A war has raged between Heaven and Hell since the dawn of creation with neither side gaining the advantage over the other. Amidst this conflict, a mediator group - The Charred Council - arose, and dedicated themselves to maintaining the balance, using the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (War, Death, Strife and Fury), to intervene and deal justice among both forces where necessary. Eventually, the primitive humans were discovered and the third kingdom was named: The Kingdom of Man. The Council foresaw that humans, while weak, were also cunning and would one day be integral to the balance. They facilitated a truce between the two kingdoms after countless centuries of war, to lay down their arms until the End War that would decide the ultimate fate of the three Kingdoms. This War would be sparked by the breaking of the Seven Seals.
In the present day, armies of demons and angels fall to Earth and the final battle begins, the two forces destroying everything in their wake. In the midst of the chaos, War is summoned to Earth to bring order. Upon his confrontation with Abaddon, the general of Heaven's army, War discovers that the other Horsemen have not arrived and the Seventh Seal has not been broken. Straga, a powerful demon, arises from the ground and kills Abaddon. War battles Straga and is defeated, but is saved from death and sent to The Charred Council, accusing him of bringing about the Apocalypse prematurely. The Council sentences him to death, but War demands a chance to find the one responsible for summoning him prematurely, and to restore balance. The Council agrees, on the condition he is bound to one of their keepers, The Watcher, who has the power to kill War in the event that he strays from his mission.
Upon returning to Earth, War discovers it has been a century since the demon lord called "The Destroyer" led the forces of Hell to victory and annihilated the armies of Heaven, save for a meager resistance ("The Hellguard") led by the angel Uriel. All of humanity has either died or become zombies and the Earth is in ruins. Allying with the conniving demon merchant, Vulgrim, War learns the Black Tower is The Destroyer's lair and is advised to seek out Samael, a once powerful demon lord, for assistance in getting into the Tower. Samael explains that four Chosen demons guard the Black Tower, and he asks War to slay them and bring him their hearts in exchange for gaining access to the Tower. On the way to slay the second guardian War meets Ulthane, one of the Old Ones, and befriends him after a confrontation and helping Ulthane defend his home from Uriel and the Hellguard, who seek to kill War, believing the rumors that he caused the Apocalypse and Abaddon's death. When War confronts the last guardian, Silithia, he discovers the Chosen never protected The tower - their purpose was to stop Samael's return to power at any cost. Regardless, War brings Samael the Chosen's hearts as proof of their deaths and, upon receiving the final heart, Samael honors his word and sends War to the Black Tower, remarking that they will meet again.
At the Tower, War encounters Azrael, the Angel of Death, imprisoned there. Azrael confesses that he and Abaddon conspired to bring about the Apocalypse ahead of time, fearing a delay would risk Heaven's defeat. However, the plan fell apart with the death of Abaddon. War decides his bargain with the Charred Council is complete, but The Watcher decides otherwise, citing the Destroyer must die for balance to be restored. War journeys deeper in the Black Tower, where he confronts and slays Straga, avenging his earlier defeat.
Azrael, now freed following Straga's death, saves War as the Tower collapses, and takes him to the Garden of Eden. He tells War that the Tree of Knowledge can reveal to him how he can defeat The Destroyer. The Tree gives War a vision: after Abaddon was killed, he was taken to Hell and offered the choice by an unknown entity to serve in Heaven or rule in Hell. Abaddon chose the latter and became the Destroyer, guarding the unbroken Seventh Seal. The vision also predicts the Destroyer plans to lay siege to Heaven; Uriel will lead the Hellguard against him and be defeated. The Charred Council foresaw these events, and concluded that only the Horsemen could stop the conspirators, but knew they would not carry out their mission, without justice (since they would be killing for something they were planning to do rather than an actual crime) and would never lower themselves to become assassins. Thus the Charred Council allowed Abaddon and his allies to start the Apocalypse early and summoned War so they could accuse him, knowing he would do anything to clear his name, inevitably killing the conspirators. War also sees a vision of himself being taunted by The Watcher and then being stabbed through the back with a large and mystical sword. Azrael deduces the weapon is the Armageddon Blade, capable of slaying the Destroyer, and tasks War to find the shards of the blade and take them to Ulthane to reforge it.
Uriel confronts War a second time, challenging him to a fight to the death. War is victorious and spares her, despite the urging of The Watcher. He promises Uriel that her death will be at a time of his choosing and reveals the Destroyer's true identity. Grief-stricken and enraged by this knowledge, Uriel leaves to prepare the Hellguard for battle. Once War collects all of the sword fragments, he returns them to Ulthane so he can reforge the Blade. Meanwhile, Uriel and the Hellguard attack the Destroyer, and as predicted, they fail. In the aftermath, War confronts the Destroyer and is given the option to join him. War refuses and battles the Destroyer, who reverts back to Abaddon when War destroys his demonic form with the Armageddon Blade. War duels with the angel and defeats him. Beaten and humiliated, Abaddon reaches out to Uriel for help; she bitterly replies "Reap what you have sown, betrayer" and lets War kill Abaddon.
War retrieves the Seventh Seal, but is stopped by The Watcher, who tortures him and steals the seal, knowing he would turn against the Council. As he is about to kill War, Uriel takes the Armageddon Blade and stabs War through the back, as the Tree of Knowledge foretold, fulfilling the death oath declared earlier. Uriel's action also breaks the Seventh Seal, summoning the other Horsemen. This act restores War's powers and brings him back to life. Now free of The Watcher's control, War kills the creature. Uriel tells War because of his deeds, all debts have been repaid, but warns him that her duty likely requires her to raise her blade against him. As War departs, Uriel points out neither Heaven, Hell or the Charred Council will forgive his transgressions. Asking if he will wage this new war alone, War remarks, "No. Not alone". The game ends as three meteors plummet towards Earth, heralding the arrival of the remaining three Horsemen: Strife, Fury, and Death.
