Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom (進撃の巨人, Shingeki no Kyojin) is the seventh Omega Force third-party collaboration title based on the titular animated adaptation of the comic made by Hajime Isayama. It was teased through its website launch and simultaneously revealed online and on stage at Gamescom 2015. The game's concepts are "many versus one" and to create global appeal for all Attack on Titan fans. This is the first Omega Force title to use the PS4 version as the main base for other ports.

Hisashi Koinuma is the producer and Tomoyuki Kitamura is the director. According to Koinuma, he wanted this game to complement the excitement for the Romance of the Three Kingdoms thirtieth anniversary since Koei-Tecmo is partnered with Kodansha for its live event. After Kodansha agreed to the license in early 2013, Isayama requested for the game to be something he would like to play: not a Warriors game and something that is "hard and challenging". Koinuma thinks development was delayed due to his executive promotion, but he is optimistic in the game's completion.

The engine and concept underwent many retakes since then, but Kitamura believes they will present something that has easy controls yet appeals to ardent fans and newcomers to Attack on Titan and action games. Developers believe players will need to adopt a tactical approach to succeed. Kou Shibusawa is uninvolved with development, but he hopes fans around the world will appreciate the team's efforts.

Buy the game new to receive limited serial codes for Eren and Levi's house cleaning outfits and feather duster blades. The Treasure Box edition includes a visual databook, the game soundtrack, a muffler towel, button badges of Eren, Mikasa and Levi, and a serial to download Armin's Attack on Titan: Middle High costume. Pre-order from Gamecity Shopping to receive four clear bookmarks. Other pre-order bonuses can be offered at various outlets.

Gameplay
The overall gameplay shares parallels with Toukiden. Players can explore campgrounds prior to going into battle. In battle, players can work alone or form four-man groups to exterminate Titans. Single players can order their NPC teammates to follow simple team policies as they fight. The Titans' limbs can be chopped off as they fight, and materials dropped from their defeat or detached limbs can be used with funds to enhance weapons in camp.

Attack on Titan varies from Toukiden with elements from the original source material. Characters can zig-zag across the map and latch onto Titans by using their Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear. Certain stages allow horseback riding into the mix of variable movement. Players are encouraged to slay with efficiency as they still have to constantly refuel their character's gear with gas and/or replace their broken blades.

Two modes of play exist for each human character: Movement Mode and Battle Mode. Movement Mode allows free-flowing wire movement. fires a wire onto a surface and mashing boosts the character's propulsion. When a character draws near a Titan, tap R1 to switch to Battle Mode and to have the character's gear automatically lock-on to their target. Use the right analog stick to alter the character's swing towards the Titan. undefined is attack; mash before the character's strike to boost the speed of their attack. If the player has increased their first strike enough, they can follow their attack with a chain of strikes for as long as their gear allows. It is possible to immediately launch another anchor point for the player's projection after each attack.

The length of the gear's wires, the character's direction of approach and the timing of the player's boost all affect how much damage they can deal with each hit. Weapons in the game affect supplies, character speed and the capabilities of their Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear.

Every time the player character kills a Titan, their performance is graded between these three tiers: "Perfect", "Excellent" and "Effective" execution. The grade awarded relies upon the number of times the player missed their attacks and/or the number of times their character was caught or hit by a Titan. Better loot is rewarded for Perfect grades. This system rewards timing and precision over random button mashing. Characters control in the same manner but behave differently. Skills can be learned once a character's parameters meets certain requirements; certain skills are character specific. Unique attack animations are assigned to certain characters. Trainees will have a harder time taking down Titans than their faster elite seniors.

Titan shifting is present for Eren. When he is in his Titan form, the controls change to attack, throw (undefined) and "Rage Attack". Mash the attack button for simple combos. His attacks can smash obstacles apart.

NPCs will act in a manner similar to the source material. Press down on the directional pad to have NPC allies assist. Each NPC team member has their own levels of expertise and capabilities, which is indicated through a simple letter grading system (SS being the best). NPC assistance has cooldown timers for each character to avoid exploitation. If the player is running low on supplies, certain NPCs may refill their stock.

"Signal Fire" is the player's strongest team combination attack and a limited time sequence that bestows varying passive benefits to every party member; its power relies on the number of members in the player's team and the overall quality of their team assistance. It can be used by pressing R2 with a filled Signal Fire gauge (golden gauge next to the player character's portrait). This gauge can be filled by looking after teammates or completing side objectives.

Titans can destroy obstacles that players could use against them. They can catch characters in the air and potentially devour them. It is possible to cut out an escape (by rapidly mashing undefined) and save captured allies, but being too slow may result in that character's instant death. Minor Titans can be potentially killed in one hit. The intelligent Titans have unique actions and AI; they may require the player to work together with their teammates to lower their defenses. Occasionally, defeated Titans will drop supplies from fallen comrades. Harder Titans tend to reward the best materials.

