TGS 08: First Jimpressions of Edge of Twilight

Very little in the way of concrete evidence was on offer prior to TGS, with the majority of public material being concept art. In the time between we last saw Edge of Twilight and now, however, the game has plenty more to show for itself, and I got to see a nice meaty chunk of gameplay.

As the walkthrough starts, I get to see Lex, outcast bounty hunter and professional antagonist, for the first time. He's every bit your steampunk antihero, with obligatory goggles and a long, dirty coat. He, and everything else I've seen so far, is beautifully animated and exudes real character.

We start out in a rainy forest area, and I am told that there will be many different locations with their own sense of atmosphere. While the steampunk theme is very important, there will be plenty more environments on offer. Of particular note is the effect of the raindrops as they splash off leaves. The subtle touches are what really makes the animation stand out.

Lex begins by walking through the quiet forest, at one point tipping a tree via a button press to create a makeshit bridge. I'm informed that there are deliberate moments of inaction and quiet in the game, to get the player immersed in the atmosphere before the combat begins.

When the combat does begin, Lex is facing an orc-like monstrosity and the camera dramatically swoops up close when the fight kicks off. Fuzzyeyes is using a smart camera that chooses when to swoop up close. For instance, when Lex fights just one enemy, it gets as near as possible, but pulls back when more opponents show up. It lends a really cinematic feel to the action which certainly impresses. 

The combat itself is your simple hack n' slash fare, as Lex quite brutally starts wailing on the enemy with his big gun-sword. The more Lex fights, the more power his gun builds, and when it's fully charged, he can fire off a powerful shotgun-like blast. You can also charge the weapon manually, but the enemies seem rather aggressive, so it's best to just hack them up. 

One of Lex's powers is the ability to slow down time, which is essential for fighting larger enemies like the troll-esque creature that stepped out of one of the enemy's ever-opening portals. Using this power, Lex can land in many hits before the monster has a chance to attack. When an enemy's health is depleted, Lex can also perform a finishing move with a simple button tap, all of which are rather surprisingly visceral and bloody.

After we see some combat, the day/night mechanic is revealed. By approaching a strange relic, Lex is able to change the world from night to day, his own form changing with it. Lex is crossbred from the day-dwelling Athern and the nocturnal Lithern, so he reflects the two species depending on whether it's light or dark. In his night form, Lex is faster and lighter, and able to jump, allowing him to traverse a rocky ravine that is impassable to Lex in the sunlight.

Combat becomes much more based on nimble blows and counter-attacks. I am also told that machines won't work in the night, so Lex will have to operate things in the day that will help him during the night.

The game is shaping up to be pretty darn good, even if the gameplay fundamentals are not screaming originality. From what I've seen, the combat looks very solid, and the aesthetics are definitely memorable. I think the concept is what will push Edge of Twilight from good to great, and that's something we'll just have to wait for, sadly.

The game is heading toward a 2009 release, although no firm dates or completion percentage could be confirmed. I was told that we'll be seeing a lot more of Edge of Twilight now that Fuzzyeyes has more than just concept to show for itself. If you're interested in this title, stand by because we'll be having a teaser trailer sent our way soon!