1001: Threads of Mizan, the debut title from MBC Game Studio, combines generic multiplayer action with thrilling, carpet-riding movement.
Ahead of its reveal during Gamescom Opening Night Live, I went hands-on with MBC Game Studio's debut game 1001: Threads of Mizan. Created remotely by developers all over the world, including senior leaders who have worked on the likes of Fortnite, 1001 is a third-person action game designed for three-player co-op.
Influenced by Arabic folklore, 1001 sees you take control of one of three heroes in drop-in, drop-out co-op as they fight to take down an ancient Jinn King who's trying to destroy humanity.
While you can play Threads of Mizan as a solo player, everything has clearly been designed with three-player co-op in mind. It's how MBC wants you to play, if you can. The game's three heroes are wildly different, complementing each other when real people play together. You can't mix and match, but each of them has a place when taking on quests in the game's open areas. I spent some time playing as each of them, and I already have my favorite.
I kicked off the demo as Sufyan, who quickly became my go-to pick. He's agile, strong in close-quarters combat, and easy to play as. His sword turns into a purple sweeping whip, taking out enemies as you get overwhelmed. Malik, 1001's tank character, is a powerful guy, smashing enemies to pieces when up close. He's a little slow, which makes fighting multiple enemies at once difficult, but his special attack does so much damage that he's vital in boss fights.
Finally, there is Yusra, 1001's semi-ranged character. While she has a magic longbow to attack from a safe distance, the pace of the game's combat and her lack of damage does mean you fall back on standard melee attacks to progress. And, since she's supposed to be used as a ranged attacker, her melee attacks are significantly underpowered compared to Sufya and Malik. Her special attack is great, but it's a bit of a slog trying to get through basic fights. Either her power or the necessity of range attacks needs to be balanced to make her a better pick. I didn't get a look at the game's progression systems, but she might develop more power naturally as you play.
Thankfully, though, all three characters in 1001 feel good to play thanks to the responsive, fast-paced combat. It's a lot like many other action RPGs, and at no point was it particularly challenging, but it's consistently fun. I can't help but worry about how its pretty generic style and structure will see it be quickly forgotten, but time will tell once players get their hands on it.
1001's use of carpet riding is the one thing that elevates it above the competition, though. Sweeping through the game's open deserts on your carpet is great, but the feature really adds a unique dimension to boss fights. During a mini-boss fight in my demo, I was flying in circles around the big guy, picking the perfect time to dive down and attack, before jumping back on my carpet and resetting. With glowing projectiles flying towards me, I dodged, ducked, and dived out of the way to allow me to take my chances to do damage.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://www.pcgamesn.com/1001-threads-of-mizan-preview
