Clan of Champions

Clan of Champions was first released not too long ago for the PC.  Most recently, NIS America has unleashed this same game for the Playstation 3 as a downloadable title.  Will this game reign as a “champion” or fall as a “chump?”

The Al-waav Urban Allied Forces are running amok.  On top of that, the three nations are at war for resources and land. You assume the role as one of three warriors who are entering the castle to battle evil forces.  This plays out as fantasy arena battle game where you can add two other friends to join in on the co-op campaign.  However, if you’re without this kind of support, the other two team members will be controlled via AI.

As you enter the battle, you’ll notice the arena is made up of a couple of chambers.  So right off the bat, the amount of scenery is going to be limited.  In fact, one may say that the graphics are a little bland and lack some stimulation.  While the music itself is acceptable and the sound effects help to add some life to the game, they still don’t make up for the monotonous appearance.

You have a choice of what race you want to be long to: humans, elves and orcs. Customizing your character is as easy as pie, but this also means that there are quite a few limitations in comparison to other games out there.  For example, your only way to play as a female is to choose the elf race since there is no option to choose gender.  Nonetheless, you’ll still be able to make some choices in various aspects of your character’s appearance, including hair styles and tattoos.  It’s just a pity that you won’t have the same degree of autonomy as other games nowadays grant you.

In Clan of Champions, the objective is basically to kill anyone that’s not in your team.  You’ll keep going at this task until finally all your opponents have fallen. Afterwards, you’ll be taken into a menu to upgrade your equipment before you begin your next battle.  During this transition, the menu is pretty difficult to navigate through.  So it’s going to take some time to get used to.

There are few enemy types you’re going to come across throughout Clan of Champions.  So in terms of variety, you’re not going to get much here in this respect.  However, the combat itself still remains challenging and enjoyable. Your character is protected by armor which can withstand a few hits from your enemies.  Once this is exhausted, your armor will come off, which you can pick up if you have the time to do so.  But in this case, you’ll be extremely vulnerable to single-hit deaths.

You’ll be able to perform different types of attacks including those that utilize magic, thereby shooting projectiles at your enemies.  In addition, you can aim at certain parts of your opponents’ body, which can lead to a strike to the torso or pulling a low blow attack. Strategy also plays an important part towards reigning victorious during your battles.

While progressing through the game, you’ll acquire skills for your characters and this will serve to be useful during battles.  There are several slots you can assign these skills to which opens up to numerous possibilities in terms of your fighting style, strengths and weakness.  Additionally, you’ll be able to gain experience based on the moves that you pull off during battles.  This element of RPG is what will allow gamers to be captivated and hooked to the gameplay offered by Clan of Champions.  But in time, the game may grow to become dated and repetitive.

Clan of Champions turns out to be a pretty decent game which can attract those who love the fantasy and/or battle arena scene. However, it does not actually stand out from other games of the same genre.  Nevertheless, the online capabilities and co-op sessions serve as redeeming factors.  If you’re expecting something new here, you might be disappointed.  But for some decent battling gameplay, Clan of Champions may be the one for you if you’re not picky.  Try out the demo first before proceeding to see if you want to be part of this “clan.”