For Honor

For Honor is a great game, held back only by some minor flaws and technical difficulties that Ubisoft can and should tend to. The story mode isn't the best I've played and the matchmaking could use some tweaking, but even with its problems you can't take away the fact that this game has one of the deepest and rewarding fighting mechanics we've seen in a while. For Honor demands you study the ins and outs of the game and excel in it, and those who do will get an experience without an equal in gaming right now.

I did have some issues with the game servers early on, but they seem to have been ironed out. And as mentioned, the voice acting and the story mode could have fleshed out a little better. But if you look past those issues, For Honor is a wonderful title. The variation in game modes makes sure that there is something for everyone, and the maps are rotated enough to keep things fresh. The character classes allow you to choose a play style that suits you, whether it is the strength of the Heavy or the speed of the Assassin class. And with controls that are so smooth and optimised, it never seems as though any class or enemy is overpowered. So, if you excuse me, I’m going to don my armour, collect my shield and blade, and head back out to the battlefield... my team needs me.

Ubisoft have done a great job with For Honor. This version runs smoothly with the most common graphic cards, offering a really fine experience to all the players.

Multiplayer is where it's at and For Honor certainly delivers some compelling online duels. The stabbing can get a bit repetitive after a while - much like the short singleplayer campaign -, but learning the intricacies of For Honor's complex combat system nevertheless makes for a fun experience. Ubisoft had better release some more modes and maps post-launch, though. Otherwise the game may shortly find itself without a player base, once the novelty has worn off.

An ambitious multiplayer brawler with a clever medieval fighting system. It could run out of steam in the long term, however, because of a lack of depth.

For Honor’s peer-to-peer networking woes do it great injustice, for it is, in its core, a truly unique game that provides us with a competitive multiplayer experience no other game can claim to offer.

It's feature-creep, in short, bloat orbiting an excellent core. In that regard, at least, For Honor is a Ubisoft game. [May 2017, p.112]

The original multiplayer bloodbath, which is adorned with absolutely phenomenal combat system. Gameplay is excellent, but the final score is lower because of technical issues, especially for the “quality” of the network protocol.

Poor matchmaking isn’t the sole reason to dock points off. For example, there’s no deeper layer than “go kill them all” to multiplayer matches, while Faction war is just too global to feel that your actions actually have an impact. Sure, For Honor is a good game still. But it could’ve been a great one. [Issue#217, p.52]

For Honor's combat is one polarizing work of art and the game's cornerstone. You either hate it or fall in love with it. Fencing has never felt so raw.

It’s taken me a while to get here, to a place where I can calmly say nice things about For Honor, but I’m glad I made it. We’ll see how it progresses but given their commitment for the long haul, Ubisoft may have dug out a space in the multiplayer market we didn’t know was there.

For Honor is not a perfect game but it is a kind surprise. It is different, original, deep, intense, visceral, and above all, fun. Medieval combat has never felt like this before. Any fighting games fan should try it at least once.

In its highest moments, For Honor is difficult to put down. Its slow combat pace and narrative shortcomings might turn off those unwilling to take the time to dive deep into what it has to offer. However, make no mistake--those who do will be rewarded with some of the most satisfying multiplayer melee fighting conceived in recent years.

For Honor has some dents in its shiny armor, such as the mediocre campaign, the frugal economy, and the snowballing victories in team modes. But it’s hard to be mad too long when I consider that the melee combat system is second to none and a joy to learn, take your licks, and then learn some more. I could feel myself becoming a better warrior with this deep, flexible, and complete fighting system. The more I play For Honor, the more I want to play For Honor.

For Honor will inevitably be a favorite title. It combines easy to pick up, complicated to master fighting and action-style gameplay with compelling gameplay types and there's nothing quite like it. However, if you were looking for a single-player game, you might not want to purchase this title. The heart and soul of For Honor are its multiplayer modes, and unfortunately, at this time, there are enough issues with matchmaking and peer-to-peer connections that you may want to wait until Ubisoft has some time to fix those problems. However, once For Honor has a solid networking backbone I can say it'll be one of my go to multiplayer titles for the next few years to come.

Here's what really makes For Honor great, though: its difficulty curve. I haven't played a game that slaps you in the face as much as For Honor since I played Dota 2. You'll play and play and feel like you're getting nowhere until one day, one game, or even one moment where you see everything differently, and, while you won't instantly master it, you'll now clearly see the path to mastery.

For Honor is a fantastically innovative game that deserves to be played by everyone at least once, but whether or not it ends up being a multiplayer classic is still yet to be seen.

While the game’s fairly high skill ceiling and emphasis on micro-transactions might be off-putting to some players, For Honor is an experience that’s truly fit for those that are warriors at heart.