Having previously released on Nintendo Switch and PC, the Definitive Edition of Alder’s Blood now rocks up onto new formats, with Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S play in the house.
A stealthy, tactical turn-based affair, Alder’s Blood whisks players off to the most grim of worlds; one where we discover that nature has stood up for all it is worth, battling humanity and repelling civilizations. Mixing a bit of XCOM with the likes of Darkest Dungeon, it’s the twisted, slightly Lovecraftian feel that gets us most. From there though the chance to take in more than 10 hours of main story, and a whole ton extra in the form of side quests (more than 40 hours is promised here), with over 70 missions to complete in all makes this a content heavy experience.
It’s priced low though, just £16.74 from the Xbox Store, and when you consider the mass of world to explore, the range of mechanics that are included AND the chance to craft the most diverse of weaponry, we’re not really sure what Alder’s Blood: Definitive Edition is missing.
Of course, if you’re not down with the tactical combat that this allows, you may be wondering why on earth you’d want to bother, but even then the tasty looking visuals pretty much make a sale.
In all, the key features you need to worry about sit as follows:
- Twisted, Lovecraftian atmosphere
- Complex tactical combat
- Rich lore and RPG mechanics
- Diverse crafting: weapons, charms, equipment, and consumables
- Squad-based strategy
- Over 70 missions
- Clan management
- Over 10h of main-story gameplay
- Over 40h including side-quests
- Massive world to explore
- Unique mechanic: odor and scent
If you’re up for a romp through a new world, feel the need to get all tactical or wish to embark on some new strategic journeys to mysterious lands, we reckon you could do worse than check out Alder’s Blood: Definitive Edition on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S.
Keep an eye out for a review from us soon.
Game Description:
God is dead and it was us who killed him. Without God, the world became twisted and has fallen into chaos. Malevolent essence bleeding from his dead carcass gives birth to inhuman abominations that roam the land, hunting and devouring anything human. But God’s death has also sprouted a new kind of life: The Hunters. They look human, but they are not. They are so much less, and so much more. The meaning of their life is to vanquish the ever-growing Darkness and to protect humanity – at all cost. Each clan of Hunters has their own Chief, and that’s the role you’re going to play. As the Chief, you manage your clan’s camping, shifts, equipment, resources, crafting, trading, travels, and most importantly – the Hunt. Hunts are the main source of field experience for Hunters under your lead and the rewards you reap from them are the main way to fund your future hunts. But beware, they’re extremely difficult and dangerous, as the spawns of Darkness take various shapes – each more deadly than the other. On the Hunt, there is no place for blind bravery or brute force – those will only lead to your end. Instead, the key tactics are stealth, paying attention from where the wind blows, traps, ambushes, and swift, accurate strikes. There is no room for mistakes and each – is being paid with life and blood. Only carefully threading your actions, strategies and wise management of your scarce resources – does give you a chance of survival. Then something happened. An old friend, but with a stranger’s face. Blind eyes, that saw something they weren’t supposed to. Silence, replaced by whispers. Whispers, replaced by screams. And the curtain of this wounded world …is about to fall.
