Preview: Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire (D3 Publisher)

Now you can play with fire and not worry about burning your house to the ground.

We're normally not too keen at the idea of setting our hands on fire. Aside from the ability to make a batch of killer popcorn and an amazing steak, it seems like a senseless task that would only result in a few painful weeks in the burn unit of the hospital. But if there were a game to prove to us that there could be possible benefits worth the screaming and torture, it is Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire.

This action/adventure game follows the story of a young hero named Dal who must fight an evil presence and save the world. Yes, we know all too typical sounding. Well, believe us when we say it's anything but typical.

What makes the game stand out is the use of the Wii controller. To save the world the hero must find and assemble the dragon blade, and ancient sword with the power and strength of a dragon. All the movements of the sword are tied to the Wii controller in a way where the character on screen will mimic the motions of the player. Wanna swipe the sword, or thrust it into the gullet of an enemy? Simply make the motion with the Wii Remote and the character will follow suit.

The game really becomes interesting as the powers of the blade are unleashed. As the game progress players will assemble the different pieces of the sword, unlocking new and more powerful abilities. The game progress with Dal traversing through levels that end at a boss fight against a dragon. Defeat the dragon, get a new piece of the sword and a new power, which range from summoning a dragons head to smoulder your enemies with a fire blast, to wings that allow you to glide, block enemy attacks, and mow down rows of baddies in a streak of fire.

The art style is vivid and original, and looks amazing on the Wii. Players will travel through more than 20 levels across six worlds that are all unique and inspired from the world of dragon lore. The Story is written by Sci-fi novelist Richard A. Knak, who is famous for the immensely popular Dragon Lance series as well as books based on games like Warcraft and Diablo.

Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire is due to hit stores in Australia on the 14th of November 2007.