‣ En Garde!
From: Fireplace Games
Platforms: PC
Release: August 2023
Steam Page • Demo Video
Fear the wrath of Adalia de Volador, a swashbuckling sword fighter and all-around badass. Her sense of justice and love of combat pit her directly against En Garde!'s villain—which means trouble for him. Adalia is not just a deft hand at parrying and striking with her sword but can also kick objects into enemies, slide across obstacles, and unleash a few other tricks to even the odds. That's good, considering she's almost always outnumbered…
En Garde! focuses on combat. Run around a stylised Spanish city, fighting thugs and causing mayhem. Time the enemy's blows to parry them and strike back, but beware of side attacks! At a time when a lot of melee combat games have leaned towards simpler battle mechanics, En Garde! goes the other way. Button-bashing will only get you killed, but some well-timed hits and a bit of schoolyard rough stuff win the day. Expect En Garde! in August 2023.
AIIG's Take: En Garde! 's demo briefly appeared during Steam's most recent NextFest, giving a decent look at what this game has in store. It looks great: the art, level and character designs are spot-on with the game's vibe, boosted by the fun script and extravagant voice work. It's the animations that seal the deal, especially in the fights. The demo shows off several levels plus a good taste of the game's slapstick plot. It also showcases an addictive arena mode where you fight waves of enemies.
When you encounter a new game, there is the hope that it has at least one original idea. But En Garde! aims much higher. It looks original, the swashbuckling combat is a rarity, and it's that type of indie game that could end up putting many triple-A titles to shame. We'll find out soon—En Garde! is due for release this August.
Explore The Game with Youtube Chapters:
📽 00:38 Who took my sword?!: Don’t mess with Adalia
📽 01:12 Start the chase: Run, vigilante!
📽 03:17 Basic jumping: A little traversing
📽 04:13 The sword's back!: Time for trouble
📽 07:06 Some acrobatics: No obstacle is too tough
📽 08:21 Chickens are cute!: Give them a scratch
📽 09:08 More than a pretty sword: Time to kick butt
📽 10:34 Crowd control: A barrel to the face
📽 11:28 A real fight: The enemy get desperate
📽 16:35 Bring it on: Really, don’t fight Adalia
📽 20:58 Clear the villa: You are trapped here with her
📽 23:20 We meet at last!: You look familiar
📽 30:00 Arena mode: Why not fight all the guards?
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