Do you know Nanowar of Steel, the famous metal band formed in Rome in 2003? If you don't know them, maybe it's time to do it, especially if you are passionate about the only music contested by the Church and by the Holy Inquisition elected by the people (not what it used to be, because no one burns to death on a pyre now, even if there is no shortage of nostalgics for those times gone by and would be ready to " Pugnar sine fear" to get to do it). In this regard, I could mention several bands: from Iron Maiden and the Blind Guardian to Burzum, pulling the very Italian Rhapsody of Fire out of the cylinder of memory as well.
Better, however, to focus on Nanowar of Steel, which over the last few years, between a Norwegian Raggaeton and a Valhalleluja, shoot as much as possible on Spotity, YouTube or any other available platform.and, they have carved out an even more defined space for themselves in a saturated but nonetheless tireless panorama, even when the Blind Guardian's Lord of the Rings set the stages of Europe on fire. I myself, who have been listening to this genre for almost ten years (I was twelve and yes, I was quite precocious), am still surprised by the notes of the Eluveitie or the Ensiferum, and as I listen to them frequently then, giving priority to the former.
Everything has an origin, even the story of Nanowar of Steel: The Revenge
the history of metal, basically, begins as Xena: from very distant times. Hold on, I know what you're thinking, when you read metal and video games in the same sentence: Brutal Legend comes to mind, the work that sees Jack Black impersonate Eddie Riggs, a roadie who hates the band he works for and who, as everyone knows , lost his life to save one of his members from a dangerous scaffolding, unleashing a series of unfortunate events with an epic and overwhelming outcome.
A horrific story, to be sure, yet a far cry from the one that Wisdom Studio, the developer of Nanowar of Steel: The Revenge, seems to want to tell players and fans of the genre. Citing the leak from a few days ago, which the team had let slip on Instagram, it seems that the video game dedicated to the band has been around for some time now and this evening we had proof of it. In fact, this already can provide various reflections on the project and its evolution, which however I prefer to postpone later, in such a way as to have a clear idea of a project that could be interesting especially in the future, while presenting himself with humility and without great proclamations.
Although there are now many proposals and it is difficult to follow them all, between sudden arrivals, announcements of remakes and new publications, Nanowar of Steel: The Revenge certainly follows a trend that is certainly not new: it is, in fact, a Metroidvania in two dimensions. According to the developers, Nanowar of Steel will need you, me and anyone else but, above all, the Nanowarrior (the short, angry guy with a thick beard you see on the official album covers of the group).
“The Nanowarrior needs you, you need him, the Nanoverse needs both. The developers need you and the Nanowarrior but not the Nanoverse. The Nanoverse hates developers because they don't treat him in a way that's befitting his professional status. In short, in some ways it could seem like a troubled love story, but it's just an impression, don't pay attention to it”, Wisdom Studio itself affirms it in a press release, which obviously outlines in a goliardic way the context that the NanoWarrior could face, or a part of the irreverent irony that the group inserts in its songs, thus finding the seriousness in some jokes known to all who listen to the band.
In this sense, the group promises the presence of the most famous compositions, as it intends to discover the plot of the video game through their compositions, and Wisdom Studio ensures truly exhilarating stage presence. And how could it be otherwise, after all? Indeed, the music are arranged by Christian Ice, the musician, record producer and YouTuber, while the graphics, including animations and design, it is all fruit of the work of Carlo Fiaschi, the Nanowar of Steel frontman who in the teaser trailer that I saw exclusively and was shown at this year's Lucca Comics and Games 2022, appears in the form of a sun similar to that of the Teletubbies, bringing charisma and lots and lots of talent taragna , the same one that Giorgio Mastrota ate.
The story, however, is written by Roberto Di Leo, and the first information offers a classic narrative skeleton but at the same time in line with the style of the Roman bandto. In short, the stability of the Whole is compromised: a bad guy - of whom we know nothing - is taking control of the Nanoverse (here a reference to the Metaverse of the aforementioned Mark Zuckerberg) and the Nanowarrior is the only one able to fix things once and for all. Impersonating a character like that, in short, it will be interesting and we can't wait to find out if it will of course also be fun.
The Nanowarrior, to be precise, seemed fierce as always, strong with an unparalleled charisma and an anger that only a dwarf after ten beers can feel. The Whole, which could be the world, the universe and even a dream, is therefore at risk: the Nanowarrior, the only one who can stand between the end of everything (will it be like Ragnarok?) and the slow decay, therefore appears as the fearless hero metal deserves and everyone needs (not like Batman). There will be nasty looking and brutal bosses, ready to do anything to stop the Nanowarrior and win any kind of battle.
Being a metroidvania, the difficulty could be high and difficult for newbies to approach, especially in the first hours of the game, as has already happened with Metroid and Hollow Knight. In short, the soul of the genre turns to these inspirations, with some probable reference to Ori and the Blind Forest, or even a Blasphemous, considered the two-dimensional graphics, a work unfortunately underestimated by many players. Furthermore, Nanowar of Steel: The Revenge promises to be continuously updated at no additional cost, and there are no classic advertisements that we could find in any other mobile video game, good news for those who want to play smoothly. Because Nanowar of Steel: The Revenge, in fact, starts with this assumption: to insinuate itself into the mobile market and then, perhaps in the future, arrive on other platforms. In this sense, Wisdom Studio will allow you to change the configuration of the touch controls at will, thus allowing the player to juggle without complications.
From the trailer I noticed a lot of care for the settings, from which I have taken passion and a lot of inspiration for openly fantasy atmospheres. And how could it be otherwise? The same band, since 2003, in fact offers compositions inspired by The Lord of the Rings, but in an ironic and contemptuous key, paying homage to the Blind Guardians themselves, known for their great passion for the works of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, a presence that is always welcome even in similar video games.
What to expect from the future?
During the preview, it often happens to provide the player with preliminary curiosities regarding a forthcoming work. In this case, we are facing a video game that has everything to prove, albeit starting from foundations that appear solid.
The obviously interesting context already allows us to have a complete idea of the publication of Wisdom Studio. It's complex to write and develop a video game, especially a Metroidvania. Son of a genre that has come to the fore thanks to illustrious works, Nanowar of the Steel: The Revenge presents itself with the right composure. How many of you are ready to become Nanowarrior, stainless steel defense place? We will be first in line. Moreover, remember that Nanowar of the Steel: The Revenge will be released at an unspecified time in 2022.
