadly is about the size of it. The only possible way you can get stuck or confused is if you get lost in some of the bigger, more complicated maps.

We could say that Severance's level design is not the best in the world, but that would be a bit unfair because the maps are actually very interesting and imaginative. The truth is that the levels are so big, players are bound to get disorientated. Maybe there's been a slight breakdown in communications between the Spanish developers and Codemasters on this one but, in our experience, it's usually better to break the stages down to smaller, more digestible, bite-size chunks. Still, that is not the case, so you're just going to have to work on your sense of direction and keep your wits about you.

DIRTY ROTTEN SNEAK

The eerie atmosphere of Severance is spot on. The dark, brooding music rouses itself into a crescendo of crashing cymbals and booming bass drums during battle scenes, and is undoubtedly the perfect ambient accompaniment to the grizzly medley of grunts and screams. Other sonic wonders include the slow crackling of burning torches and the gushing of waterfalls. And like in Thief: The Dark Project you can also hear the conversations of guards as you creep up on them. While this is not necessarily a revolutionary idea, it fits in well with the general tension Severance has to offer.

Stealth is something you can either ignore or play along with. If your character preference lies with the Knight or Barbarian, it's unlikely that such a subtle approach will be to your liking. If that is the case then, no problem - you can crash through the stages making as much noise as you like, waving your sword about and throwing your hands in the air like you just don't care.

However, playing as the Dwarf or Amazon casts a different light on the situation. The Amazon in particular is not so well equipped to deal with toe-to-toe scuffles and tends to be more effective when lurking in the shadows, picking off enemies with a well-placed arrow to the throat.

It's easy to gawp in admiration at the effectiveness of the lighting and shadows, but it's the physics engine that really steals the show. When barrels are smashed, small shards spin across the floor. Blood drips down walls and staircases in the most lifelike way, and other objects - or, indeed, limbs - roll down slopes until they come to a rest at the bottom. Convincing it most certainly is, yet sometimes, totally against your conscious will, it's all too easy to lose concentration mid-battle and admire the physical perfection of the destruction around you.

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE

It's advisable not to lose concentration too often though. All 30 species of enemy you come across during the course of the game's 17 enormous stages prove to be adept fighters. They don't just stand there and let you carve them up like a Christmas turkey. Hell no. Those that have shields use them with the uncanny intelligence of a human opponent, and those that don't make full use of their ducking and dodging abilities. Some of the more organised denizens attack in groups with some of them even having the sense to use a decoy fighter while others circle around behind.

Frankly, it's not on. We've never had to deal with this sort of intelligence before. Rune went some way towards it, but Severance really does complete the picture. Some of the battles are truly epic, and as you slowly force a particularly skilful warrior slowly backwards, the words 'there can be only one...' keep creeping into your mind.

Despite the ultra-realistic feeling of the fighting there are some extremely irritating facets that cannot be ignored. For a start, just as you can lop off a poorly defended head, so the same can happen to you - even with full energy. There's no doubt this is the kind of the thing that's likely to happen in real life should you somehow get involved in a swordfight, but to have your game suddenly cut short thanks to one unguarded moment is a little harsh.

Yet this uncompromising feature is completely in character with the rest of the game. In short, Severance is not for beginners - and to be honest it's bloody difficult to get anywhere without saving regularly. That said, the save option is extremely well thought out. There's no difficulty setting as such, yet the whole game rating is based upon the number of times you save. Save just once in the entire game and you are rated as 'awesome', while if you save more than 20 times, you are rated as 'poor'. The idea is to not penalise anyone for saving, but to offer an incentive to save less.

ALL BY MYSELF

The multiplayer game is one area that is fairly dull. The basic idea is to hook up with another player over the Internet or a LAN and then fight in a one-on-one battle to the death. There's a 'winner stays on' option as well, meaning that players can queue up to take you on. The more fights you win the more moves you learn.

And that's it really. A small online adventure might have been a nice touch, but this is, in essence, a single-player game, so we should be thankful for any kind of online option at all. Still, it means that there's plenty of scope for improvement and, if Severance does manage to sell a few copies, there's a good chance more online delights will feature heavily in the sequel.

Other improvements could focus on the animation and interface, but apart from that, you have to say that Severance is an amazingly accomplished work of art. But is it a classic? Not quite. OK, the graphics and physics are immaculate, and the fighting is elegant. But ultimately Severance doesn't quite make it to the top of the tree.

Of course, it's all needless violence really - but when is violence needed? Severance will no doubt upset its fair share of poodle-pampering right wing moaners, but who cares? Escapism is a personal preference. For some it means galloping around the countryside tearing foxes to pieces. Others prefer to while away the hours pretending to manage their favourite football team. In this case it's chopping off heads in a make-believe land of heroes and villains.

Which of these forms of escapism is more damaging to the moral fabric of our fragile society then? You choose.