Attack on Titan took Japan by storm
when it debuted in 2009,
quickly becoming one of the best-selling manga in the country
but it wasn't until 2013
that the series exploded in popularity with the rest of the world
thanks to the release of the anime adaptation.
There have been a handful of videogames
but nothing as comprehensive as the latest effort
from Omega Force,
the development studio behind the Dynasty Warriors series
and its more recent spin offs involving popular licensed franchises
like Zelda, Dragon Quest, and Gundam.
Attack on Titan is a dazzling adaptation
of the first major story arc of the manga
and roughly the first season of the anime.
Not since the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm games arrived last generation
has a videogame nailed the look and feel of its source material this well,
capturing the exhilarating feeling
of piloting the omnidirectional mobility gear
in increasingly more intense and violent showdowns
with the nefarious titans.
It's not without its flaws, but this is most definitely
not another Dynasty Warriors clone
and it's one of the most unique and original offerings
from Omega Force in quite some time.
The game roughly follows the first arc in the series,
hitting all of the major beats and plot points
while trimming some of the fat.
In this world, humanity hides behind massive walls
designed to keep out giant human-like monsters
known as titans.
The titans eventually breach the wall,
forcing humanity's elite fighters into action
in an attempt to stave off the invasion.
It might seem like an overly positive action flick at first
but things quickly take a dark turn
as the bodies of main characters begin to pile up.
It's all the more harrowing
since the animators nail the unsettling and disturbing look of the titans
and you never really scratch the surface of the mystery behind their existence.
How did they get here?
And why are they attacking humanity?
They story's pacing is great,
with short in-game and CG cutscenes weaving the narrative
and plenty of dialogue and banter during the action.
There's just one small hitch in the works.
The game only includes the Japanese dub with English subtitles.
In a game like Attack on Titan
where the gameplay is so fast paced
it's virtually impossible to have to constantly try to read
on-screen text tucked in the corner.
So unless you understand Japanese,
it's extremely difficult to focus on the characters' interactions
during actual gameplay.
Attack on Titan certainly captures the essence
of the series' trademark omnidirectional mobility gear,
allowing you to dive into the gear from the very get go
and experience the thrill of racing across the landscape
at blistering speeds.
There's certainly a small adjustment period
to get used to the unusual device and its maneuvering abilities.
Running into the occasional side of a building or wall is to be expected.
But after a mission or two, it feels more natural,
especially toggling between the free-range movement
and locking onto a titan, circling them
in preparation for your attack.
There are a few small bumps in the road though.
Given that many of the environments
are densely packed with buildings and closed corridors,
there are times when the camera work isn't the most serviceable.
When too many titans are packed together,
it's difficult to target specific points or circle around them without issue,
not to mention the framerate takes a serious hit
when there's simply too much going on.
Unlike fighting off hordes of enemy soldiers in massive battles
that can last upwards of an hour at times,
Attack on Titan places you
into a series of missions that take around 20 minutes to complete at most.
The environments are certainly large in scale
but your mobility gear makes traversing them a breeze.
The majority of levels are densely packed
with buildings, trees, and other structures,
giving you plenty to think about
as you make your way across the level,
and that's not even factoring in the main attraction:
the titans themselves.
These things come in all shapes and sizes,
with their movement ranging from docile and slow
to aggressive and quick.
It's their unpredictable nature that makes for some tense encounters,
especially when they're large and numerous.
Some are easy to bring down
by locking on to their neck and dashing in
for a single fatal swoop of your blades.
Others require a more methodical approach,
forcing you to take out limbs to reduce their mobility
before you can apply a decisive blow.
Adding to the tension is that fact
that your blades can go dull and your gear can run out of gas,
leaving you vulnerable to these giants.
Planning out when to retreat and resupply
is imperative for your survival
but you also never have to strain yourself to find resources.
As the game progresses,
the threat of running low on supplies diminishes
as you grow accustomed to the battle system
and knowing the right time to make a pit stop
to recharge your gear.
You can alleviate this further by spending money and resources
on improving your weapons and gear.
Attack on Titan has a very simple but rewarding upgrade system
that allows you to purchase new equipment
and enhance them with materials earned from battle.
Best of all, when you're ready to trade up for a newer model,
you can roll your older gear into your new stuff
to immediately improve the base stats of your new purchases.
That way you'll never worry about
whether you're wasting time investing money and resources
that may become obsolete.
Despite all the advantages you can gain in the game,
it never feels like you're totally immune from harm.
The titans become more challenging and dangerous over time
and some will leave you fearing for your life
and fleeing from danger more often than not.
That's the beauty of Attack on Titan.
No matter how skilled or powerful
you think you might have become,
at any moment something can come along
and turn everything on its head.
However, if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by the challenge,
you can either turn down the difficulty setting at any time
to easily progress through the story
or you can log some time in the game's numerous side missions
to level up or obtain more materials to further enhance your gear.
The secondary tasks can get tedious after a while
but they're totally optional
and not required to reach the end of the game.
However, if you want to see a bit further beyond the end of the story,
you'll need to clear a majority of these side missions,
giving completionists an incentive
to see everything the game has to offer.
Punctuated by an impressive original score,
Attack on Titan is just about everything
one could ask for from a videogame adaptation of the series.
A few blemishes hold the game back
from being something truly special
but Omega Force and Koei Tecmo are certainly on the right track.
Considering there's plenty more source material,
don't be surprised if we see a sequel at some point down the road.
Even if you aren't drawn
to the strange and violent world of Attack on Titan,
this is still a great action game that you shouldn't miss.