In the present day, armies of demons and angels fall to Earth and the final battle begins, the two forces destroying everything in their wake. In the midst of the chaos, War is summoned to Earth to bring order. Upon his confrontation with Abaddon, the general of Heaven's army, War discovers that the other Horsemen have not arrived and the Seventh Seal has not been broken. Straga, a powerful demon, arises from the ground and kills Abaddon. War battles Straga and is defeated, but is saved from death and sent to The Charred Council, accusing him of bringing about the Apocalypse prematurely. The Council sentences him to death, but War demands a chance to find the one responsible for summoning him prematurely, and to restore balance. The Council agrees, on the condition he is bound to one of their keepers, The Watcher, who has the power to kill War in the event that he strays from his mission.
Upon returning to Earth, War discovers it has been a century since the demon lord called "The Destroyer" led the forces of Hell to victory and annihilated the armies of Heaven, save for a meager resistance ("The Hellguard") led by the angel Uriel. All of humanity has either died or become zombies and the Earth is in ruins. Allying with the conniving demon merchant, Vulgrim, War learns the Black Tower is The Destroyer's lair and is advised to seek out Samael, a once powerful demon lord, for assistance in getting into the Tower. Samael explains that four Chosen demons guard the Black Tower, and he asks War to slay them and bring him their hearts in exchange for gaining access to the Tower. On the way to slay the second guardian War meets Ulthane, one of the Old Ones, and befriends him after a confrontation and helping Ulthane defend his home from Uriel and the Hellguard, who seek to kill War, believing the rumors that he caused the Apocalypse and Abaddon's death. When War confronts the last guardian, Silithia, he discovers the Chosen never protected The tower - their purpose was to stop Samael's return to power at any cost. Regardless, War brings Samael the Chosen's hearts as proof of their deaths and, upon receiving the final heart, Samael honors his word and sends War to the Black Tower, remarking that they will meet again.
At the Tower, War encounters Azrael, the Angel of Death, imprisoned there. Azrael confesses that he and Abaddon conspired to bring about the Apocalypse ahead of time, fearing a delay would risk Heaven's defeat. However, the plan fell apart with the death of Abaddon. War decides his bargain with the Charred Council is complete, but The Watcher decides otherwise, citing the Destroyer must die for balance to be restored. War journeys deeper in the Black Tower, where he confronts and slays Straga, avenging his earlier defeat.
Azrael, now freed following Straga's death, saves War as the Tower collapses, and takes him to the Garden of Eden. He tells War that the Tree of Knowledge can reveal to him how he can defeat The Destroyer. The Tree gives War a vision: after Abaddon was killed, he was taken to Hell and offered the choice by an unknown entity to serve in Heaven or rule in Hell. Abaddon chose the latter and became the Destroyer, guarding the unbroken Seventh Seal. The vision also predicts the Destroyer plans to lay siege to Heaven; Uriel will lead the Hellguard against him and be defeated. The Charred Council foresaw these events, and concluded that only the Horsemen could stop the conspirators, but knew they would not carry out their mission, without justice (since they would be killing for something they were planning to do rather than an actual crime) and would never lower themselves to become assassins. Thus the Charred Council allowed Abaddon and his allies to start the Apocalypse early and summoned War so they could accuse him, knowing he would do anything to clear his name, inevitably killing the conspirators. War also sees a vision of himself being taunted by The Watcher and then being stabbed through the back with a large and mystical sword. Azrael deduces the weapon is the Armageddon Blade, capable of slaying the Destroyer, and tasks War to find the shards of the blade and take them to Ulthane to reforge it.
Uriel confronts War a second time, challenging him to a fight to the death. War is victorious and spares her, despite the urging of The Watcher. He promises Uriel that her death will be at a time of his choosing and reveals the Destroyer's true identity. Grief-stricken and enraged by this knowledge, Uriel leaves to prepare the Hellguard for battle. Once War collects all of the sword fragments, he returns them to Ulthane so he can reforge the Blade. Meanwhile, Uriel and the Hellguard attack the Destroyer, and as predicted, they fail. In the aftermath, War confronts the Destroyer and is given the option to join him. War refuses and battles the Destroyer, who reverts back to Abaddon when War destroys his demonic form with the Armageddon Blade. War duels with the angel and defeats him. Beaten and humiliated, Abaddon reaches out to Uriel for help; she bitterly replies "Reap what you have sown, betrayer" and lets War kill Abaddon.
War retrieves the Seventh Seal, but is stopped by The Watcher, who tortures him and steals the seal, knowing he would turn against the Council. As he is about to kill War, Uriel takes the Armageddon Blade and stabs War through the back, as the Tree of Knowledge foretold, fulfilling the death oath declared earlier. Uriel's action also breaks the Seventh Seal, summoning the other Horsemen. This act restores War's powers and brings him back to life. Now free of The Watcher's control, War kills the creature. Uriel tells War because of his deeds, all debts have been repaid, but warns him that her duty likely requires her to raise her blade against him. As War departs, Uriel points out neither Heaven, Hell or the Charred Council will forgive his transgressions. Asking if he will wage this new war alone, War remarks, "No. Not alone". The game ends as three meteors plummet towards Earth, heralding the arrival of the remaining three Horsemen: Strife, Fury, and Death.
Simple version...
War is falsely accused of starting an apocalypse.
War is told he was set up.
War finds out the person telling him he was set up, is in fact the person who set him up.
War seeks revenge.
War gets revenge.
I thought they wouldn't ship it until Monday but they already did, so I can expect it to arrive at my door beginning next week. Super hyped!
