X-Blades is the last game from the SouthPeak Games showcase that I got some in-depth playtime with.

A fantastic looking hack-n-slash game, X-Blades sees you as the heroine Ayumi on a mission to find two mystical stones that are cursed by the evil power of darkness. It’s up to Ayumi to find out the curse’s secret and defeat the evil darkness.

The gameplay is a lot like the Devil May Cry games, using both close combat and long range projectile attacks with two gun blades (i.e. Squall’s weapon from FFVIII). Like the DMC series, the action is also extremely fast-paced. Along with her two gun blades, Ayumi has the ability to cast different spells, fighting her way through many different levels and a wide range of enemies.

The level I played was a finely detailed desert level, complete with sand dunes and temples in the surrounding environments. I was approached by hordes of enemies, using my gun blades, as well as my magic powers to fight. But the enemies kept coming at me and I soon discovered that I had to defeat a particular enemy known as a “Monster Generator” to stop the other baddies from re-spawning.

Experience points earned when defeating enemies can then be used to learn different skills that will help you succeed in the game. When I was playing I was able to learn just a few skills with the number of experience points that I had earned, but I was able to get a grasp of the system. There are actually over 20 types of magic that can be mastered in the game.

Along with experience points, Ayumi receives “Rage” units for each successful attack on an enemy. Once your “Rage” meter is filled, Ayumi will be able to unleash a powerful attack on any enemy in her vicinity. I was told that there are a number of different “Rage” attacks in the game, but that only one I saw had Ayumi jump in the air and then slam down on the ground, crushing any enemy under her.

Graphically, X-Blades looks solid and uses an Anime artistic approach, which I feel is a great idea because Ayumi looks damn sexy.

Although an action hack-n-slash game, the ability to mix magic with physical attacks, and the ability to customize your spells really gives X-Blades an RPG feel. The game will include 40 different environments, both indoor and outdoor, 30 classes of different opponents and nine bosses.

An innovative game with an appeal to action fans, role-playing and anime fans alike, X-Blades is one game to look out for. Gamers can expect X-Blades to hit North America sometime in October on the Xbox 360.

Tags: E3 08, x-blades

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