Posted on: April 5, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Very few titles can do the action-RPG blend correctly. I feel that Devil May Cry is one of those titles, but that practically every year the gaming public is forced into picking up or otherwise noticing a great many of these stinkers. Knights Contract is an interesting new addition to the roll of these games, and I feel that Namco Bandai may be on to something amazing with this title. The story starts off with Heinrich, an immortal that just wishes to be dead, joining forces with Gretchen, a mage that has just died at Heinrich’s hand.
Together, the two blend together brawn and magic, ensuring that players are given some tremendous powers while still making them take death into consideration.
Knights Contract gives players control of Heinrich, while using Gretchen variously as a buff and debuff. Perhaps most refreshing about Knights Contract is how the game operationalizes Heinrich’s immortality. Heinrich can be rent limb from limb, forcing players to hit buttons that will ultimately bring eir back together. The boss battles bring skill into the mix, rather than rewarding players with the same sort of hack and slash that comprises a great deal of the title. This is done through specific button and movement inputs that will ensure that players remain on their toes. The game further varies the player’s experience through breaking up of the duo at points. By forcing Heinrich and Gretchen apart, the player has to conceptualize things in a different fashion.

Overall, Knights Contract is a tremendously fun title that has a great replay value present. Prepare to be fighting through the title for twenty or thirty hours at the very least, while players will come back to beat their own times and see if there has not been anything that they have missed during their previous times with the title.

Rating: 8.6/10

Knights Contract (Playstation 3) / 2011 Namco Bandai / http://www.namcobandaigames.com

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