BLADESTORM THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR PLAYSTATION 3

Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War puts players in control of a mercenary-for-hire during the legendary English/French conflict. Lead soldiers, warriors, and other swords-for-hire into battle on horseback or on foot, fighting alongside Joan of Arc or the King of England as you strive to become the mercenary champion and earn fame and fortune in these dark times.

The gameplay takes place from a 3rd person perspective and takes the form of a sort of action/RPG. The 'central hub' of the game is a local bar where the player attempts to find jobs that will increase their wealth and reputation, as well as dealers who will allow them to change their weaponry or buy more troops to fight alongside them. This central area also serves as a meeting place for characters in the game world and the player can gain information from overheard gossip that will help them later in the game. Talking to the bartender inside will present you with a list of available missions, the length of that particular campaign, and the reward for success - these can take place on either the English or French side (you cannot ally with only one faction). Selecting one of these missions will take you onto the battlefield.

The main game itself is divided into what at first appears to be a sort of strategy game in which the player sees which territories they must take to complete the mission - however, any strategic element ends here. They can then select the 'home camp' from which to start. Once this is chosen, they are presented with a battlefield (similar to Dynasty Warriors). The main objective is to travel to the castle/village to be taken and successfully seize it from the occupying troops. They then fight with any enemy troops they encounter along the way.

The player can command several different types of fighters, from archers and infantry to horseback riding, and later camel and elephant riders in the game. Battles are a simple hack and slash affair, with the player attempting to clear the area of enemy troops. Once this has been achieved, a base commander will appear at the besieged base. Defeat this commander and the player will have seized the territory and completed the mission. Additional renown can be earned by defeating VIP enemies found throughout the mission in combat. This will also produce treasure for the player, some of which can be collected throughout the game.

As such, Bladestorm has no ending - the player will continue to fight battles as they progress (this is after the whole Hundred Years' War!), but there is a story arc in the game to complete, and the number of missions - while very similar, can give players plenty of gameplay content to keep them happy.