On the first April 2019, FUNCOM unveiled a new title in the conan universe through a completely offset trailer, but with anyone attractive enough to tickle the interest of the players.
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Funcom Adverts Conan Chop Chop!
Rather than letting such an opportunity, Funcom announced in June the transformation of the joke into a real game, developed by the Australian studio Mighty Kingdom . The title was then planned for the month of September of the same year. Quite ambitious date (unless the game has been under development for longer or that a current project was diverted to be reworked) which was nevertheless quickly offset since in August was announced a gap at the beginning of Year 2020, in addition to incorporating an online multiplayer mode (in addition to the ability to play locally on all support or remote via Steam Remote Play TooTheter on PC).
In December, in preparation for the next release, a new date was unveiled: February 25th. And, in parallel, keys were then made available to the press and influencers in order to prepare the exit with as much coverage as possible. Unfortunately, the game did not really match the idea that I could do it and the expectations I had since its first announcement (which was then a fish). Notice that had to be mostly shared as successive postponements took place in February, then June, then December, before getting to the point of being forgotten, with all the same a stitch of reminder last summer so last summer. indicate that the title was not abandoned.
In short, a joke that lasted nearly 3 years before finally realized.
Before you see more concretely the current version of the game, I can assure you that the last two years were necessary and that the game is really different from the one we could discover at the end of 2019. It’s still not the game that J Imaged initially, but the more an interesting compromise between this expectation and the game they originally proposed. Without dating on this version which is no longer and of which it is not the subject here, I propose you nevertheless (re) discover the video presentation made at the time:
The basics
The controls of CONAN CHOP CHOP are quite simple, but everything is unfortunately not as well explained by the game it would have taken. Then, there is a big lack for a game of 2022 since it is possible to change the assignment of the keys or for the keypad (configured for QWERTY) or for the controller (the recommended interface).
The first action, apart from the displacement, is of course the body attack. At the controller, there is a touch to attack in the direction that we look, but it is also possible to use the joystick right in the manner of an twin-stick. What the game does not explain, it is that melee attacks can make critical blows for more damage and that these are the only attacks that have this capacity .
Then, to continue with offensive actions, it is possible to attack remotely with an arc. There is a key to get out of his bow and then, to the controller, you have to use the right joystick for both aim and attack. This is not necessarily obvious to reach its target and it will be necessary to count on the following arrows to adjust. On the keypad, it’s even worse because there is no displayed cursor for knowing where you can be aimed. Each decoked arrow consumes an ammunition gauge that is recharging over time.
The gauge of ammunition also allows a bomb where you are. There is no _Friendly Fire _ , but anyway it does not explode right away. This option will not often be used, because it is necessary to succeed in placing it properly, that it consumes a little gauge at once and that the damage is not impressive. On the other hand, it is very useful at first to break some obstacles .
All obstacles are not destructible at the beginning : we can break some pebbles at the bomb but – thing that the game does not indicate either and is long frustrating – the barriers and pillars need to unlock a liability allowing Breaking all the destructible elements… from a dash. What a bomb does not break can be broken by falling in a lowered head…
As indicated just before, the first defensive action is the Dash. The Dash makes it possible to move quickly over an average distance by being insensitive to damage during this trip . Each character has a different Dash with his characteristics: Conan bums and insumes nearby enemies with landing; Belit is a rollade with a decorating arrow back; Valeria goes into a straight line through the enemies and, if it is equipped with a sword, posing a bleeding; Finally Pallantidès also goes in a straight line, but pushing the enemies on his way.
The second defensive action is a block. This one visits himself by a bubble surrounding the character and reducing as and when she cash damage. The block can be maintained as long as we wish , but if the maximum damage is reached, the bubble breaks and the block can not be used until it has not recharged. Attack also suspends the block the time of animation.
In addition, when the block is deployed, we can temporarily see as a flame around the bubble. This visualizes the window during which the parade is active. A melee attack thus paired temporarily assumes the assailant and a distance attack is returned to its sender.
When inflicting damage or receiving it, if we unlocked the ultimate attack of the character, we generate rage. Once it is accumulated enough, it is possible to activate the ultimate attack of the character : conan temporarily passes in rage mode for more damage and an extra dash, kill an enemy prolongs this mode; Belit launches in an area a rain of arrows during which it is immobilized, but insensitive to the damage (but it is easy to get damage when the attack ends and before we have time to react); Valeria triggers a whirlwind attack during which it is mobile and insensitive to damage; Palrantidès triggers a wave of shock injuring and knocking nearby enemies.
Finally, it is possible to carry up to a piece of meat at a time ** (three with the charm that goes well) that serves to heal (partially once you have enough health)
Exploration
The goal of the game is to cross one to one each of the four zones to land the bosses that form the seal of the door located in the village of departure containing the final boss. Each zone is “rooms” where we meet enemies, treasures and sometimes sellers. And the area ends with a dungeon containing the boss.
Pretty good idea, on the minimum the passages to the adjacent rooms are visualized either by a white point to indicate the path leading to the final dungeon of the zone or by a yellow point to indicate special rooms (Can bring interesting bonuses like nothing noticeable) that end quickly with a cul-de-sac.
If the exploration can be quite useful until the dungeon to find interesting resources, it is no longer the case once in the dungeon where it is quite rare to fall on something interesting and it is better to hurry from Join the boss (usually full north compared to the entrance) to get there in the best possible health conditions.
