Blood, swords, and a lot of grinding
Are you in the mood for blood, swords, grinding, and probably more blood, and even more grinding? Well, Enterchained
has you covered. The 2D brawler takes place in the famous Roman
Colosseum, the Flavian amphitheater, where you play as an unnamed
gladiator who must fight his way through endless waves of rivals to
glory. The catch (and the game’s namesake) is that you’re chained to a
fellow gladiator. Gameplay consists of moving in tandem with the AI to
trip up and execute enemies in an arena with an endless army of
challengers. Your goal is to collect better gear that will allow you to
return to the arena and beat bigger and tougher enemies. Unfortunately,
if you want to build the ultimate gladiator in Enterchained, prepare for a lot of grinding and repetition.
Why are two gladiators chained together? Nobody knows. And don’t expect an introductory story to explain it or even a tutorial because the game drops you into the thick of battle as soon as you press start. Fortunately the game’s early stages are forgiving, and give you plenty of opportunities to get a grasp over controls. That being said, there’s not much to learn. The initial experience may be chaotic, but once you get more comfortable with the mechanics, the gameplay is enjoyable if not a bit satisfying. Like many hack and slash games, Enterchained is incredibly straightforward in design. The gladiator you are bound to is a compliant AI who will follow when you lead. The cartoonish graphics are simple but well done, enemies come in different gear and combat styles, and the loot you collect looks great. The black and white color scheme is equally basic but tasteful, with green, yellow, blue, and red accents to signify different players, controls, and blood. If you’re doing a good job of clearing the arena, the floor should be covered in the blood of your enemies. Your fight to the death is accompanied by epic battle music complete with the ominous beating of drums and cheers from surrounding spectators. You’ll be using an on-screen controller with individual buttons for executing, throwing, and attacking, which encourages a lot of fun but ultimately tedious button mashing.
Originally designed as a local multiplayer co-op for the PC, what sets Enterchained apart from other hack and slash games is the chain that binds you and your partner together. The chain mechanic is actually quite useful in terms of crowd control, but you should also be aware of its disadvantages. While you can use your chain to trip up opponents, the chain can also limit your movements. This is especially troublesome when your teammate becomes incapacitated or is too busy fighting an enemy to move with you. Tripping on your own chain is also possible which makes mastering the chain mechanic all the more important. Unfortunately, the co-op chain mechanic isn’t used to its full potential with the ever obedient AI employed in the Android version. Playing with the AI is not without its challenges. Sometimes the AI isn’t smart enough to get out of harm’s way which can pose a challenge when it comes to crowd control. But even with these flaws (intentional or not), the clumsy AI still isn’t comparable to the aggravating yet entertaining experience of playing with a real player in an actual co-op. That being said, a lot of the game’s potential entertainment value is lost when translated into an Android game. On ‘Droid, the chain and the AI are just tools for you to complete objectives, not the combat handicap as the PC version intended. Without the co-op feature as the star of the show, Enterchained becomes a long dull grind.
Enterchained is a simple game in nature –you’ll face wave after wave of enemies, cutting and dicing until you eventually succumb to enemies that are just too tough. Like a roguelike or coin op, dying is an intrinsic part of the game. There are no new levels or locations to unlock, you simply start from round one and work your way back up. So what’s the point?
It’s all about the loot. Each game begins with a set of objectives such as “chain trip three giants” or “defeat 30 enemies with sword throws”. When you fulfill these objectives, you unlock gear that will improve your performance in the next round. There’s a decent variety of gear to be had, which allows players to customize their characters according to their play style. There’s even a spiked chain that can instantly kill enemies that trip over it and a sword that will return when thrown. All items are represented graphically on the screen so your gladiator will perform and look extra tough in the arena. With up to 45 items to unlock, the game has the potential to keep you tied up for hours, especially if you’re a loot hoarder. My problem is with the grind. The excitement and drama of the arena are lost because it’s incredibly repetitive. Yes, you’ll unlock items that will help you defeat bigger enemies, but where’s the fun in having to mow down several rounds of the same mobs over and over again to get there?
Make no mistake, your first round in Enterchained is guaranteed to amuse and challenge you, but you’ll soon find the game incredibly repetitive. Once you’ve got a solid strategy in taking down and executing enemies, the game ceases to be challenging. To sum up my main problem, Enterchained is a game that doesn’t have a lot of staying power; the repetitive gameplay, simple AI, and static environment are a complete turn off. The amount of loot you’ll unlock may be a great plus but considering how you have to face the same enemies time and time again, the loot isn’t worth it. For a long train ride or if you’re stuck somewhere with nothing better to do, Enterchained can be a great way to kill time as it can be played in quick bursts and played in this way it can be mildly entertaining at first. As a game that you’ll come back to without fail, however, Enterchained is as dull as a butter knife.
