Ilidan Needs a spectacle Fighter
From the get-go with his video game introduction in Warcraft 3, Illidan has been a character that was just itching to have his own spectacle fighter. These video games grant a self indulgent opportunity to let a character be a show off, cleaving through multiple enemies with style. Devil May Cry’s Dante and Bayonetta are the most popular characters in the genre. Illidan’s design however, has unique aspects visually and mechanically, that would set him apart from the latter.
Illidan is a powerful night elf-turned demon from the Warcraft universe, who wields duel war glaives and sorcery magic. He is blind, as his eyes covered by a scarf, were replaced with green fireballs. His current eyes allow him to sense magical sources, and the demon and undead. Illidan is considered a betrayer by other night elves due to his overuse of dark sorcery and his demon transformation, which gave him wings and horns. The player character is a heavy focus of the spectacle fighter. The game zooming in on the menacing anti hero Illidan as he slaughters demons relentlessly would bring a new take to action characters, compared to other more heroic characters.
The hallmark mechanic of spectacle fighters is their combat. The character utilizes every aspect of its weaponry to perform stylish combos on enemies. Night elves in the Warcraft universe don’t statistically flaunt brute strength. Illidan is a giant exception as he’s been known to literally rip chunks out of his enemies with his bare hands. His war glaives are essentially, duel horizontal daggers on both hands, imbued with demonic magic. Unlike multiple sword and gun wielding protagonists, Illidan will be in closer quarters with his enemies. He’ll weave through the battlefield, dashing, while slashing through enemies. With your typical heightened night elf mobility, he’d be quite acrobatic; flipping around demons, and hindering their movement. As a night elf demon hunter he’d even be able to use evasive maneuvers on enemy masses. Melee or non-physical damage would be much more interesting then sword slashing, or gun-toting. Illidan would mix his expertise in pyrokinesis, and shadow magic (including summoning shadow monsters). His immolation ability would be used as area of effect burning damage around him against demons, and his life absorption would encourage an aggressive, offensive playing style. Of course every action game character needs a super form. Illidan has an even more powerful demonic, shadow form that can cast demonic meteors. Overall, Illidan’s combat repertoire would fit well in a spectacle fighter involving massive waves of enemies from the Lich King’s minions, Burning Legion, etc..
The environments that Illidan will interact with are similar to his own combat repertoire, being dangerous and diverse. Ashenvale is a magical forest and the home the night elf ancestors. Ancient sentient trees live in these woodlands. However, a handful of factions, including the horde, and burning legion, have taken over some areas. Icecrown is a frozen zone, mostly made up of a glacier, and features the Icecrown citadel. This area showcases Illidan destroying the frozen throne, and fighting the cursed death knight Arthas. These environments have landforms and inhabitants that could help or hinder Illidan while he performs 20-hit slaughter fests.
In terms of Illidan’s background and personality, he definitely isn’t a clear cut hero. Not white or black, maybe a darker gray. Using his sources of magic, Iliidan has chosen a much more forceful path then his druid brother Malfurion to achieve victories. He was originally a sorcerer for the night elf military with a chaotic nature. He later became a mischievous leader of the outlands, an area with fallen minions who sought vengeance. He transitioned to a tyrannical leader of the outland, and has been in and out of imprisonment. This spectacle fighter would have Illidan fight against several adversaries as he goes through complex downward spirals, as opposed to your typical hero’s journey story.
Illidan has moved in and out of Warcraft’s story cannon for a period of time. However, he still remains one of the most intriguing character designs within the history of Warcraft’s universe. Illidan has juxtaposition, being a night elf with a demonic mutation due to his obsession with power and revenge. While night elves are commonly known for excelling in agility, bows, and magic, Illidan greatly excels in close combat, magic, and flight. The enemies that he would fight and environments that levels would take place in are more than eclectic and hostile enough. Illidan and everything around him creates the perfect concoction for this vicious character to be fashionably violent, hitting all the high rank combos. Almost as if his design was intended to be in a completely different genre. Game development is technologically, and creatively able to allow a game like this to exist.
Image sources: Picture1: https://blizzard.gamespress.com/en-GB/World-of-Warcraft|
Picture2: Devil May Cry5, Capcom|
Picture3: www.nintendo.com/games/detail/bayonetta-2-switch|
Picture4: https://blizzard.gamespress.com/en-GB/Blizzcon-2019-Warcraft-III-Reforged-Press-Kit|
Picture5: Wei Wang, Warcraft Legion, Blizzard Entertainment|
Picture6: Warcraft3 Reforged: Reign of Chaos|
Picture7: Art by Peter Lee, World of warcraft TCG: Reign of Fire|
Picture8: Fabio Zungrone, https://www.artstation.com/artwork/kDOzXl, Blizzard Entertainment|
Picture9: Warcraft3 Reforged: Reign of Chaos
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