Infinity Blade 2 Might be the Perfect Sequel

Most gamers loved Chair's intense iOS sword fighting game Infinity Blade, but the game's detractors criticized its repetitive nature and light amount of content.

Infinity Blade 2 immediately addresses both of these concerns.

Chair's sequel offers up a considerably longer and more involved quest for gamers to slash their way through, as well several distinct fighting styles to keep the combat feeling fresh throughout. If Infinity Blade's biggest critics refer to the game as a "glorified tech demo," then Infinity Blade 2 is Chair's proof that this formula can support an actual meaty game.

The first thing I noticed during my hands-on time with the title is its greatly increased emphasis on story. Bolstered by Brandon Sanderson's tie-in ebook Infinity Blade: Awakening, Infinity Blade 2 peppers voice-acted cutscenes throughout the single-played adventure.

The game picks up immediately where its predecessor left off. Having defeated the God-King, our hero (retroactively named Siris) doesn't know what to do with himself, or with the actual Infinity Blade. He casts about for the Worker of Secrets, the man who supposedly forged the legendary sword. The game follows the same basic structure of the original – gamers will "loop through" most fights several times. But without spoiling too much, there is a much deeper and better-integrated narrative motive for these loops than the original's "your descendent has taken your place" conceit. The reality of the player's situation, and why they must repeat themselves, is slowly revealed to players as the story progresses.

Gamers still don't have complete freedom of movement in Infinity Blade 2. After defeating an enemy, players tap pre-determined areas to travel to the adjoining zone and initiate the next fight. But this time around the paths are considerably more complex and non-linear. After an intro section nearly as long as all of IB1, the game opens up, offering players multiple sub-bosses to defeat in whatever order they see fit. Each one takes place at the conclusion of a separate unique chain of battles.

Players will also need to keep their eyes peeled for secrets. During the first loop I spied a small tree. After each loop through the game the tree grew bigger and bigger, eventually opening up a new secret path for me to follow. In another area a gigantic beast is frozen in a melting glacier. After a few loops… the beast is gone. Cue boss fight!

Chair has also expanded the game's combat engine, doubling the unique types of enemies players will encounter from three to six, and within each enemy type further randomizing their attack patterns. Enemies can also take a step back and launch magical attacks of their own this time around, instead of always being relegated to melee combat.

Luckily Siris has a few new tricks up his sleeve to help deal with this expanded enemy roster. Players can now drop their shield and opt to dual-wield two swords. When dual-wielding players, move faster, and the center block button is replaced with a "duck" command. At specific slow-motion moments players also have the opportunity to tap 6+ "stab points," unleashing a powerful flurry of attacks.

But my personal favorite addition is the new two-handed heavy weapon class. Players again must make due without a shield, instead employing "directional blocking" with their weapon itself. Blocking left, right, or center is considerably slower than normal dodging, but can effectively block every enemy attack in the game, including shield bashes and otherwise-unblockable aggression. When on the offensive, heavy weapon users are prompted to swipe in specific directions to unleash critical-hit "dark strikes."

Infinity Blade 2's new gem-slotting system continues the theme of increased player freedom and customization. Most armaments feature gem slots of different shapes, allowing players to equip stat-boosting gems they have discovered or purchased. Gems range from mundane stat boosts (+10 attack or +15 fire damage) to more specialized perks like earning gold for scratch damage, or draining life for successful parries. Chair has promised that the game will launch with "hundreds" of unique gems.

Visually, it's obvious that the graphical wizards at Chair are taking full advantage of the power in the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. Realtime shadows, particle effects, and improved lightning effects all subtly raise the graphical fidelity of each combat scene. The new spell effects show off the more obvious visual upgrades. Swords imbued with elemental energy also now reflect their power – think flaming swords.

Although I liked the original Infinity Blade, I largely agreed with the cadre of critics that cut down the game as being "the same thing" over and over. My time with Infinity Blade 2 has already made me a believer, however. Multiple weapon classes and greater enemy variety keep the combat fresh. A non-linear environment supported by a proper storyline provides the perfect motivation to keep looping through sections of the game multiple times.

It's impressive what Chair has been able to pull off. The original Infinity Blade launched with about 10 combat locations. The sequel has over 40. It seems virtually every element of Infinity Blade 1 has been blown out. The company has aggressive post-launch plans far beyond just adding more swords and football helmets, as well. Clash Mobs are one teased feature. Players might fight an enemy with "10 million or more" hit points. If Infinity Blade players around the world whittle down the shared health pool, all participants can be awarded with special bonuses.

Infinity Blade 2 is due out December 1. As someone that thought the original was good but not great, I'm very happy to concede that the sequel has shot to the top of my hype list. This is one sequel that is poised to deliver in a big way.

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