As we draw closer to November, we are rapidly approaching the one year anniversary of the release of Microsoft's Xbox 360. When we take a look at the genres of games that have been released so far, Ninety Nine Nights (also commonly referred to as N3) is the very first hack and slash to run exclusively on this next generation console. So, while Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires, another hack and slash game, was released early this year, it did not truly take full advantage in the power of this next-generation system. The N3 developers on the other hand, have produced the very first hack and slash that can leave you in awe.

In order to properly explain the big leap that the developers have taken for hack and slash games, we need to look back at the latest release of Dynasty Warriors 5 Empires. The Dynasty Warrior series is probably one of the better known hack and slash franchises in console gaming. Originally developed for the PlayStation, Dynasty Warriors gameplay was addictive and quickly caught the attention of gamers when a port was made for the Xbox years later. Due to limits in the power of the systems, only a certain number of enemy and friendly units could ever be displayed on the screen at once. The solution of the developers was to have the unit models fade out and disappear as you moved away from them, and fade in when you got closer.

N3 doesn't do this. While the PlayStation and Xbox could only muster up between fifty to seventy-five units or so, the 360 can show hundreds. Who couldn't feel a little bit of utter amazement as hundreds of enemy Orcs yell a blood lusting roar before charging down the hill at your position? No matter how you look at, compared to where previous hack and slash games have come from, N3 blows them all away.

The game takes place in a fantasy world where the Forces of Dark have risen up against the Forces of Light. N3's story center around The Orb, which created the Earth itself; but the prosperity that it brought was not everlasting. In a bid for power, an ancient demon of darkness covered the earth in eternal night, keeping the populace in fear until the Keeper of the Orb and his disciples rose up. With their combined power they managed to defeat the demon and return the Earth into the light after one hundred days of darkness, ushering in a new age. The demon was forever known as the King of Ninety-Nine Nights.

But even in this new age, peace was not destined to last; the orb was broken into two pieces, the Light Orb shard, and the Dark Orb. Upon the separation, Goblins eventually turned on the humans, throwing the land into total war, a war to be called the War of Division. With the aid of the Elves, the goblins and the Dark Orb were forced to retreat into the Forbidden Forest of the Lost. It was there that the Goblin King, the self proclaimed Master of Darkness, regrouped his forces and declared war once again, this time with the aid of many allies, including the Dark Elves and their abilities to control dragons. The forces of darkness and light are once again pitted against each other in a desperate struggle for supremacy.

When you first start up the game, you are only given access to one player, Inphyy. Inphyy is a female member of the Temple Knights, part of the human civilization that is fighting the goblins. As you progress through the campaign, you'll be introduced to other unlockable characters after her campaign is completed, six in total with one bonus character. Each character offers their own unique abilities and traits, whether it is magical attacks, or melee weapon types. Each campaign follows the character's position in the story, and you'll end up playing both sides of the conflict, as well as a part of a mercenary group.

As you play through the missions, your character will upgrade similarly to what you'd expect see in a typical RPG. This experience is earned by killing enemies, and there are a lot enemies that you can kill. At level one, you'll start off with a slot for your melee weapon, as well as two slots for any additional items that you pick up. As you level up, the number of slots will expand up to a maximum of five. These items have a variety of effects that range from increasing or decreasing both your personal stats and or the stats of your bodyguards.