Infinity Blade 3 Review - The End of an Epic Saga

Infinity Blade 3, like its predecessor Infinity Blade 2, sets the graphical standard for iOS devices yet again. With large and fantastic 3D settings and battles, Chair raises the bar for iOS 3D gaming yet again, on top of innovating even further than they already have. With new features such as a blacksmith, gem forging (which was added in an update for IB2), a merchant, and more, this game will keep you busy for hours to come. With a story that is even further fleshed out and full of sacrifice, guilt, hardship, and betrayal, it is almost impossible to be disappointed by this Unreal Engine-powered game. Let's take a look at our Infinity Blade 3 Review!

Infinity Blade 3 - Graphics

Just like our Infinity Blade 2 Review, we HAVE to start out with the graphics, and they're just that good on an iOS device! It's not often in the mobile universe that you get great graphics in a game. Most are 2D or basic 3D! Chair and Epic Games have yet again set the bar high for the realm of 3D games with their all-new Unreal 3-powered fighting game.

Infinity Blade 3 - Gameplay

The gameplay is very much like the gameplay of the previous two games, and let's be honest, "if it ain't broke..don't fix it!" With a combat system that relies on your quickness and reflexes, Infinity Blade 3 will have you dodge, block, and parry your enemy into confusion so you can take some hard swipes at them. Added on now, however, is the new "stab", which will allow you to stab your enemy (as Isa) in key points. After you're done stabbing them (usually three sets of stab quick-time-events), they will be stunned, allowing you to perform attacks on them as you would after a "break." With the introduction of Isa into Infinity Blade 3, there is also a new ability...jump, which allows you to jump over some enemies' attacks.

The main change to the final game is the fact that you go on "missions" from your hideout, which is an abandoned fortress on the edge of the ocean. With access to (after unlocking them, of course) the gem forge, a merchant that sells you goods you can't find usually do, and a blacksmith, you have more options for customization and equipment! Instead of being linear as before, the game gives you the ability to go back and complete missions again for more loot and experience after completing them the first time, with either character you choose. Going back with new skills allows you to find new parts of each mission as well as unlock things you couldn't do before.

One of the best additions to the already great franchise was the addition of skills. You could upgrade your health, defense, attack, and block in the previous games as you levelled up. In Infinity Blade 3, as you level up the same attributes, you will also gain skills at certain points. These skills include lock picking, increased skills, combos and abilities. As you level up and complete requirements for each new skill, you are offered new ways to fight and explore the game world! This gives you the ability to play as you wish but at the same time it sort of forces you to be more balanced in order to get more skills.

The new additions to the game such as gem forging and potion brewing can sometimes feel like a chore, though. With long crafting times and a somewhat confusing system the first few times, they come off as minor annoyances, and fortunately aren't a massive portion of the game. There's also this dragon...yes, Dragon, that will occasionally pop up to bug you until you quickly dodge his attacks and perform a few QTEs. If you don't dodge quick enough, you'll be a nice toasty dead person...

The beauty of this game, however, is that even though some features are an annoyance, others really bring out a great gaming experience. The blacksmith, which allows you to level up your weapons and allow you to continue levelling up, certainly allows for more grinding and the ability to keep leveling up with a weapon or armor. The all new achievement system is also a great way to get more of the special game currency, as well as set goals for yourself!

Infinity Blade 3 - Audio

The audio, much like the previous games, is as good as ever. A large soundtrack filled with epic compositions, as well as a huge variety of sound effects rounds out the excellent gameplay. Where the game really does great, though, is the voice acting. With multiple characters, as well as tons of enemies, bosses and more, you get a voice over cast that fills the role of each character and really brings them to life, enhancing the game experience wonderfully!

Infinity Blade 3 - Story

Chair did a great job taking the last two games and giving us a full and engaging story to hang on to. With the all new hideout between each mission you embark on, you get a small reprieve to recoup after the challenging boss fights they offer. You can also buy things from the merchant, or upgrade your gems and level up your weapons. The hideout also has some story to it as well, which you will learn about from the game.

Much like some other great game series, the Infinity Blade story is so massive and diverse that you may be a bit confused as you play the game. The main reason for that is because the game series has also sprouted a series of books, all of which provide more back story and fill in some of the gaps that you may not understand as you play. Fortunately, these instances don't ruin the story, and you'll still get the full, robust story as you play!

Infinity Blade 3 - The Verdict

This game is fantastic, and an absolute must-own for anyone with an iOS device, especially those with a penchant for action and roleplaying games. Even with the somewhat iffy new additions, the myriad of new features makes this game even better than the previous two. With incredible voice acting, beautiful visuals, and an incredibly addictive combat system, this is a game that everyone should have in their pocket! Chair distilled all of the great aspects of the previous games and expanded them into a full-featured game that is a perfect end to a franchise that pioneered the way for great 3D games on mobile devices.

This review was originally published on 10-03-2013. While care has been taken to update the piece to reflect our modern style guidelines, some of the information may be out of date. We've left pieces like this as they were to reflect the original authors' opinions, and for historical context.