hack n slash | The Wired Fish Network

I’ve been kicking this thought around from time to time, wondering to myself if the Brawler genre truly died. It was one of the grand staples of the 90s arcade scene with games like Final Fight, Streets of Rage, the D&D brawlers, and Double Dragon. In the jump to 3D, these games stuck around, but didn’t quite have the lasting appeal of its predecessors. Games like Die Hard Arcade and Fighting Force tried to fill the void, but it looked like the genre was on its way out. Or at least that’s that some in the media and community had proclaimed when less and less of these types of games were being released both at home and in the arcades. When games like The Warriors and Viewtiful Joe were released in the early and mid 2000s, some would even say that these games had revitalized the genre. But was there anything to really revive? Simple answer really: No. In fact, the genre was alive and well, it just took on a different name.

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Doujin Publisher Nyu Media’s second wave of games got a bit of a head start last year with Eryi’s Action. But the meat of this second wave kicks in with the release of Croixleur, scheduled to be released on January 24th.

Developed by Souvenir Circ, the game pits you in an arena style fight against multiple enemies, climbing higher in the tower, and picking which portals to go through as you ascend. This gameplay style sounds reminiscent of Fairy Bloom Freesia, except the action is in full 3D and borrows a few traits from hack n’ slashers like Devil May Cry and Dynasty Warriors. While it seems to stress that it’s not an Action RPG, you still collect XP and level up, so I have no idea what’s going on there. Different weapons can be equipped for dispatching enemies, and each have their own special attacks. The game also has multiple endings depending on which portals you choose upon defeating enemies. Croixleur will also have three modes to choose from: Story Mode, Score Attack, and Survival Mode.

For now the game will be released on January 24th on the game’s homepage, with Desura and GamersGate getting it afterwards. The game is currently looking to get a release on Steam through Greenlight.

[Croixleur Home Page]