Infinity Blade 3 [Review]

If you’ve played titles such as Avengers Initiative or Man of Steel, then you’re pretty much ready to pick up Infinity Blade 3. Gameplay for the series has remained pretty much the same as players have to dodge, parry, and block their way through the enemy’s defenses just so they could find that opening to unleash strings of attacks until said enemy falls down. There’s more to this game than meets the eye, however, and it has both good points and a couple of bad points that would make Infinity Blade 3 worth a look for players who are fans of the series as well as those of the swipe-based fighting genre.

Infinity Blade 3 is the conclusion to the epic trilogy, of which the first two titles have sold over 40 million copies worldwide. Protagonist Siris returns to battle against hulking monsters, but this time he is joined by female character Isa. Both characters can be swapped during specific stages, although some battles would require that a specific player be used. Both Siris and Isa have differing weapons and combat style, and leveling them up and acquiring the necessary armaments is where players will be spending most of their time.

Players can also get to choose between balanced, heavy, or light based attack styles, with each having advantages and disadvantages over the other as well. The game also features hundreds of different weapons and items that can be purchased and equipped, making this the biggest installment of the franchise to date. In fact, Infinity Blade 3 is said to be eight times larger than the original game, featuring more stages as well as a larger world map. Navigation is pretty much the same, however, with players choosing paths where they will inevitably meet a monster that they will have to take down.

Infinity Blade 3 differs from its predecessors by including a central hub where the players will originate from before they go on quests. Here, they can interact with merchants where they can purchase and upgrade weapons as well as craft potions. Cooldown periods are also introduced in this game, as well as the play to win mechanic where waiting time can be sped up using premium currency.

It is this currency mechanic that can pretty much take all of the excitement out of the game, however, as those who would be willing to shell out cash will ultimately gain all of the advantage necessary. Elite equipment can be purchased that can take down the strongest of enemies in record time, and while both basic and premium currencies are rewarded quite commonly, it will never be enough to unlock treasure chests and acquire those powerful weapons that would make battles much more easier to win. Otherwise, getting properly equipped will simply take too much time, and with the quite shallow gameplay mechanic, the time that it will take to grind for enough currency is just not worth it for the casual gamer.

Some features can be considered as a saving grace, if players get too tired of the single player campaign. There’s the Clash Mob mode where players can battle cooperatively against an impossibly powerful boss character, and there’s even a tournament style mode where players can fight against each other in exchange for valuable rewards. Unfortunately, the latter mode will still emphasize the pay to win mechanic rather than having players rely solely on pure skill. Thus, finding success in Infinity Blade 3 will depend on how much you are willing to spend on top of the game’s download price.

Still, what the game has going for it is the fact that it is the richest game in the series, storyline wise. As compared to the previous installments where players only have to navigate from one battle area to another, Infinity Blade 3 features cutscenes and exemplary voice acting from talents such as John Noble and Troy Baker. There’s also a lot of bonus content available within the game that fans of the series will surely love. Of course, this installment of the Infinity Blade trilogy features some of the best visuals around, taking advantage of the Unreal Engine to provide some of the best animations that you will ever see in a mobile device.

Despite the lack of depth, there can be a lot of enjoyment from taking down monsters through a variety of offensive and defensive moves, with a couple of spells and item usage thrown in. Difficulty levels will definitely vary, just like the previous games, which means that you will have to repeat campaigns a couple of times until you inevitably get it right. Most of the time, however, the ultimate solution is to just buy more powerful weapons outright, although this is not always the recommended option for those who want a real challenge out of their games. Thus, grinding and refining your style will also give you a definitive edge against the tougher opponents that you‘ll be facing, although the game will never fail to remind you that paying to win is always an option in the form of your mortal body falling down in defeat.

Those who are itching to know how the battle between Siris and the Worker of Secrets should definitely get this title, if not for the gameplay that has made this series a success, then for the purpose of being able to seek closure in this marvelous and epic story. Along the way, you will face defeat as well as tons of frustration, and you will be tempted to get those in-app purchases more than once. Still, Infinity Blade 3 is a worthy buy due to its prize worthy graphics and its amazing scope with regards to the selection of weapons and items that you can use to combat the forces of evil. Just make sure that you have your best weapons are on hand, and that your fingers are in tip top shape because the challenges that you will face on your way towards victory will be truly brutal indeed.

Tested on iPhone. Final Score: 7/10

Infinity Blade 3 was developed by Chair Entertainment and was published by Epic Games. It was released on September 18, 2013 via the iTunes store for iOS devices running iOS 7 or higher.