FIVE: Champions of Canaan Reviews

I thought I was getting an RPG instead I got a an arena style diablo where you kill waves of enemies to earn treasure. Then you fight bthe next wave.

[h1]Five: Champions of Canaan[/h1] Is a game that others have (rightly) asserted as an action RPG, somewhat like Diablo and such- the common trappings of loot and attributes weighing heavily on your character's performance within the game, I'm not going to say much about the story as (clearly) i'm nowhere near finishing the game. The key difference however, is that it is almost entirely arena based; fighting waves of enemies until a boss appears, being much taller than the average mob; after dispatching them a chest will rise out of the sand to grant you your spoils- this is how every round of an arena fight will go with 100 rounds of 10 waves (per arena) there's a lot of killing to be done- while this sounds rather repetitive it is kept refreshing on an arena to arena basis, each one with some new enemies and surroundings. But what really shines to me are the weapon abilities, those you can use are not based on character choices but weapon choice, and these are freely switchable at any time (a la Victor Vran) and each weapon will have some very satisfying abilities; such as a dual handed mace being able to stun foes by cracking their skulls and rapid fire bows. There are a few more things worth mentioning- a storyteller sits in the market teaching children morals and whatnot, this is shown via voiced comic strips which is a welcome break during your play sessions, along with some upgrades to certain abilities by donating special currencies for that purpose obtained during these arena runs; things like reducing the cooldown of your healing ability and passive additions to stats. There is a character creator too, something a lot of ARPG's lack- gender, hair, hair colour, face, facial hair, voice; just something to add a bit more of a personal touch (though these options are limited), along with that is a Clan/bloodline choice that impacts a few passive abilities you'll have all of which have an origin (i believe so anyway in the other games of this series). The music is very fitting with the style of game too, not exactly inspiring but it's perfectly good. Now, onto some issues- [list] [*] There are a number of audio bugs that play sounds a little off timing (or cut them out altogether) when you're spamming abilities during fights, or selling items in the store. [*] The game feels a little clunky at times, getting stuck on walls while pathfinding around, animations being too slow to keep up with the damage numbers and such. [*] It is quite repetitive, barring the story events of course. [*] It could do with being a little more brutal- but that's more my style than a pure negative :D [*] Multiplayer, a way to play co op would be welcomed, most games in the genre tend to have this addition; but with the price you can't exactly complain. [/list] [h1] Conclusion (pending more playtime) [/h1] For it's price [i] Five: Champions of Canaan [/i] is a game i can see myself hopping back into whenever i want a quick (or extended) fix of straight forward action rpg'ing, it has a pretty unique setting; and is worth your money even if you spend an hour or two on it.

Actually really greatly suprise how good it is. It's a Hack'n slash in arenas, you fight ennemy's and then a boss, get a treasure chest full a loot and go on for some more !! Good music, good animations and nice design. If ur a Action Rpg digger u might really love this !! I give it a solid 7/10

40 hours in and I like this game a lot.... For a historical based arena game this is quite good. There are no major flaws that I can think of with this game. However it is an arena grinding game. And one you know the fundamentals, it can just be a case of grinding the enmeies, to progress further. Although I recommend initially starting on a lower level difficulty, it can at times be challenging. I am pleased with this game, and although the graphics aren't ultra-perfect and the gameplay isn't intensely demanding, as a basic fun-and-click arena game its good. It's also good to find a Bible-based game that isn't just trivia.

I've played a couple of few rounds and I can say this game is awesome for its price. The game has some really nice mechanics but still needs to be polished. I like the Arena style, I'm tired of the usual Act I - Act IV then repeat it on a higher difficulty play through. If this game has multiplayer, this will be super awesome!!! The control is a little bit clunky sometimes, there were awkward pauses when you move around near walls and enemies. Cut scenes can be frustrating, I wish the transition was more fluid, instead of the usual fade to black screen. I'll give it 7/10 for now. I'll play some more and comeback with more feedback.

I'm not a huge fan of reviewing games. The simple question is why? Everyone likes something different and we all enjoy something different. This game looked like it had some potential and then within a little over an hour I was proven wrong. Mindless combat over and over (and repeat that 98 more times) again. No progression until you grind for hours on the same enemies. Sure the fact that each weapon has a skill path of its own, but honestly they should all be maxed way before you finish your first 100 arena attempt grind (to make it to the next arena). Sorry unless you enjoy hours of doing the same thing over and over, this game wont be for you.

Great little game for the price. Very nice and refreshing setting (no zombies!). I hope the devs are successful and we get to see more games in the biblical setting, because the possibilities for games there are endless. Gameplay- well, the game certainly does not re-invent the wheel. Very straight forward gladiatorial arena combat. I feel the combat is satisfying and the sound effects are good, although the smacking and bone crushing sounds of the mace take the cake in realism. I have not really figured out the different class system yet. As far as I understand, the beginning classes seem to be purely cosmetic (different colours) and you can train up your hero to fight with any weapon later on. Using different weapons gives you different special abilities. The game even encourages you to try out different weapons and styles which I think is needed to keep the gamplay fresh and interesting (because you will be fighting in the same arenas again and again). Loot is collected at the end of each arena round and has so far been interesting. So far, in general, I found the game entertaining and addictive enough that I did not feel bored. At the time of writing this, some minor bugs still exist with achievements and screen resolutions, but the devs are onto it and are putting out patches. If there is one big downside, it is the enemy variety. Yes, they repeat. A lot. Not as bad as I thought it would be, but still. So these are my thoughts. In general, a very entertaining little game for short gameplay sessions. Great to see some singleplayer gladiator combat, that is not very common at all. And it has no zombies. Always a bonus. I assume zombies are not really biblical, except.... can you call Lazarus a zombie? Maybe not.

