When it comes to fighting games, there are so many options out there. Spanning many companies and many franchises, there's not been a lack of them over the years, with some games stumbling out and others making a mark on the genre. Years back, Hurracan Studios released Terrordrome: Rise of the Boogeymen, a horror-based fighting game that featured the likes of Leatherface, Freddy, Jason and Ash duking it out. Now, the company has a new title in development, Terrordrome: Reign of the Legends, and it's got real potential as time goes on.
This latest title sees the studio rely less heavily on modern horror characters and big names like before to focus on a mix of original characters, urban legends and older classics. Among the current roster are characters like Sasquatch, Bloody Mary, Van Helsing and Neverman, a clear nod of the Slender Man stories. As in most fighting games, each character has their own unique fighting style and special moves, relying on the tropes that made them famous. Sasquatch is a big heavy hitter with a club, whereas Bloody Mary attacks with mirror shards and Neverman teleports around and attacks with elongated limbs and a living suitcase.
Even though the idea had been done with the first game, the devs manage to spark new life into the idea by going with this eclectic mix of a roster. Not only are they no longer just relying on big names to sell the game, but it really gives them a chance to branch out and really encapsulate the horror sphere. Even without expressly using certain names, they've managed to create fun characters that evoke them regardless, such as T.H.I.S., a pastiche of IT and John Carpenter's The Thing. Even their use of mythological creatures like the Wendigo fits right in and makes things interesting.
However, the game is still in a very early state, with many features still not present currently and some moves not coming out correctly. Looking at the game's wiki page shows us we can be expecting more characters than are currently present for the final product. Though there is an arcade mode, stories for characters have not been implemented either, with the mode just starting and ending after a series of fights currently. The AI is still a little rough, with difficulty not set in stone and T.H.I.S. just having been added in there, but it manages to do a great job showing what the studio is aiming for in the final release.
The game's Steam page goes a long way in helping explain the game's path and future trajectory as well. The current playable model is stated to be 30% of the full thing, and Huracan has a whole list of promises down the road. There's a cinematic story mode planned for the game, they estimate 10-12 stages, and even the idea of post-release DLC has been mentioned. The game's store page boasts 6 characters that will be coming in future updates as work continues, with the likes of Mr. Hyde, White Lady, Wendigo, Dracula, Invisible Man and Spring Heeled Jack on the way.
The small number of characters may sound alarming for some at first, who may recall the small numbers that games like Street Fighter V started with, but a lot of time and effort has clearly gone into each and every one, and that's impressive for a smaller indie studio. The game is presented in Unity 3D, and while that may not be the most high-quality engine people can think of, the game still comes off looking very nice for early access; in fact, the look is reminiscent of early footage of SNK's The King of Fighters XIV. One thing is certain: the studio will need to be creative with the roster. Even though they're looking to feature some guest fighters down the road, they've warned at the start it may not happen at all.
Even though Terrordrome: Reign of the Legends is not finished yet, what is here paints a sold picture of what's to come. As time progresses, modes will be fleshed out, online will be sharpened and roster size will grow. A cinematic story is on the way and balance changes continue to roll out. This is a horror title that wears its heart on its sleeve, and it's all the stronger for it, showing that it has big potential as time goes on.
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