Review: Animus-Stand Alone (Xbox One)

ANIMUS is an Action RPG that calls upon you to bring an end to a dying world. Button mashing will get you killed. Keep a keen eye on your stamina as you block, dodge, and strike down your enemies.

Pros:

• Awesome graphics.
• 2.46gb download size.
• 1000 Gamerscore.
• Opening tutorial and a boss level.
• Action RPG gameplay.
• Control options-sensitivity sliders, invert axis and auto lock-on on/off.
• Player stats screen.
• Five starting weapons (you get one of each and can freely swap between them) sword and shield, big sword, gauntlets, lance, and dual blades.
• Earn EXP and level up to get points to put into the skill tree that expands as you level.
• World map level select.
• Dark Souls and Monster hunter inspired.
• Powerful orchestral soundtrack.
• Forge- reinforce equipment/sell/disassemble items into shards.
• Black market-buy items with gems.
• Shards-two types for armor and weapons, found in level and from disassembling unwanted gear.
• Gems- a lot harder to get, used to buy much better items like a cape with a buff, extra skill points, etc.
• Gold-earned in the game and from selling items and used in conjunction with shards for upgrading.
• Levels are like a short gauntlet run against mobs then a boss fight at the end.
• Levels are timed and have 3 rewards based on this.
• Hidden collectibles in the game.
• Fast loading time.
• Actions-dodge, block, parry, backstab, attack and heavy attack along with a special charge-up move.
• Checkpoints throughout the level.
• Destructible environment in places.
• Can replay levels and farm exp and shards.
• Can knock bosses down by breaking their poise, doing this allows you to carve them for bonus rewards.
• A lot of Replayability.
• Enemies/bosses don’t level with you.
• Amazing looking boss creatures each unique.
• Can summon Ai partners in certain encounters. Fighting is fluid and uses a combo like system whereby pressing A 3 times does a crazy combo whilst mixing a B press mid-combo changes it up etc.
• Gimmick-you can revive from death once per run otherwise you reset to a checkpoint losing some of your loot in the process forever.

Cons:

• Only one control scheme.
• Takes a while to adjust to the controls as it uses the face buttons for everything.
• No help/explanation of the menus, world map or anything.
• Really small text.
• Slowdown.
• No screen adjustment and it feels a bit off.
• Inconsistent difficulties.
• All levels start to feel the same.
• Occasional crashing.
• Stingy loot drops.
• Never sure if it saved.
• Lock-on is a crapshoot.
• Can get very grindy.
• Enemies/bosses don’t level with you.