Far More Than a Diablo Clone
There's enough subtle difference between games these days, even within the same genre, that usually the quickest way to a given title is to compare it to another. When I first saw the screenshots for Archangel I immediately thought 'Diablo Clone'. After playing the game it was apparent that the comparison was misleading.The game puts you in the shiny boots of an archangel who in this game takes on an Old Testament role. You're not delivering glad tidings and good news to the people of the earth but smiting those who have offended the heavens. The brief but effective story unfolds before certain levels, but this is not a tale to evoke strong emotion or make you question the nature of the divine. This game is purely about meting out wrathful vengeance on a series of demons and a few fallen angels.
The only button on screen allows you to pause the action- everything else is accomplished by tapping or drawing patterns on the screen. Despite the fact that your character is outfitted with heavy armor and can collect swords, axes and other types of melee weapons, the majority of the combat is magical in nature. This isn't the type of game where you have a limited mana pool or long cool-down periods for your abilities. You're going to be laying out as much damage as possible as fast as you can. It's a frenetic, fast paced action game and when everything works right, it's solidly enjoyable.
Unfortunately the game quite often moves a little too fast for its control scheme. Many of the attacks utilize similar inputs and as a result you'll find yourself executing the wrong attack with alarming frequency. I found the teleport function the worst offender of the bunch. While you can walk anywhere, a double tap will simply jump you to wherever you indicate. Clever use of this can of course make combat a lot easier but I'd often find myself trying to jump away only to hurl a fireball no matter how rapidly I tapped. At other times I'd be lobbing attacks from a distance and no matter how carefully I timed the interval between volleys I would end up suddenly transported into the midst of the foes I was trying to avoid which is understandably frustrating. There's a certain element of verticality to the gameplay as well. Knocking monsters off a platform and having the same happen to you is a common occurrence. There are circular platforms that function as floating elevator/conveyor belt hybrids and sometimes I'd find myself perilously close to the edge because my character would slide sideways when it started moving in a way that was obviously a glitch.
The entire performance of the game gave the impression that though fun it could benefit from some serious bug testing. At times I was able to resurrect two foes to assist me, while most of the time one was the maximum. Corpses jiggling and popping through solid matter was such a frequent occurrence I ceased noting it after a while.
The quality of the graphics is good while the design is mediocre. There's a lot of detail lavished on the environment and characters, but those details aren't anything spectacular. The entire game takes place on virtually identical terrain. The layout of each level may be different but you're seeing the same staircases, pillars and platforms everywhere. The enemies are generically menacing. You'll see a lot of pointy horns and ominous red auras. It's not a bad looking game; in fact Archangel is one of the few I've played that really leverages the full power of my device. It's just uninspired.
Especially disappointing was the loot, both graphically and philosophically. You gather items for one of four slots, with each item compromising one quarter of a set. None of them alter your appearance. The only way to do so in fact is by purchasing one of two costumes. The game isn't quite 'pay to win'. I completed it without spending a penny, but they clearly try to nudge you in the direction of their store. By the time you've completed a set either by collecting it in levels or buying it with accumulated in-game currency, it's likely to be underpowered with the next tier of sets looming out of reach.
Archangel displays a lot of potential and despite some significant flaws it's a fun game. Yes, there's a bit of an attempt to pull in more than the asking price but it's not a pay-to-win model, more of a pay-to-win-easier so it's less nefarious. It's not a must buy, but it's definitely a solid recommendation for anyone who enjoys a fast paced, frantic action game.
Summary: Despite its shortcomings Archangel delivers a hard hitting challenge that will thrill action lovers.
