Spartan: Total Warrior Review

By Kieron Gillen Published 7 October, 2005

More godlike than God of War?

Version tested: PlayStation 2

This is a game about hitting people. It's pretty damn good.

With the review out of the way, there's plenty of time for a detour into an examination of the postmodernist re-imagining of ancient Greece in modern videogames (a.k.a. Man! Ray Harryhausen is awesome). Because when one game takes from a period and applies it to a genre, it's a singular thing. When two take from the same period then apply it to the same genre... well, it's looking kinda like a movement. If you squint.

I'll tell you the real reason why people are constantly taking great joy over reprocessing Ancient Greece in videogames, and the Spartans specifically. Obviously, it's been in loads of films and books, so its imagery we're all familiar with. And obviously, Greece is the founding culture of western society. But the real reason why we're all going crazy over the Spartans is... well, we know absolutely sod all about them. They were a warrior culture. They were dead hard. And that's about it, with any certainty.

Because the Spartans weren't big readers, so didn't write down anything themselves. The only records we have are from other cultures looking in... mainly the Athenians. That is, their main political and martial rivals. At which point, anyone who did GCSE history will be tutting about bias in the sources. In fact, the Athenian historians who did write about them tended to actually be sympathisers with the culture - or, rather, fetishisers. They admired the Spartans because they thought their own culture a little too soft. Which turns the historical records we have on Sparta into the equivalent of basing our knowledge of working class London culture on Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

In short, they're a hard-man Tabla Rasa for developers to play with. It's harder to get away with this with Rome, because we know too much about them - in Spartan's case, Rome is re-created as the fascist bad-guys (which is exactly what they were). Against them, we have Greece (cradle of civilisation) and Sparta (its brave defenders, who defeated millions of Persians with three soldiers and a piece of string). Since it's all foggy, there's no need to include other interesting demi-facts about the Spartans, such as the institutionalised homosexuality in Spartan Phalanx barracks or that they actually had a whole month of an open-hunting season on Helots. Which doesn't sound that bad, until you realise that "Helots" were the Spartan slave class.

'Spartan: Total Warrior' Screenshot belly

Bellybellybellybellybellybellybelly.

Of course, all that would be harder to turn into a Dynasty Wars meets God of War slasher than just stealing all the good bits from Jason and the Argonauts, throwing them into the air and seeing where they all land. It creates a setting of a greek-style mythological world where Sparta was still a force to be feared when the Romans turned up to anex them (rather than having been in decline for several hundred years, as in the real world). You star as the eponymous Spartan.

The tone of Spartan: Total Warrior is nailed half-way through the first level, when you and your sidekick run into a new area, packed full of Romans warriors. And, in a beautifully curt cut-scene, he says something along the lines of "Hey - Romans! Let's slaughter them".

Yes. Let's.

Spartan distinguishes itself from the competition in one basic way. In fact, now reaching from the RTS to the fighter, it has become the Creative Assembly signature way to distinguish its games. That is, have hundreds of people running around at once. Initially playing it is a shock, immediately having a scope which few PS2 games - hell, few games full stop - manage to match. Opening scenes with you as a soldier among dozens in the defence of Sparta are reminiscent of Call of Duty's Russian scenes. Epic is the word.

While it doesn't match the base brutality of God of War, in terms of bodycount you manage to rack up scores which would be respectable for a plague. Expect the number of dead by your hand - not even your allies - to start at a hundred on a slow level, and climb towards five when it gets really bloody.

Which is where we hit the central question with Spartan: Total Warrior. Is it just a pretty button basher which leaves your fingers aching?

'Spartan: Total Warrior' Screenshot pretty

There's a name for that fancy lighting effect, but it slips our mind at present. Let's go with "pretty".

Well... it can be. And expect your fingers to be bleeding at the end of particularly violent sections. But, especially as you progress further, it's less a button-basher and more a game where you have to press the buttons a lot. There's a difference.

Due to the mass of people you have to regularly deal with, Creative has wisely aimed at creating a simple, but robust control system. It's based on two buttons, which are then modified by either your situation or other buttons. That is (in the PS2 version's case) "X" attacks one person and "O" will attack many. No matter how hectic things get, this is enough to anchor you and give your action a sense of purpose. So, when you do button-bash it's a case of your character being in the right place, and attacking without thought of defence is a right decision. Of course, if you're attacking people who are in a position to counter-attack, you're going to be in trouble.

