Kingdom Under Fire: the Crusaders

Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders, phantagram’s second installment in its Kingdom Under Fire series, is set to ship this August exclusively on Xbox. The first KUF title debuted on PC in 2001, named A War of Heroes, was only a modest success for Phantagram, which has caused some to wonder what the upstart developer was thinking when they decided to create a part two. So far, KUF: The Crusaders has been flying under the radar, understandably failing to attract attention during this exceptionally busy season of blockbuster franchise releases. Nevertheless, KUF: The Crusaders looks promising to anybody willing to take a chance on a developer and its franchise that lack any semblance of a storied past.

As in the original KUF, Crusaders consists of a battle between two forces; good and evil, life and death, Humans and the Dark Legion, humanity and, well, whatever the heck a black wyvern is. This go round you’ll select from a host of heroes, who dominate battle and, though not capable of victory without aide of supporting troops, still have the power to single-handedly turn a battle in favor of one side or another. Combat and troop control is in real time, from a low perspective, although camera angles can be adjusted with the right-analog stick.

The gameplay follows a style similar to KOEI’s Dynasty Warriors, except that troop control has much more depth; and battles involve more tactics and command than the relatively simple whoop ass of previous games in the genre. Phantagram’s hopes are that by creating a deeper, multifaceted style of gameplay, it will cash in on a genre which, until now has been ignored or under-utilized. Players control the game in many modes, and decisions you make in each mode will directly affect your success in the others. For example, you’ll be charged not only with controlling troops on the battlefield, but also what they do during “down time” In some instances, you can spy on them while they’re at a pub, to check on troop morale and effectiveness, while more commonly, you control how soldiers arm and train themselves. Typical to the umbrella “strategy” genre, you’ll have the opportunity to upgrade skills and weaponry.

In order for KUF: The Crusaders to become a hit, this complex and inventive gameplay style must carry most of the burden, as the storyline seems cliché, if not entirely recycled. The story is a classic Man vs. Monster (i.e. orc, dragon, zombie or ghoul) duel. As the name might suggest, the game does carry a religious theme, although any medieval historian could tell you, the crusaders in this game are nothing like the ravenous pillagers of the real crusades.

Rather, Sacred Land, the home of The Ancient Heart, an artifact that has the power to spread much knowledge, while at the same time, has caused years of struggle and bloodshed. KUF: The Crusaders picks up the story of the Ancient Heart 50 years after the initial conflict. The past half-century has been peaceful to a point where even the survivors of the Great War have forgotten its ravages, and, coincidentally, the danger of the Ancient Heart.

---

It is under these seemingly placid conditions that, out of nowhere, the dreaded orcs launch a surprise attack on a village near the border of the Sacred Land. Humans are forced to counteract the attack, in the name of protecting the Holy Land, and are soon launched in to a full-scale war with the orcs.

Aside from an innovative interface and a worn out storyline, KUF: The Crusaders offers a plethora of features to add more depth and individuality to your experience. Upgrades can be done at a castle, for a cost (in gold) but there are also skill upgrades achieved through combat experience. You’ll be able to assign leaders of squadrons based on their previous performances and skill levels. Of course, you’ll need to choose wisely, as you are essentially commanding AI units to command other AI units. Power-hungry gamers beware, relegation of command is essential to success in KUF: The Crusaders, as battles often feature as many as 1,000 units at a time, not all of which will be within your view.

There are four different set-ups for the game, each with its own unique features and outcome. At the beginning of your game, you’ll choose between four Heroes, two each from the Human and Dark Legion armies. Your Hero will lead the battle charge, demanding respect as he racks up hundreds upon hundreds of kills. Each hero has a different technique and different areas of expertise, so you’ll want to research a bit before you make the choice that determines your entire KUF experience.

Graphics are surprisingly first-rate considering the maddeningly high level of chaos that accompanies a collision of medieval armies. Units are each mapped distinctively, and are rendered between 3 and 4 thousand polygons. Further realism is achieved through a balance of natural resources which contribute to the battle experience. These factors include ground height, weather, and soil resistance.

KUF: The Crusaders also boasts a strong array of sound effects, abandoning that cheesy close-captioned dialogue for what may very well turn out to be some realistic voice acting. Units have many distinct cries of injury, pain and death, and the expected clang of swords and whoosh of arrows are unmistakeably present. Oddly enough, KUF: The Crusaders presents a rock and roll soundtrack to a medieval bloodbath of Christian heroes. Jerry Falwell and the Christian decency brigade must be having a field day with this one. In all seriousness, the soundtrack does seem a bit out of place, but then again, folk music or trumpet blasts can only carry a game so far, until fast paced battle action demands for faster paced music.

Phantagram’s present obscurity, particularly with relation to the Xbox, may very well damn this game to the bargain bins immediately. Such a loss would certainly be unfortunate, as KUF: The Crusaders looks as if it presents one of the most creative and refreshing gaming experiences of the year. The jury is still out on whether or not KUF: The Crusaders will have the goods it promises, but it would be a shame that, if it does, they go un-noticed due to crowded shelves and establishment-hungry consumers.