At the core of the experience is For Honor’s unique approach to melee combat, the Art of Battle, which pushes you to switch between one of three weapon stances (left, right, or raised) to cut around your opponent’s defenses while also parrying their attacks.

Featuring a story-driven, co-op–friendly campaign and six multiplayer modes for 1v1, 2v2, and 4v4 battles, For Honor blends the split-second skill of a fighting game with a constant push to be aware of your environment and enemies, challenging players to conquer territory and smash their opponents (frequently while also cleaving through crowds of expendable soldiers).

When you begin playing, you’ll pledge your allegiance to one of the game’s factions, but that won’t keep you from playing as any of the 18 customizable heroes. Each has a different approach to combat, suiting a wide range of playstyles. If you want to stomp around doing massive damage, for example, the Shugoki might be a good fit, while the Peacekeeper or Orochi are excellent starters for players who prize speed and want to keep opponents guessing while whittling down their health. And with the help of the Training mode, you’ll have plenty of room to experiment and find the one that suits you best.