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Blood of Heroes hands-on preview: Fighting for honor

Vizor Games looks to marry For Honor and Dark Souls with Blood of Heroes, it's new PvP medieval combat game.

Donovan Erskine

May 21, 2021 6:00 PM

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The medieval genre is ripe for the picking when it comes to games. It’s an era/genre that we’ve seen so many developers try their hands at, still finding new and innovative ways to add onto it. That’s precisely what developer Vizio Games is looking to do with Blood of Heroes, a PvP combat game set to release later this year. The game is currently in beta, and I had the opportunity to participate on PC.

Just like a Souls-like

Developer Vizio Games likens Blood of Heroes to Dark Souls, and that’s immediately apparent from the opening moments. The comparison doesn’t come in terms of the game’s difficulty, but in its fighting style. Combat is primarily melee, and is heavily dependent on timing, parrying, and dodging. You simply can’t walk up to an enemy NPC and just hack it to death. Instead, you’ll need to anticipate its movement, catching it before it can slide out of the way or dodge an attack.

This is especially true if you’re playing PvP against others online. Blood of Heroes’ online component features a few modes that range in player count and objective type, from a 1v1 to group battles. Fighting another player online feels like a game of chess, as you’re both methodically thinking about your every move in anticipation of the other player. I really enjoyed the level of strategy that came from the game’s arsenal of combat mechanics.

Defend your honor

Another one of Blood of Heroes’ major comparisons is to For Honor. This comparison feels most evident in certain modes of the game. The Blood of Heroes beta also features six different heroes, each having their own distinct fighting style. These Heroes also fit into specific playstyles. Vorga is an agile fighter that can heal his teammates when wounded, while Rathka is a frontline fighter who's sturdy enough to take on more than one enemy at a time.

The unique characters in Blood of Heroes will surely make for an interesting strategy. Smart team composition will be the first step in getting the tactical upper hand on the opposite team. While some characters are best leading the charge with their weapons at the ready, others are best suited for a support role, quickly engaging and disengaging from battle while making sure their allies are taken care of. It will be fascinating to see how this dynamic evolves over the game’s lifespan.

There’s a solid amount of detail in the Blood of Heroes beta as well. The characters all have unique designs, while still staying with the Nordic theme. The game also has a variety of locations from dim castle interiors to sunny outdoor forums.

The fight of our lives

Blood of Heroes takes the tactical and methodical combat style of the Dark Souls games, and applies it to a format more tailored for PvP action. The different playable Heroes available in the beta feel distinct, all bringing something unique to battle. The full game is set to launch later this year, but Vizio Games seems to already be on a solid path with Blood of Heroes.

These impressions are based on the beta for Blood of Heroes. Blood of Heroes is set to release later this year for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_