If you need a short overview of Tenbirds’ action game Animus - Harbinger, the title says it all: This game is basically Dark Souls for mobile devices. Right off the bat you are introduced as a dusty knight sitting next to a bonfire in the middle of a dark forest. Sounds familiar? Well, the similarity doesn’t end there. In true Dark Souls fashion, after being told some enigmatic stuff by the ghost of a dead king, you set out to explore this grisly, mysterious world, killing every enemy along the way and barely understanding what you are doing. Check out the trailer for Animus - Harbinger below for a closer look:
On the off chance that you are unfamiliar with the Souls series and its clones, one thing has to be made clear immediately: This game is out to kill you. Unlike most other action games on mobile where you blast your way through legions of enemies feeling like an invincible god, Animus - Harbinger employs a slower, more realistic approach. Just two or three common enemies are already a challenge if you take them on all at the same time, and there are many types of tougher foes that pose a serious threat even when they are alone. To survive, you must calculate your attacks, dodges, and blocks carefully. If you recklessly charge straight into the fray smashing every button on the screen, death and frustration will be your only rewards. The game itself makes sure you understand this, as literally 10 seconds in you are attacked by a hulking knight who will probably give you a hard time.
The controls of Harbinger is pretty standard: Movements are controlled by a virtual joystick on the left side of the screen, and on the right are several buttons for light, heavy, and special attacks, as well as dodging, blocking, and healing. Unfortunately, due to the limits of the mobile platform, Animus - Harbinger will not have an open world for you to explore. Instead, the story is divided into a series of levels.
Despite this shortcoming, the game manages to achieve what it sets out to do pretty well, so if you are looking for a Dark Souls-like experience on your phone, look no further!