Ijji.com gave several gaming outlets a preview of Alliance of Valiant Arms (A.V.A.), and we at Blast were among them. The game’s plot is focused on a fictional war between the E.U. and the NRF (Neo Russian Federation). Players choose which side they want fight for and the game jumps from there.
Aside from a Tutorial, I got to try out two different online co-op modes: Annihilation and Demolition. Annihilation is a team death match. The EU and NRF fight until one team earns a certain amount of kills or the timer runs out. Highly entertaining and fast paced, this part of the co-op particularly impressed me with their fast paced action which is reminiscent of Call of Duty. Demolition focuses on the EU planting an explosive at one of two targets while the NRF defends these zones from attack. While fighting your way through, you must navigate physical obstacles and actually coordinate with teammates in order to stay alive long enough to complete the objective at hand.
You can choose from three different class types which allow for a variety of weapons to use. Following the formula of most FPS, you have three weapons: Primary (rifle, machine gun, or a sniper rifle), Secondary (handgun), and a Melee weapon (knife). You can change classes while playing so that you are a different class when you respawn. Game play varies depending on the level (Annihilation allows you to respawn as much as you want while Demolition only allows you to respawn once the round is over), but is overall pretty good. Aiming with the mouse is easy but lacks the realistic aim of console FPS. Just point, click, shoot.
Visually, the game holds its own against games like Counter Strike, which is very impressive for a free-to-play game. While the game is entertaining, it is a generic First Person Shooter. While the online multiplayer is very fun, I was disappointed by the lack of a basic campaign mode. The story is basically “Europe and Russia go to war.” This is a fantastic concept which could EASILY be fleshed out in serialized campaigns which players could download, but that isn’t planned for the game. Despite the lack of a campaign mode, there are 6 additional objective rounds available for the North American release. While the Tutorial is a helpful intro, at times it can be difficult to understand. Specifically, when the Tutorial asks you to destroy a tank, you need to get a rocket to destroy it. However, all you get is a box which you can’t open. So the game needs a better Help menu for improved game play for new gamers, which will hopefully include an objectives list. ‚ Aside from these issues, the game delivers what it intended: free FPS game play.
My final impression of the game is that it is a very enjoyable FPS, but it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. There’s nothing ground breaking about it, but it is a cheap alternative to expensive games. ‚ The game took what makes FPS games great (multiplayer), but left out what gave them substance (the context of a campaign mode). If you have a decent processor and graphics card then this is definitely a game you should check out in your spare time. The game is currently in closed beta, but any minor problems which surface will probably be all set by the time the game is given a wide release by ijji.com. ‚ Swing by ijji.com to learn more about the game. It’s an easy solution to having to pay for games like Counter Strike, and can serve as an introduction to FPS for young kids. Check out the gallery below and let us know what you think!
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