Attack on Titan has been sweeping the anime scene recently and with good reason too. An interesting premise, almost Game of Thrones levels of drama mixed with the action of a Shonen Jump classic like Naruto or Bleach it really is shaping up to be something pretty awesome. Naturally then, a video game was coming like a freight train and, wouldn’t you know it, just recently one was confirmed to be in the works!
Good Lord this show is cool.
Since we at VGU actually think this is one of those rare anime series that really could make a great video game we have decided to explore what we all can expect from the unannounced title:
Proper utilisation of the 3D Maneuver Gear
This is a biggy. The 3D Maneuver Gear plays a pivotal role in the show and has led to some of the most spectacular looking moments in the recent episodes so far. By my thinking this means it should be a balance of action packed and epic looking but also retaining a good amount of control. A good example of this? Spiderman 2. No, not the movie. No. Why would you even think that?
THAT’S how you swing!
The physics based swinging would not only look visually impressive but also would be the most accurate way to portray the gear. This combined with a halfway decent combat system could lead to something amazing. That being said…
Clever combat (SPOILERS)
Ok, I am going to have to drop some spoilers in a little bit. Sword play can be rather basic if necessary because (as previously mentioned) anything would look amazing when flying through the air. As long as there are the standard finishing moves, special attacks and perhaps even special moves etc this will be fine. There is a reason for this (which I will go into in a bit)
If we are going by the series however there is another type of combat we must consider, Titan combat. This could be for two reasons:
• Multiplayer; imagine a humans versus titans mode. The humans may have speed and agility but the Titans have raw power and effectively one-hit-kills. This would lead to some hectic yet exciting gameplay akin to the Left 4 Dead formula in various ways. For example, the Titans can be split into classes (7 meters, 15 meters and Deviant) which would have differing abilities while the humans could specialise in various areas of combat (Support, swordplay or a titan shifter class) each being a counter or support to another opposing class.
Zombies = Titans!
The gameplay modes write themselves now, capture the flag becomes eat/save the civilians, king of the hill becomes protect the wall. This would be very in keeping with the show and would allow for a large amount of replayablity and co-op play.
• Titan Shifting: As the main character in the show can transform into a Titan, this would have to be incorporated into the single player (but only if the game follows the shows storyline). This combat style would do two things, shake up the gameplay in a single player setting and give a preview to what the multiplayer could be like. Even if there are instead “Titan sections” of the game, this effect would still be the same. Although, being able to transform at any time would be much better…
Perma-Death should be in the game
It wouldn’t be Attack on Titan without some gratuitous murder right? This is the reason that characters should have a small bit of variety in there move pools (such as specific specialisations etc.). A type of progression system would also be necessary in this mode as well to balance out the perma–death feature while also making players more attached to their characters. This Fire Emblem style of gameplay would definitely be in keeping with the tone and theme of the show as a respawn system would be unrealistic in this sense.
You’re dead son. Being eaten alive will do that.
The anime’s setting suits an open world sandbox design
Why the heck not? We are welcoming in the open world generation so why can’t this game jump on the bandwagon as well? Like the GTA series you can travel around and complete objectives to unlock new areas, you could then advance to new sections within the giant walls the world is encompassed by. This would also suit a progression system and allow the player to really explore and get a feel for the world. This would mean that Titan attacks could happen in real time and would be a lot more like being in the anime. To pass the time, the player would have to maintain the defences and earn experience/resources to make sure the troops are ready and able to hold off Titans. This adds in another layer of depth that would further suit the show (think Assassin’s Creed where you buy buildings and renovate areas of town to further your Assassins guild etc).
Ezio would wet himself if he met a Titan….
Psychological gameplay features
Let’s be honest for a moment. Titans are freaking scary things and the characters in the show, while fighting them, are also incredibly scared of dying to them. So much so in fact it mentally scars some of them after they come into contact with them. Just like in Amnesia: The Dark Descent, the player character could have a sanity meter which depletes whenever they witness a friend die or interact with Titans. The character would have to relax and do other less stressful tasks in order to regain their lost sanity. This would encourage players to take breaks from fighting all the time enticing them to try out others areas of the game as a whole, which wouldn’t be a bad thing right?
OH MY GOD, MY GYMNOPHOBIA IS KICKING IN!
These are just a few of the things an Attack on Titan game could include. With little to no information on what the game is about, what platforms it will be available on or who is even making it, who knows? Maybe some of these awesome features will be included. Or maybe it will become a free to play/pay to win Facebook card game. Only time will tell.
