The First Templar Preview - 360/PC
Join a Secret Society of Knights - The First Templar Preview
You are a member of the Knights Templar during the Dark Ages of Europe in the 13th century. You believe in honor, loyalty, and perseverance by the sword. Most importantly, you believe that the Holy Grail is out there, and it is your quest to seek it out. The First Templar is an action-adventure game that puts you in the boots of a member of the famed secret society. Together with an ally, you must search ancient Europe, battle rivals, and hold onto the faith that the Holy Grail will be yours.
The First Templar Gameplay
The First Templar mixes together different gameplay elements to create a frequently changing experience. You constantly engage in combat with your blade or crossbow, and your foes range from soldiers to pesky animals. Although the game stays true to reality for the most part, there are a few giants and monsters thrown in for good measure. After all, it’s always nice to battle some type of mythical beast in these types of games. Combat is intuitive and seamless, and combos can be chained together to take down enemies. There are also a couple of stealth kills that come in handy when you sneak up on an enemy from behind.
Like other action-adventure games such as God of War and The Legend of Zelda, The First Templar features plenty of platforming and puzzle-solving gameplay. While you may enter dungeons that are filled to the brim with enemies, there are times when you must collect certain items, piece objects together, or take objects apart. It’s definitely a nice change of pace, and one that combines with the action and stealth levels to provide just the right amount of diverse gameplay.
Cooperative Multiplayer
The First Templar is a cooperative adventure, and although you can go it alone, the game allows you to team up with another player locally (Xbox 360 version only) or online. If you choose to take a lone wolf approach, the computer will fill the role of your partner. Together with your ally, you engage in combat, solve puzzles, and sneak around the game’s various environments. Because the mechanics are so simple, The First Templar practically encourages you to play with someone else.
Environments
You come across numerous locales throughout your search for the Holy Grail. Sandy desert areas, lush forests full of greenery, and barren woods laden with fog are just a couple of the areas you’ll visit. You also enter plenty of dungeons which, as previously stated, change in terms of objectives and atmosphere. You’ll come across isolated, lonely temples as well as dungeons that are highly populated with enemies and monsters. Each area poses a different challenge and a different atmosphere.
The First Templar Preview - Search for the Holy Grail
The First Templar may be shaping up to be a somewhat simple action-adventure game, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The varied gameplay styles in conjunction with the cooperative mode add up to create a package that’s certainly worth watching out for. And although the game is fairly linear for the most part, completists will be glad to know that it features plenty of sidequests that range from treasure hunting to heroic acts of bravery. The First Templar is set to revisit 13th century Europe on March 29, and it is headed to Xbox 360 and PC.
