It’s been almost a year since its release but the original Infinity Blade remains one of the best examples of igaming, and with a sequel coming out in December, it’s worth checking out. For a mobile game, it is gorgeous to look at with an appealing and ancient world, complete with dungeons, a castle and some huge monsters to slash at. But there isn’t a whole lot to do with Infinity Blade. You “finish” the game in roughly 15 minutes, but you probably won’t win. Each time you play through the main story your character will upgrade his armour and become more powerful. This continuous cycle can be frustrating at first, but it’s also the source of the game’s depth. You can fast-track your way to better equipment by spending real money, if you’re a noob (I did it, shhh). It’s a sharp, challenging game with beautiful environments and a punishing story. If you don’t win the first time, “perhaps your descendants will fare better.”
This article appears in Dec 1-7, 2011.