It suprised me how good and adictive this game is. It's a hack 'n' slash arena game (with resemblance to DIablo) with character growth, rewards and basicly thats it. But it works! :) It's super fun and exiting to slash your opponents in arena. Graphics are very nice, and music also adds to gameplay. Downside is repetative combat. Also for battles, it's better to use controller than mouse/keyboard (expecially for some weapons). Suggestion: There should be more info on your characters records. Like: enemies defeated, score with bosses, favourite weapon, kills with different weapon... stuff like that. If you see it on sale, it is a must BUY

If you're looking for an open-world, free-roaming, quest-solving rpg, you'd best look elsewhere. All you do is fight battles in an enclosed arena fighting waves of enemies to summon the champion of each round and slay said champion to win and receive loot by the end of each round. You can then either choose to continue fighting or head back to the market to sell and store your equipment. Equipment has no class restrictions only level requirements, and there is no magic or mythological creatures anywhere in sight. You can also equip anytime but do that during down-times, (the game won't pause as you browse your inventory leaving you open for attack). You unlock skills by using different weapons. Kill combatants with your sword and unlock more powerful skills for all swords, bow skills for bows, etc. Combat is fast and simple once you get the hang of it although it can feel clunky sometimes. I have encountered weird bugs, but nothing gamebreaking. And for the price, it still feels pretty solid. Pros: + Historical accuracy with real weapons and armor + Combat feels solid overall + Low-fantasy RPG without actually having to use magic or kill monsters + No stupid quests (other than the optional story line) + Just pure hack-and-slash RPG Cons: - Some bugs (nothing major, but occasionally when knocking down foes like champions they slide a few meters. More annoying than an issue really) - No real progression - Can get repetitive after a while as there's only arena battles, but it's a decent break from traditional RPG's Verdict: If you're looking for a down-to-earth ARPG without the hassle of slaying thousands of highwaymen, dragons, cheating necromancers or the obnoxious and over-used phrase "you're the chosen", you can't go wrong with this. And at 4€, it's a steal! Highly recommended! P.S. While based upon the bible, there is not much of it. It's more historical than biblical so if you're not a fan of the book, no worries. P.P.S. The story-teller tells you about some events in the book as a comic, but is purely optional.

There is so much wrong with Kingdom Games’ loosely Biblical, Action-RPG [i]FIVE: Champions of Canaan[/i], that it is seemingly difficult to know where to begin in assessing it. The game comes on the heels of its predecessor – [i]FIVE: Guardians of David[/i] – but falls completely flat in comparison. [b]Story[/b] King David has become aware that the conquered Ammonites have erected arenas and have been using them to continue their blood sacrifices to their god – Moloch – under the guise of arena combat. You – under the command of Hushai, David’s agent, are meant to fight and make a name for yourself in the arenas to ‘disrupt such blasphemy.’ Most of the backstory is introduced via the opening cinematic. Once thrust into the game, the story continues in the form of quests. The problem is that the game propels the story forward at a tremendously slow pace. You have to unlock new story quests by completing arena combat. But after a while the combat becomes so grindy that you inevitably lose all conviction to propel the story forward. [b]Gameplay[/b] The game does allow you to customize your character, which includes a host of options, such as – gender, Biblical lineage, skin/hair color, name, etc. The gameplay and its mechanics will be familiar to most Action-RPG players. A unique difference to most games within the genre is that you can equip all the different weapon/armor types right from the get go. With each different weapon type equipped, you get a new set of skills to use. You immediately get two basic skills per weapon type but have to invest kills into that weapon type in order to unlock four additional skills. It’s important to note that when you unlock skills, you unlock them permanently. They are not bound to the weapon you’re using but the type of weapon. The mechanics can be enjoyable at times until you look underneath the paint. You’ll experience mobs getting stuck on walls/edges, poor pathfinding, weapons that don’t behave as they should. The bow isn’t able to perform critical strikes as an example despite having a skill that boosts critical chance. [b]Graphics[/b] Dull and uninspiring compared to its predecessor. There are only several arenas in the game and one small main hub area and the texture work is very poor in addition to missing shadows in some areas. [b]Music/Sound[/b] Nothing particularly note-worthy when it comes to the music. However, some of the sounds feel like they are placeholders from earlier in development and break what little immersion the game tries to create. [b]Achievements[/b] As of writing this, I can say with certainty that there are at least three bugged achievements. There are probably more but I haven’t tested more of the ones I suspect of being broken. So for achievement hunters, I do recommend you steer clear for the time being. [b]Conclusion[/b] [i]FIVE: Champions of Canaan[/i] comes across as a game that could’ve worked as a DLC to its predecessor – if scaled down and reworked. Instead, I feel what we’ve gotten is a game that is needlessly bloated, grindy and wholly deserving of the question: ‘what’s the point?’