Gameplay in Ryse puts you in the control of a Roman general named Marius Titus. Player movement is characterized by a typical third-person viewpoint. While not in combat, the camera sits closely above the character’s shoulders. While engaged in combat, the camera zooms out to allow for a better field of view for the player.
The main elements of gameplay revolve around 3 main mechanics: attacking, evading, and blocking. There will be different levels of opponents that the player engages with, and each requires different tactics. Some may need a mix of evading certain attacks, blocking a series of attacks, and waiting for an opening to strike. After a certain number of hits, an color will appear on the enemies, allowing you to engage in a slowed down execution attack. A subtle glow will outline the enemy corresponding to the buttons on the Xbox One controller, ex. a green outline indicates pressing the A button, yellow for Y, etc.
Evading is done pressing the ‘B’ button in which Marius rolls in any direction. Deflecting is done with the ‘A’ button, while ‘X’ and ‘Y’ are reserved for sword and push attacks, respectively. Crytek has stressed that while the history of the time period isn’t 100% accurate (it takes place in alternate time-line), they have drawn much of their inspiration for the game’s combat and tactics from “innumerable Roman campaigns that led to the [modern] concept of total war”. Real Roman combat was studied extensively and mo-capped to be as authentic as possible during gameplay, from feet positioning, to posturing, to how to most effectively use a sword and shield. Crytek has also confirmed that different weapon types will also be useable during the campaign and multiplayer.
Being a general, Marius can issue orders to his soldiers. Things like taking a shield formation, using objects in the environment or throwing spears can be issued with your controller. Or if you’re feeling exotic, you can also use the new Kinect via your own voice to give orders.
In Rome, the Coliseum was the heart and soul of the city; in Ryse: Son of Rome, it becomes the stage where you’ll forge your path to glory as a fearless gladiator. Take to the sands cooperatively with your friends and do battle against an ever-changing horde of enemies.
Be Your Own Hero. Ryse offers a large variety of armor, weapons, shields, and consumables to customize your own unique gladiator. These items are earned through gold rewarded from victories in combat and impact your stats by improving your focus, XP, crowd reaction, and health. Consumables are elixirs that have a temporary effect, such as improving health or allowing instant kills.
Dynamic Tile Sets. Inspired by the movable floor pieces used to re-create historic battles in the ancient Colosseum, Ryse uses dynamic “tile sets” of scenery to provide a continuous stream of unpredictable challenges. Scenery hidden in the hypogeum literally erupts from the floor, providing players with settings ranging from strongholds, to ruins, to naval battles.
Custom Challenges and Arenas. Ryse allows you to create your own experiences by using the challenge editor to mix and match the maps and events into custom playlists. Each challenge has its own leaderboard and the more players who have played, the higher the reward at the end of the challenge.
Ryse will feature XI multiplayer maps at launch, plus an additional bonus map for those who purchase the Day One edition of the game.
- The King *NEW*
- The Art of Execution*NEW*
- Developer Flythrough: York
- Developer Flythrough: The Haunted Swamps
- Developer Flythrough: Rome
- The Legend of Damocles
- Behind the Scenes
Full SmartGlass integration:
With the ability to deep link straight into the campaign and launch from SmartGlass, players can jump directly into the experience. In-game DVR lets players review and share the best experiences from their game directly from their tablet. A context-sensitive achievement and help guide will help players unlock secrets along the way, with tips that are synched to their location and situation. Players can manage their character, inventory and upgrades directly from their SmartGlass device, and also get the latest game news.
Day One Edition:
The Day One Edition of Ryse: Son of Rome will give players access to an exclusive Gladiator Mode Co-Op Multiplayer Map and an exclusive Sword add-on. Owners of the Day One Edition will be able to invite friends who own the Standard Edition to join them on the exclusive map.
Legionnaire’s Trust Exclusive Sword: From the Brotherhood of Metalworkers high in the Swiss Alps comes this well-crafted, finely hammered blade that includes bonus in-game attributes.
Ruins: Placing gladiators among the columns of an abandoned temple, Ruins will pit players against hordes of Barbarians, attacking from around every corner. The arena changes dynamically during gameplay, adding new obstacles and objectives for the player to encounter and overcome.
FAQ
Q: How long is the campaign?
A: Somewhere between 3 and 8.5 hours long
Q: Is Ryse exclusive to Xbox One?
A: Yes. And no port-begging!
Q: What is Gladiator mode?
A: Think Gears of War horde mode.
Q: Will Ryse have season pass?
A: Yes, a $20 pass that gives you 14 new maps and an extra game mode (25% discount versus buying the DLC).
Q: Can I disable the HUD?
A: No :(
Links:
Official Website
Ryse News
Ryse Wiki
