Take up the sword in For Honor

For Honor is a third-person fantasy action game in which you take on the role of a viking, samurai or medieval knight. Players pick one of three factions and then choose a class within that faction, each class has its own set of weapons and combat skills.

Joining the battle

For Honor includes both single-player and multiplayer modes. In the single-player campaign, you battle your way through hordes of enemies to achieve a series of narrative missions, entering a specialised ‘Art of Battle’ mode when you encounter particularly difficult foes. In this mode, you can control your character’s precise position and observe your opponent for telltale signs indicating their next move. Multiplayer modes involve one-on-one or team-based battles. These are more similar to the multiplayer structure of shooters than traditional fighting games. Victory in multiplayer matches awards points to your faction, which determines how the overall narrative of the game’s inter-factional war proceeds. There are a lot of customisation options available — some of which, of course, can also be purchased with real-world money. Learning the combat system can be a little daunting if you’re used to simpler brawlers, but it rewards persistence with a tactically deep gameplay experience.

A compelling hybrid

For Honor has some rough spots in its implementation, but its core combat system delivers deep and challenging gameplay, especially in multiplayer. If you don’t mind putting in the time to learn, it can be rewarding.