As For Honor nears into two full years of existence, Marching Fire is poised to be the grand expansion the game needs to stay relevant while providing a healthy amount of updates that can draw in a new set of fans looking for an online pound of flesh shaved off by raw steel.
Much like its warriors who have blazed a bloody trail through countless battlefields, For Honor is a ferocious being that can’t be tamed. The proverbial cuts and bruises that Ubisoft’s one-of-a-kind fighting game have suffered only serve to bolster the development team’s dedication towards a product that is challenging, brutal, and rarely without thrill. Like a fine wine, time strengthens the depth and robustness of games like The Division and Rainbow Six Siege and it’s an ideology Ubisoft is set to continue. Marching Fire, one of the biggest pieces of new For Honor content yet, will be the greatest test yet on whether or not this fiery spirit has any fight left in it.
One of the major draws of Marching Fire is the introduction of Arcade Mode. For Honor‘s intense, skill-based melee combat can be grueling to say the least. Many players have nearly two years of experience hacking away at others online and being thrown into this wolf’s den as a newcomer is its own challenge. At launch, For Honor‘s campaign was a passable way to grease the wheels and become familiar with directional blocking, parrying, a watching an axe cleave through human meat. Yet there wasn’t enough PvE content to keep those not interested in strict competitive play hooked.
Arcade Mode gives you (and a friend if you so choose) the chance to fight against AI opponents in increasingly challenging brawls. Rounds of Arcade Mode start off by telling a small story of strife between whatever warring faction or group the game chooses. It isn’t written with the same care as the campaign but they make for enjoyable enough slices of narrative to pull interested players in. There are four difficulties to choose from and each have a suggested gear score. Those who yearn for a challenge can certainly dive into a Legendary mission with a low gear score. You probably won’t last but there will a handful of cocky players that will prove otherwise.
Every victory in Arcade Mode escalates the stakes by piling on modifiers than can not only buff enemies but give you a helping hand as well. When I played a Rare encounter I was pitted against one foe who I easily kicked off a balcony. The next round I fought against two opponents who did fire damage on each hit while I gained a bit of health on each attack I landed. The dog-piling of buffs was absurd but made each fight a little bit more unpredictable. Harder difficulties will result in more ferocious modifiers against the player but, of course, victory is never unobtainable.
Introducing a random element into a game is nothing new and it’s easy to see the practicality of these modifiers in For Honor. Arcade Mode isn’t just a bland “new way to play” because it challenges players to think about combat differently. These modifiers might break competitive multiplayer but it would also be fun to see them introduced in online fights. Being rewarded with gear in Arcade Mode will level up hero gear score and Reputation level, which also carries over into multiplayer. By doing this, Ubisoft is allowing players another avenue to rank up without having to get trounced.
The full extent of Arcade Mode’s challenge wasn’t on display in the preview build of the game I had my hands on. Though I did dive into a quick high-level bout, my time was cut short by several unceremonious deaths and the fact that I kept fleeing to stay alive. You might say I had no honor. One flaw for many might be in the fact that this mode is tied to the Marching Fire expansion, which is a $30 purchase. It may be a tough pill to swallow but Ubisoft is also introducing a heap of new content that won’t come at as much a cost.
Breach is a new mode arriving with Marching Fire that pits two groups of four players against each other to protect or assault a fortified castle. The attackers will attempt to storm the castle and break through defenses in order to kill an AI commander. The defenders need to protect the commander, kill attackers, and destroy battering rams. Environmental weaponry will be available such as ballista and delightfully painful cauldrons of hot death. AI bots are also available to fight against in Breach.
The new Chinese Wu-Lin faction expands the roster of playable heroes. Tiandi, Jiang Jun, Nuxia, and Shaolin utilize different weaponry and speed to compete against the other heroes. My favorite of the Wu-Lin so far is Nuxia because of the fast and deadly efficiency of the hook blade she wields. Second is Jiang Jun with his elderly beard and long pole that allows him to keep more distance between opponents. The Wu-Lin faction is temporarily locked behind the purchase of Marching Fire. However, after a brief period of exclusivity, players can use the in-game currency Steel to unlock Wu-Lin heroes piecemeal.
For Honor’s Creative Director Roman Campos-Oriola was on hand during the preview event as Arcade Mode was being played. He sat down with me for an interview to discuss the strengths of Marching Fire, along with the varying degrees of success the game has seen since launch. Despite rocky periods, Campos-Oriola and the development team have only grown with experience, bolstered by a passionate fanbase that has helped keep For Honor’s heart pumping with viscous energy.
Before the full launch of Marching Fire on October 16, PC players will have the chance to get their hands on most of the expansion’s content during the PC Open Test. Running September 6-10, the test is free and even open to those who do not own For Honor. All 22 heroes including the Wu-Lin faction will be available to try along with duel mode, Breach on all three maps, and other new features that coincide with Marching Fire‘s release. These include a new perks system, a victory celebration screen, a new dialogue system that responds to events happening during a match, a UI refresh, and a graphical update.
For Honor has gone through many growing pains to be in the place it is in now. With the passing of each new season, the development team has worked to incorporate more community feedback and more quality of life improvements to polish up this diamond in the rough. It’s also tough not to admire the numerous free trials the game has received which invite more and more people to jump in and see what the bloodshed is all about. As Marching Fire storms through this busy gaming season, it will certainly nurture its niche but never stop expanding for those that seek glory, honor, and a good ass-kicking.