The bosses offer quite long fights , in which we have to adopt a relatively conservative approach to know when attacking, when to flee and also to care for the adads_ who appear regularly. At every third of lost life, the bosses slightly evolve their panel of attacks and the fallen allies are resurrected with a little life (they are also resurrected once a room cleaned with its enemies).
Once a boss vanquished, we return to the city of departure where the following area is now accessible (with more dangerous enemies) and the proposed equipment for sale is renewed. The equipment you can get from that moment at a level of the upper range.
On the way, we can get gold and gems. Gold is used to buy equipment from sellers. Gems are used to unlock new equipment from the blacksmith (when a device is unlocked, a copy is offered directly and it can appear at stake).
the equipment
There are 5 types of equipment: the weapons divided between melee weapons (can be swords, hammers or lances) and arcs, defensive equipment divided between armor and shields and charms. All persons can equip a melee weapon, arc, shield and armor, as well as 2-4 charms.
Weapons have three main stats (DPS, damage and attack speed), a main effect and 1-3 side effects (depending on the quality of the object). The main effect of melee weapons increases the chances of criticism after the realization of an action (generating rabies, perform a parade, do remote damage, etc.).
The armor give a health bonus, a main effect and 1-3 side effects (depending on the quality of the object).
The shields have a guard status, a main effect and 1-3 side effects (depending on the quality of the object).
The charms provide very varied effects. One can thus have the possibility to inflict state alteration when we wear an attack, have bonus arrows when one decides an arrow, have a Pet which accompanies us, increase the number of dash, etc. The possible effects are quite numerous, not always equal in efficiency and unfortunately the descriptions are not sufficiently detailed to really get an idea before having tested (and lost the charm we had before).
If the damage is usually the most important element to consider by choosing its equipment, there are, however, possible combinations of effects ** very interesting to get maximum equipment.
A combination possible quite easily and very quickly is to have an arc giving 25% chance to launch a bomb instead of an arrow, as well as an armor making 15% ammunition when an explosion has made damage. It’s not to fall short of arrows.
We can improve this with a bonus of ammunition that can be found on the weapon to increase the chances of having a bomb before being short, as well as with a bonus of explosion damage that can be found on the armor. And if the charms giving bonus arrows actually offer arrows that make significantly less damage, it increases the chances of generating a bomb to make more bombs and more damage (damage from bombs from bonus arrows. are not less).
In short, a lot of experimentation possible . Especially as you disclose more equipment. And all the more necessary as more equipment involves less likely to fall on those we would like most (and it is better to avoid too sacrificing its damage to preserve its combo).
Characters
At first glance, The characters begin with the same stats and differ essentially by their melee weapon (sword for Conan and Valeria, launches for Belit and hammer for Pallianties) as well as by their dash. But it is not counting the hidden bonuses : Valeria and Palrantidès have two dash loads (very effective to escape the boss before having increased its speed) and belit consumes less of its gauge of ammunition to uncheck an arrow. CONAN does not seem to have a hidden bonus.
When losing the part , a screen displays some stats of the game and especially gives experience to advance the account level . Each level brings a skill point. In the next part, we start from scratch with the exception of gems that are kept and skill points acquired in death.
The skill points serve with the coach located in the village. It allows to unlock permanent bonuses for a character for 1-5 skill points. It is thus possible to unblock the ultimate attack and three traits that are unique to the character, two locations of charms, two receptacles of heart, two points of movement attribute, two points of power attribute, a gold bonus At the beginning of the game, a meat offered at the beginning of the game and the ability to break some elements of the decor with its dash.
I find a pity enough that we can not consult all the bonuses for a more enlightened choice of character to go up and watch. And I do not understand why so many traits connect the bonuses since they are not unlocked diagonally (unlock a bonus reveals the bonuses on the left / right and above / below that can then be unlocked).
In any case, I recommend for a character to unblock the ultimate attack, then the charming location next door, go back to the beginning to unlock the heart and the charming location behind, take the attribute (speed for All persons?) next door and unblock the ability to break the obstacles. Then continue with the attributes (speed then power), health and finally the starting economic bonuses. The features can be unlocked at convenience, depending on their utility.
To complete a character, it takes 49 points, therefore progress the account of 49 levels. If at first the climb is fast enough (reaching the first boss makes it possible to take a level), it slows as and when it goes up (up to level 40, reaching the first boss reported about 1/4 level – while hitting the fourth reported 4 levels). It takes between 10 and 20h to finish a perso (it can not vary with the skill and the allies that can be disposed of).
So, we go up several perso in parallel, delaying not bad when we can say that we have finished a custom, but ensuring a solution of folds if our “hand” is taken by another player, or on focus A perso we will continue to play after it is completed to advance other perso faster than by playing other perso.
Personally, I would have preferred an incremental progression allowing a comparable progression of each perso and forcing to play the custom we make progress.
Conclusion
If Conan Chop Chop is not perfect, The title is definitely fun and completely (and positively) slice with what it was two years ago. The game is quite demanding, but remains affordable for local sessions or Remote Play Together with people who have not played that do not end in frustration.
The biggest reproaches I will do to the game is unnecessarily hiding the information (descriptions too vague, missing or hidden information, etc.), not to offer in 2022 to change the mapping of the keys and especially to make a progression per account rather than by character.
In addition, I will not spit on a fifth panel, rather oriented distance (a mage?), In order to allow the fourth player of the group to have a choice for the selection of the person.
The current formula is interesting , but does not yet fully exploit the potential of the title. Hoping that sufficient accession ensures that it deserves to bring small improvements and enrich it with more equipment and charms to bring more diversity and ensure as much replayability as possible. **
Test directed by Peredur from a PC version provided _par the editor.