Fireplace Games’ debut has comedic sword-fighting and an appealing anti-authoritarian vibe
From Assassin’s Creed to Rocksteady’s Batman trilogy, from Absolver to For Honor, games never tire of coming up with interesting permutations of combat duels to fulfil the power fantasy of being a suave fighter. And then there’s En Garde!, a game determined to let us know that you can’t spell funeral without fun.
You take on the role of Adalia de Volador, a renowned swashbuckler, ready to face a cruel Count-Duke and his minions in battle. In colourful environments that make Spain look like a giant theatre stage, Adalia confronts her enemies with a sharp sword and an equally sharp tongue. The heart of En Garde! is the carefully controlled chaos of its combat – you parry, attack and jump away from large groups of enemies, none of whom politely wait for their turn to stab you. Adalia can kick barrels, drop chandeliers, throw jugs left on tables and smack enemies with lutes. Foes come equipped with more than 3,000 individual voice lines, adding a chorus of “haha!” “hoho!” and “surrender now!” to the fighting as you run rings around them.
En Garde! is out 16 August on PC
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