Obviously, two attacks don't make a combat game. Except Kung-Fu Master, which was awesome, so we'll quickly move on before anyone points out the hole in the theory. Holding down defence (L2) blocks your enemy's move, but you can also pull off shield-bashes and kicks to clear some space and break people's guards. Landing a series of blows increases your rage meter, which allows a Rage attack to be unleashed via the R1 button, either brutally taking apart an unlucky individual (with X) or a group (with O). L1 activates your limited number of arrows, firing either individually (with X) or in salvos (with... oh, you get it now, surely?). You'll find your most devastating attacks on R2. These are, as de-rigueur in every fighter post-Golden Axe, the extremely limited magic attacks, the exact nature of which vary depending on what weapon you have in your hands at any second. The group-attack with the dual-swords causes lightning to flare all around you. Alternatively, with the spear, you're surrounded by a halo of fire setting anyone who strikes you or you strike ablaze. The weapons, slowly released during the game, also alter all the base attacks, with one of the game's major strategic elements being to decide which of your arsenal to have out for any particular battle.

It's so simple that it can trick you into thinking there's nothing to it. However, the fights it sets up demand contextual awareness. It's not enough to be aware of who you're fighting - but who everyone else is. If you can, it's wiser to take someone down who is busy fighting someone else with a crafty stab in the back rather than go through the process of breaking someone's guard - which can be a little tricky with some of the harder enemies.

'Spartan: Total Warrior' Screenshot 3

Let God sort 'em out.

The demand it sets up to prevent it from being a pure button basher is... well, the demand. It isn't an easy game. Some of the situations are seriously difficult, with certain slogs - especially if you haven't being managing your health level as well as you should have been, and used up the local rechargers - approaching the level of hair-pulling. While there's none of God of War's actual puzzling (Second mention - sorry. While they're very different games, it's also the easiest reference point), it often takes a leap of tactical insight to work out how to triumph in a situation. When you have your full armoury of five weapons (Sword and Shield, Dual swords, Bow, Hammer and Spear), correctly diagnosing which of your God powers is needed to turn a battle becomes something of a science. Damn! I turned everyone to stone. What I should have done is fired off a lightning bolt to take out that ridge of archers that are slaughtering everyone. When Spartan is flowing - that is, when the blood is - it's a compulsive joy.

What keeps it away from higher awards is occasionally it reaches too far. Some of the design is a little kill-happy. Some levels with ledges are a boon for the player with an aptitude for shield-barging entire legions off them, but the tendency for you to follow them can be frustrating. That each level is so long also plays against it. While the checkpoints - with a few exceptions - are positioned with skill, there are a few occasions when you'll find you've exhausted all your health supplies, only to discover there's another section for you to complete with only the tiniest sliver of energy left.

There are also some minor selection problems. The combat targeting is mostly fine - though it could be a little more generous when trying to apply a single-person power-attack in a mass-melee - firing your last divine energy into a defenceless soldier rather than the big boss standing beside him is more than a little frustrating. Worst is the selection of background items, occasionally demanding too precise positioning in the heat of combat.

'Spartan: Total Warrior' Screenshot 4

A tiny role-playing element improves your character through three levels of power. When you reach "hero" you get to wear a top. Phew.

And there's no way I'm going to score this any higher after it had me screaming at one end of level boss for two hours. Hint for designers: Introducing an insta-kill weapon that's really tricky to avoid four minutes into a sequence is not a way to endear yourself to the gamers of the world.

Cripes. Scanning the last couple of paragraphs, perhaps it's not only the Spartan who can go on Rage attacks.

Stepping back, the joy of Spartan isn't really akin to the Call Of Duty reference I threw up earlier. It's more like Halo, in that it comprises of a series of skirmishes which play out according to all the individual characters' AI. This means that specific fights play out with considerable differences depending on what your player does. It's this aspect - reliant on AI rather than scripting - which manages to keep Spartan interesting in its most difficult times when a more ordered game would lose your interest. Yes, you're stuck on the same bit, but it's the same bit which plays out just differently enough to keep your interest.

To deal with the inevitable question, no, it's not as good as God of War. There's no shame in that, given that God of War is going to top a fair few sites' Game of the Year lists. However, luckily for Spartan, they're also such different games that direct comparisons don't reveal much. There's none of God of War's puzzling or platforming or combos or badly-rendered polygon bosoms here. Just a whole lot of slick, entertaining violence.

This is a game about hitting people. It's pretty damn good.

Oh - and check comments for the inevitable people who've read more than a couple of books on Sparta to pick out all the mistakes in that little historical lecture upthread. It'll be educational for everyone.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kieron.

About Kieron Gillen

Kieron is one of the founders of the lovely Rock, Paper, Shotgun and nowadays writes comics for Marvel starring characters that even his mum has heard of.

