Hello warriors! The team in Montreal is hard at work on the game to make sure you have the best experience possible when it comes out. Meanwhile, after seeing this post on our forums, we thought it would be good to share some suggestions from team members to prepare for the battle! These ideas are inspirations we have in mind when making the game or just good content to put you in a For Honor mood. We took some time to discuss with Jason, Roman, Bio-Jade, Pikalex and SpaceElephant to gather a list of movies, TV shows, games and music. It’s time to sharpen your sword, and open your eyes and ears!
Jason VandenBerghe aka thedarklorde (Creative Director, Allegiance: The Legions)
“I’ve spent most of my life enjoying media that feels like For Honor. There are a lot of current references that of course are great for people to look at:
Movies: , , ,
TV: , ,
But those are pretty obvious. There’s some deeper stuff that people today might not be as aware of.
My very first contact with this idea of elite martial warriors was, no question, Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. I saw that film dozens of times as a kid, and I think it left a huge mark on my mind.
Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai
The somewhat-cheesy 80’s classic was also a film I watched over and over and over as a kid. It was maybe too mature for a kid to be watching, but I figured out how to stay up late without my parents knowing, and watch it on HBO. (This was back when we had TV, remember.) I can still quote huge parts of this film from memory.
The film The 13th Warrior pretty much reset my idea of what a Viking could be. And it has in it .
I was and am a huge fan of weapon-based fantasy. There’s too many good books on this subject to list. Some fun ones: Fred Saberhagen’s Book of Swords, Elizabeth Moon’s The Deed of Paksenarrion, Glen Cook’s The Black Company are just a short sampling of the vast number of great novels in this topic.
Of course, anyone who is truly interested in the topic of martial combat owes it to themselves to read Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings. It is the center of the modern swordfighting universe, in many ways.
Also, I backed a Kickstarter project a while ago for a documentary called and I was pretty happy with the final result. Folks interested in the modern swordfighting community might enjoy it.”
Bio-Jade Adam-Granger aka Biogenese (Game Designer, allegiance: Warborn)
A good board game:
“I love myths and stories. It’s a personal interest of mine I’ve been catering for many years now. I especially like ancient myths and projecting how they influenced modern times or how they are still alive in our current beliefs, in their own ways.
That’s why I’m really into Scion, a pen and Paper RPG where you play as the child of a god of your choosing. And there’s a lot to choose from: Ancient Aztec gods, Greek mythology, Celtic gods, and, of course, Norse and Japan pantheons. I am storytelling a few games of Viking oriented games and just love putting my twist on the rich myths and stories of the Nordic countries. I highly recommend trying the game if anyone is into tabletop RPG.
In my headphones:
For the Viking fans, I recommend the amazing Finnish band Tenhi whom I listen to before playing to get in the zone. I should also point out to Agalloch and Wardruna, both terrific bands to put you in a raiding mood!
Saivo by Tenhi
A good read:
As for reading, no Viking is worthy without trying your hand at the Edda, an Icelandic manual of poetics containing many mythological stories. Put some brain behind that brawn ;)
Roman Campos-Oriola aka MolonLabe (Game Director, allegiance: The Legions)
On my watchlist:
- Set in the 13th century England, this movie shows a band of knights defending Rochester Castle against a tyrant. This is a great Templar movie to prepare for our Dominion game mode!
– A modern samurai classic directed by Takashi Miike, one of Japan’s most original screenwriters. Here, a group of assassins go on a very dangerous mission to kill an evil lord. Beautiful shots, crazy moves and a lot of fights make this movie a great modern reference for samurai players.
– This is Ridley Scott’s take on 12th century crusades, so expect a lot of action. Epic battles, huge scenes and a lot of sword fighting make this movie a must-see for Knights enthusiasts.
A good read:
The Religion, by Tim Willcocks – Written in 2006, this novel tells the tale of a Saxon who became a soldier in the Ottoman Empire after his family is killed. After getting repulsed by his life as a warrior, he retires to become a merchant. He’s later forced to join the army against Suleiman the Magnificent. Proof that when you become a warrior, you’re a warrior for life.
Alex Laliberté-Messier aka Pikalex (Dev Tester, allegiance: The Chosen)
On my watchlist :
– A very good movie focused a lot on combat as an art. Directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Jet Li, the movie features amazing martial arts set in ancient China.
Shinsengumi – A good anime suggestion for my fellow samurais. Shinsengumi was a special police force formed in Japan in the 1860’s, a bit like modern samurais. They had a reputation to be a ruthless squad following the Bushido code, a good inspiration for your team of Chosen warriors in For Honor!
Sengoku Basara – This video game-inspired manga and anime is set during the Sengoku era in Japan, where military and political conflicts were constant. Many video games were released for the Sony platforms (Playstation, PSP) and the anime series is also super popular among samurai fans, because of the spectacular character moves. People behind Devil May Cry are also part of the production crew.
*A good read: *
The Art of War – Ultimate timeless classic by Sun Tzu, The Art of War draws a good portrait of politics and military context in imperial ancient China. Written in the 6th century BC, this book is the ultimate guide of war strategy and tactics and is sometimes very controversial. A lot of quotes from the book are very inspirational, think about “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting”. You can buy different translations online.
*In my headphones: *
Berserkyd – An animator on the project, he does some great instrumental heavy metal with crazy guitars! His album Music for Gamers Vol. 1 is just what you need to get pumped up for the battle. Embedded:
Music For Gamers Vol 1 by BERSERKYD
Emile Gauthier aka SpaceElephant (Community Developer, allegiance: The Warborn)
On my watchlist:
It’s hard to talk Vikings without giving a mention to the History Channel’s Vikings series that brought bearded warriors back on the trend. This Canadian/Irish drama series follows Ragnar, one of the most renowned Norse heroes, who will start the series as a family man who will eventually raid England and become king of Denmark. Very modern, beautifully directed and shot, Vikings is a good series to watch while waiting for the game, as they portray Vikings similar to how we are portraying them: strong and brutal, but also intelligent and respectful of their own codes of honor.
Another modern take on ancient warriors (and one of my favorite samurai movies of all times) is Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, directed by Jim Jarmush and starring Forest Whitaker. Ghost Dog is not your typical samurai or martial arts movie, as it features a former hitman who tries to get rid of the mob, following the code of old samurai culture. It really shows that samurai is a way of life, regardless of your skin color, gender, culture or time period.
*In my headphones: *
In music, I like modern styles that mix older influences. When preparing for the battle, I like to feel focused and relax, just before the carnage starts. Here’s a few picks:
Forest Swords – The Weight of Gold
This track by the English producer, featuring a lot of medieval and Asian sounds, is just perfect meditation before the fight. Embedded link:
Kode 9 – 9 Samurai
– 9 Samurai
This samurai anthem composed by London producer and author Kode 9 feels like there’s an army of warriors waiting for you behind the gates. Sampling Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai musical theme, Kode 9 revisits the Japanese classic with his dark and dubby touch.
In Flames – Only for the Weak
I don’t listen to metal very much, but when I do, I like it heavy and powerful. That’s why Swedish band In Flames is perfect for a raid on the battleground, especially when playing the Viking faction. You feel the sea, the forest, the stones and war in every chords.
Do you have any suggestions while waiting for For Honor? We want to know! Tell us on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit or on the Forums!
