This becomes more problematic when encountering a boss whose attack range covers a large area like the Plant and Skull Titans, or when facing a monster that can unleash a large number of projectile attacks like the Lava Blob and Mask Titans. Making things worse is the fact that the player cannot move while aiming, essentially leaving them an open target. While a few Titans are stationary, most move quickly when attacking and they tend to recover almost as quickly after a rampage, leaving very little opportunity to get a shot in. I think the concept would have worked better in a 3D setting, or at least, it would have resulted in fewer missed shots and less frustration.Ĭontrols aside, almost every boss fight centers on exposing a Titan’s weak spot, but this is easier in theory than in practice. Worse, some Titans are capable of jumping, and this vertical movement makes it difficult to judge whether they’re still on the same plane as the player, or if the arrow will sail under them. If using a keyboard instead of a controller, it’s a bit harder to aim diagonally. It’s used quite cleverly in a few boss fights, but there’s a temporary delay between calling the arrow back and when it actually moves. The player’s only weapon is a single arrow that must be summoned back to the quiver or physically picked up after being launched. Extending that concept, the Titans can also be killed with one shot to their weak points. Conceived during a Ludum Dare game jam with the theme “You Only Get One,” the developers cooked up a prototype where the player dies after only one hit. Gameplay is where Titan Souls attempts to emulate From Software’s hit series, and the game is painfully difficult. Not even defeating the true final boss, ironically dubbed “Truth,” reveals anything to shed light on the plot. This isn’t minimalist storytelling, it’s incomplete storytelling. I can understand leaving some questions unanswered for the sake of mystique, but there’s too much that goes unexplained and it prevents me from becoming invested in the world. Why exactly does the warrior need these souls-what calamity has occurred that only their power can resolve? How many have come to the sacred land before him? Where did the mystical bow the warrior wields come from, and why does the speaking Titan call it an abomination? These factors (among others) are apparently intended to set up a “The player character is the real monster!” moment, but it’s all so blatantly telegraphed and predictable that I doubt anyone would consider this “twist” shocking.Īside from its superficial and lazy approach to ripping off Shadow of the Colossus, the narrative also fails to establish any sense of wonder about the game’s world. Eventually he encounters a Titan capable of human speech who expresses pity for the protagonist, suggesting he is on a futile quest, and doesn’t even bother to defend itself before being slain. Strangely, none of the Titans will attack unless provoked. (Sound familiar?) The young man encounters a variety of monsters to slay with an enchanted bow. In Titan Souls, a nameless warrior has traveled to a mysterious land to obtain mystical power held by the beasts that inhabit this realm. Unfortunately, the final product suggests the developers had no real understanding of what made those other games work, resulting in theirs being an overall mess. Playing Titan Souls also reveals that it borrows ideas from Shadow of the Colossus, clearly attempting to tell its own version of that tragic tale about the loss of humanity as desire begets obsession. Its name is clearly cribbing from the Demon’s Souls/ Dark Souls franchise which has become a critical success by combining intense-yet-fair difficulty, bleak atmospheres, and fascinating worlds which gradually reveal their secrets to players diligent enough to keep pressing on through the pain. Whenever something unique and innovative resonates with the general public, it’s a certainty that others will try to copy the formula to share in some of that fame, for good (the birth of the grunge movement following Nirvana’s phenomenal success) and for ill (the glut of teenage paranormal romance in the wake of Twilight.) Video games are no exception to this phenomenon. Imitation will always be present in the world of entertainment. WTF: Oh joy, another vague “artistic” ending that tries to be intelligent but says nothing profound. HIGH: Finally taking down a Titan on my 71 st attempt.
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