Bound by Flame Preview

Choice is a common theme in video games these days. However, player decisions don’t often have a dramatic impact on the gameplay and as such, those “choices” feel somewhat superfluous. They’re anything but in the latest from Spiders Studios, though. Bound by Flame , an action/RPG featuring a protagonist who is possessed by a demon, will force you to make one critical decision: Use the dark powers at your disposal, or fight them. Using them will make you more powerful but it will also ravage the hero’s body…at the end of the adventure, he may become a demon himself.

Featuring a medieval setting and plenty of brutal weapons from that period (swords, spears, axes, crossbows, etc.), you’ll be making decisions from the start. For instance, concerning the available weaponry, are you going to opt for light and fast, or heavy and slow? You can deliver more powerful strikes with the latter, but the former will allow you to steer clear of enemy attacks. That crossbow will prove to be a trusty tool, as it will be able to fire various elemental bolts. So, maybe you’ll opt to wield a dagger and the crossbow, and you’ll eliminate your foes from afar. To get close, you’ll stealthily approach and dispatch however you see fit.

All weapons can be upgraded, as can the abilities of the main character. As you progress through a dangerous world filled with loot and enemies, you’ll stumble across all sorts of items and equipment. The developers have implemented a crafting system that will give you even more freedom to create the sweetest weapons imaginable. You’ll also be able to create traps, various potions, and more powerful armor. As this is an action/RPG, it will include all the depth necessary for the “role-playing” label, and the additional strategy and tactics are a godsend for those who wish to rely more on their brains than their fingers.