Omega Force has done what so many other developers have failed to do over the years; Create a good tie-in game based on a television/movie property. Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom comes on the heels of the less than stellar Attack on Titan game the hit the 3DS not so long ago, so when news of a console game was announced I was skeptical at best. After playing through this retelling of the Attack on Titan anime I can safely say that my fears were unfounded as Wings of Freedom is a serious blast to play.
I should be clear that Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom is not a great game, but what it sets out to do, it does remarkably well. The game itself is based around the use of the Omni-Directional Gear that the characters from the show employ to move are with startling speed and precision.
Playing with an Xbox One controller on the PC, movement seemed like a daunting task with so many things to remember and recall on a moments notice, but after the tutorials that mimic the training from the anime, things felt really comfortable.
Everything just makes sense, even if on the surface it doesn’t seem that way. But be warned that using a keyboard and mouse is nearly impossible (unless you’re an octopus), so you’ll need a gamepad for this one.
The mobility gear lets you fly around stages like Spider-Man with a jetpack strapped to his ass. It never gets old flying clear across the map, working to take down various forms of Titans, including one that weirdly looks like Matt Damon, that are eating people and generally being complete tools. Luckily the combat here is also spot-on and easy enough to pick up while requiring some skill to get the most out of.
The Titans themselves are massive beasts that can only be felled by slicing the nape of their neck, just like the show, so mobility is key to success. You can lock onto the body parts of the Titans with your gear then boost your speed as your mobility gear retracts so you slice with the most amount of power. It seems easy enough at first, but the Titans seem to know that you want their heads and will move and fight to stop you.
“Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom is a marvelous game that will have you coming back for more, but it’s not without a few problems that keep it from being great.
This means that you’ll sometimes have to target the arms and legs to slice off so you that you can have a better angle of attack on that sweet, sweet Titan nape. It all works incredibly well and is a blast to pull off in every encounter. While you are a solo murder machine, you also have a team alongside you that you can direct in a limited capacity. You can tell them to focus on you, guard something, or go fancy free around you.
It’s not a very deep system but they will contribute and even down a Titan if in a good position, or directed to. There is nothing quite like seeing a half-dozen of your allies darting across the screen attacking a Titan and actually doing damage. But there is also benefit in not killing a Titan right out of the gate as relieving them of various body parts will earn you materials that can then be used to craft new blades, gas canisters and more. While I’m not fan of the crafting system, it does work well and gives the player something to do and work toward in-between stages.
The story here follows the anime pretty closely, or so far as I can tell as I haven’t seen the whole thing yet. The cut-scenes are all really well done and the sections between missions allow you to walk around, much like an MMO, and talk to your fellow Titan slayers, expanding on events. The graphics use a really nice cell-shaded style and come about as close to an anime as possible in a 3D world. It’s a pretty looking game for sure, but the environments themselves are all pretty lacking as they don’t use the same style with the world tending to look very generic.
“The Omni-Directional Gear is a load of fun, but it’s so good that the crafting system seems tacked on just to give you something to do.”
The sound is also fantastic with a sweeping score and epic musical hits that all work quite well together. There is also a lot of voiced dialogue that happens as you play that is really fun to listen to. It feels like there is always something going on which gives the game a really full feeling. All in all Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom is a marvelous game that will have you coming back for more, but it’s not without a few problems that keep it from being great.
The Omni-Directional Gear is a load of fun, but it’s so good that the crafting system seems tacked on just to give you something to do. Simply buying upgrades as the game progresses is more than enough because you are going to get really good at working the controls, as each Titan encounter is essentially the same. That in and of itself is another issue as the game beings to feel like you are on repeat fairly quickly. There are some really cool moments, like when you get to control a different character from the show, but aside from playing as Eren in Titan form (so damn cool) they all play the same with slightly different abilities.
I should also mention that the game features online co-op that lets you take Titans down with friends, but as I hate people I didn’t get much into this mode. It worked well enough with what I tried, although some people did have connections issues that were addressed in the most recent patch. Still, this mode could keep the game alive for a good chunk of time if support keeps coming, as the game is perfect for short missions with friends online.
That being said Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom is a wonderful experience in short bursts, and even better for someone new to the series as it fills you in quite well. The killing feels great, but a lot of the extra stuff just seems to be there to help extend the length of the game instead of actually being helpful. Even playing on hard mode odds are you will be king of the Titans in no time. The game is a lot like KOEI TECMO’s (the publisher) Dynasty Warriors series in that it’s a lot of great fun in smaller does.
If you are a fan of Attack on Titan or just looking for some well-crafted, mindless fun then Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom is right up your ally. For all others you have want to wait for a price drop before jumping in.
Final Score:
3.5/5
“Good”
*A copy was provided for review*
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