Other traits for this game include:
 * Mission objectives are marked on the battlefield for easy identification.
 * Hidden side objectives are scattered across stages. If the player gets close to their location, they will be marked on the map as green exclamation points.
 * Press when near designated ally NPCs to add them to the party. NPC teammates can be switched at the player's whim as long as they are still alive.
 * Press up on the directional pad to use a healing item or resupply. Press left or right to swap between items in a character's inventory.
 * When the player character is near death (portrait flashing red), "Accelerator Time" is activated. It is a temporary slowdown effect to allow for easier dodging and escapes.
 * Certain rare materials can only be awarded by clearing a stage with a S rank.
 * Within the camp, characters may present requests for the player character to complete. Completing these successfully will unlock a special conversation or event.
 * If the player needs to practice their current set up, they can always do so in the camp's training grounds. They can also pose their character and perform minor changes to their outfit.
 * Original weapons are in the game. Original Titans pop up for the harder missions.
 * Models are toon-rendered to mimic the animated visuals. Voice actors from the animated adaptation reprise their roles.
 * Crossplay between the three platforms is not permitted. Save data and correspondences can still be transferred between consoles.

Attack Mode
Main story mode which shall replicate the animated TV series. It starts with Eren's trainee days and ends with the end of the first season. The main story centric scenarios tries to focus on Eren, Mikasa and Armin; they are automatically selected based on their focus within the original work. Characters who canonically survive certain situations cannot be killed as a NPC in battle, but their withdraw may hamper the player's attack plans.

Alternate stages can be unlocked by talking to characters in the camp; the aim of these stages is to show different perspectives from the main story trio. The Titan from Ilse's Notebook, for example, is present.

There are five chapters; the last one is dedicated to the major original scenario that has been done with the comic editors and Isayama's supervision. It takes place after the end of the animated adaptation and involves the appearance of a mysterious Titan near Wall Rose.

Survey Mode
Called "Outside the Walls Survey Mode", it is the game's Free Mode.

Challenge Mode
Unlocked after Attack Mode is cleared once. Missions of varying difficulty are included.

Gallery
Includes character data, request data and a Titan collection.

Options
Options to change sound.

Download
Downloadable content includes costumes, weapons and scenarios.

Playable

 * Eren Yeager
 * Mikasa Ackerman
 * Armin Arlert
 * Jean Kirstein
 * Sasha Blouse
 * Connie Springer
 * Krista Lenz
 * Levi
 * Hange Zoe
 * Erwin Smith

NPCs

 * Marco Bott
 * Mina Carolina
 * Keith
 * Pixis
 * Ian
 * Rico
 * Eld Jinn
 * Oluo Bozado
 * Gunther Schultz
 * Petra Ral
 * Moblit Berner
 * Mike Zacharius
 * Nile Dok
 * Hitch
 * Marlo Freudenberg
 * Ymir
 * Annie Leonhardt
 * Bertholdt Fubar
 * Reiner Braun

Titans

 * Colossal Titan
 * Sonny and Bean
 * Female Titan
 * Armor Titan
 * Beast Titan

Stages

 * Trost District
 * Training Grounds
 * Plains
 * Forest of Giant Trees
 * Military Base
 * Barracks

Related Media
This was one of the titles that shall be presented at Koei-Tecmo's booth in Tokyo Game Show 2015. It was presented on stage September 18 and September 20 (JST). Koinuma and Kitamura went on stage with Yuki Kaji (Eren) and Yui Ishikawa (Mikasa). Their Titan faces from the booth photo set up and a plug for Attack on Titan: Middle High were displayed on stage.

This was one of the Koei-Tecmo titles presented at Togaki TV Stage on January 30 (JST). At the event, it was announced that Japanese Let's Players Bakumatsu Shishi would be posting their Let's Plays of the game on their NicoNico channel and YouTube Live; they are gradually releasing videos.

Koinuma and Kitamura were guests for the February 4 episode of Denjin☆Gacha!. Koinuma shall showcase the game on February 6, 12:00 (JST). Both developers spoke at the game's completion conference on February 11. This game was advertised during Koinuma's time on the February 14 broadcast of Business Style.

A premium trial occurred February 11; interested fans had until February 2 to sign up for the limited seating. A special NicoNico live stream happened February 17, 20:00 (JST); Yui Ishikawa (Mikasa) and Hiroshi Kamiya (Levi) were special guests. Ishikawa and Bakumatsu Shishiden return for the live stream to celebrate the major update March 23, 20:00 (JST).

Shinjiku Station hosted a wall of Titans prior to the Japanese sales date. Scratching through them may reveal one of 94 QR codes for an original wallpaper. PlayStation Japan announced a revival of the wall for February 20-21. The revival includes Tital walls at Shinjiku Station and Namba City.

For a limited time, Osaka's Doutonbori will randomly project game characters and iconic quotes over the passing crowd using its face authentication system. This campaign will end on February 28.

Gamecity published a complete guidebook.