Stormblades slashes into Android, almost like Infinity Blade

When the “hack ‘n’ slash” game Infinity Blade landed on the iPhone, it became the standard for action RPGs on mobile, especially on the iPhone, because of the lethal combination of gorgeous graphics and gesture-based controls. Two Infinity Blade games later, the title still hasn’t made its way into Android. That’s not to say there has been no attempt to create something similar on our beloved. Stormblades, which was just launched by Subway Surfers developer Kiloo, is just one of the latest to try to do so. And it almost gets it. Almost.

It definitely has the graphics down. At this point in time, smartphone hardware and developer tools have matured enough to make such things possible. But that’s not belittling the hard work needed to pull off something of this quality. The graphics are clear and the colors are vivid. Animation is fluid and there is no stuttering at all. Stormblades sliced through both the Galaxy Note 3 and the Nexus 5 (running Android 5.0) like a hot knife through butter. No complaints there.

As for controls, Infinity Blade’s swipe and tap system is no longer that groundbreaking, but that doesn’t make it any less better than a virtual joystick on a non-haptic screen. Granted, you don’t really move here, so there’s no need for any of that at all. You swipe to slash enemies, counter-swipe to block their attacks, double tap to evade, and that’s about it. You do have to be on the look out for visual cues that clue you in on what to do next. Combat is basically a matter of typing your swipes and taps well. Deadly simple on a touchscreen but still challenging enough to keep you on your toes.

Sadly, things start to go murky from here.

Unlike Infinity Blade, there is barely any story line to follow. In fact, the game just dumps you right into the action, which might be good for some, but a little shallow for others. Yes, there is a background story, in fact. You are a warrior on a quest to unlock hidden powers in ruins and fighting the Keepers that black your path, basically making you a male Tomb Raider of sorts. That’s it. It is, for all intents and purposes, just a thin plot to put the whole game into some sort of context. The plot could simply have you running for your life, chased by demon monkeys, after you steal some treasured artifact (again the Tomb Raider angle) and it makes nary a difference.

If that last line reminded you of Temple Run, well, you will probably be reminded of it in this game as well. The lush jungle backdrop and the thankfully automated running is all reminiscent of the hit endless runner. Even the part where you have to break certain things along the path seem oddly familiar as well. The only difference is that you get stopped in the path by battles. Oh, and that you don’t have to control where you run.

All in all, Stormblades is filled with gorgeous eye candy, easy to learn, and hard to master. It is, however, not something that you might love nor remember for story, characterization, or significance. Still, it’s a welcome break from your usual 8-bit retro games, full 3D shooters, or old-school RPGs. And for the price of free, with IAPs of course, it’s pretty much a done deal.

Here’s a tip though: If you’re really looking for something that could stand up to Infinity Blade, you might want to check out Godfire: Rise of Prometheus, for one that plays out similarly in terms of game mechanics but has an intriguing story to boot.

Download: Stormblades on Google Play Store