Update July 4, 2017: Aztez, the bloody brawler, is now scheduled for an August 1 release on Steam. You can check out the new trailer, which attempts to break down the game in one hot minute, in all its vicious goodness above.
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Original story May 27, 2017: First scheduled to release all the way back in 2014, the brutal brawler/RTS Aztez is set to march onto Steam this summer. Tasking players as an Aztec military commander before the Spanish invasion, it’s your goal to grow your empire and fend off the Conquistadors.
Taking elements of beat-’em-ups and RTS games, Aztez is split between hex-based empire control and frantic 2D battles. Outside of ordering your soldiers to ransack enemy cities, you can reinforce locations or use special items to affect changes on the overworld. While it’s important to control your flow of gold and items, your most important resource is your collection of elite Aztec warriors. There are a limited number of troops you can deploy, so be careful when sending your fighters into battle against a more powerful enemy.
The actual combat system is like if Devil May Cry was 2D, with players juggling opponents for huge aerial combos, dashing between several enemies at once and drawing on devastating magic to clear the screen. After finishing a combo, players can absorb the blood of their fallen foes to top up their magic meter. Make enough blood sacrifices and you can summon a god from the Aztec pantheon to come and carve up your foes. You may have to fight a god or two later in the campaign, as the later stages have you descending into the Aztec underworld in your quest to defend the Valley of Mexico.
If you tire of defending your lands from the invading Conquistadors, Aztez does come with an arena mode where players can practice their combos and see how long they can last against constant waves of opponents. With eight weapons to choose from and a variety of spells to use, Aztez’ combat looks like a treat for fans of spectacle fighters.
There is no specific summer release date yet, but we’ll update you when developer Team Colorblind are ready to spill the beans. Aztez will be around $20 on launch, but keep an eye on its Steam page for all the latest information.