Read more articles from Kieron by visiting the Kieron Gillen archive page.

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Comments (56) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Stickman #1 6 years ago

    Doesn't seem much to it. All a bit spartan.

    /leaves.

  • Razz #2 6 years ago

    :D

    Don't forget your coat!

  • Grom #3 6 years ago

    Tabula Rasa, innit

  • Hunam85 #4 6 years ago

    im the opposite to disc, i love having dozens of small enemies over a tricky big guy

    this sounds quite good, might take a look... or a bash

  • BremXJones #5 6 years ago

    Disc: Worth nothing that I don't think they're particularly random. The AI really is visible in terms of how people react and move.

    Grom: I believe it's a word where you can go with either spelling. There's a few equally valid translations. Tabula Rasa is what Lord British is calling his new MMO though. I could be wrong.

    KG

  • Dr.Haggard #6 6 years ago

    Good stuff. An enjoyable read Kieron, as always, and now I'm awaiting delivery of this game with considerably more enthusiasm. Sounds right up my street, perfect to keep me entertained for a couple of weeks until the years main event, Shadow of the Colossus arrives.

    Just one thing..."badly-rendered polygon bosoms" in God of War? I thought they were pretty good! :-)

  • Beano #7 6 years ago

    As go(o)d as Halo then...
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 12:46

  • Teeth #8 6 years ago

    yeah, I keep forgetting.

  • Donglebomb #9 6 years ago

    > Obviously, two attacks don't make a combat game.
    > Except Kung-Fu Master, which was awesome

    Still is. Technically, though, there was also the flying kick. And (useless) flying punch. And sweep. And ducking punch. And the 'wiggle stick to shake off enemies'. Curse you, Gillen, I refute your allegations of anal retentiveness before they even arise.

  • BremXJones #10 6 years ago

    Dr. Haggard: Better than average, maybe. We're not allowed to admit polygonal bosoms are any good publically. It's a law.

    KG

  • Grom #11 6 years ago

    Kieron: Yeah I see it's spelt both ways all over the place - tabella is another similar word. Old habits die hard though :)

    all together now: Tabula, Tabula, Tabulam, Tabulae, Tabulae, Tabula...

  • Dr_Actually #12 6 years ago

    Diet Pepsi to God of War's Coca Cola

  • Jimmy__Fury #13 6 years ago

    As a general critique of your review style... there's no need for that kind of history lecture, really. I'm not sure why some reviewers feel the need to enlighten us ignorant readers about how much they profess to know when it comes to games (or indeed, books or films) not set in the modern era. A few bits of trivia are not a sound base of knowledge! And we appreciate its a videogame! For heavens sake...

    That's my mini rant over. Sure, contextualise the era in which its set, but dont hit us over the head and waste several paragraphs. This is coming from a graduate in Ancient History... :p

  • BremXJones #14 6 years ago

    It struck me as funny.

    KG

  • BlackJedi #15 6 years ago

    Just to put everyone's mind at rest - "tabula rasa" is correct. "tabla" is the modern Spanish spelling, but "tabla" is not a Latin word. (I checked the corpus of Latin literature at the Perseus project, and "tabla" doesn't occur once.)

  • jiveguy #16 6 years ago

    Jimmy__Fury:

    Its all that new games journalism bollocks, but of course, people who actually write it will claim its not.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 13:32

  • bootsy_NL_30 #17 6 years ago

    uh call me odl fashioned but I miss the eurogamer reviews that went...

    funny intro.....introduction of the concept......criticise the concept...talk about technical merits..criticise the technical merits...funny end...score

    this and the black and white review are way to verbose (my word of the month)
    I guess I can understand the writers get bored of doing it like that but check for example the great ninja gaiden review posted on this site for how it should be done.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 13:36

  • BremXJones #18 6 years ago

    It's actually a borderline J Nash pastiche. :)

    KG

  • Teeth #19 6 years ago

    *buzzzz*

    THIS GAME IS ABOUT A SPARTAN WARRIOR

    *whirrrrrrrrr*

    THERE ARE MANY ENEMIES

    *buzzzzz*

    YOU CAN ATTACK ONE PERSON OR MANY

    *whirrrrr*
    *buzzzzzz*

    THAT IS ALL FOR THIS REVIEW

    *whirrrr*
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 13:49

  • w00t #20 6 years ago

    I liked the review. It made me smile.

    /wanders off

  • jiveguy #21 6 years ago

    Does anyone else find that eurogamer comments have a tendency to turn into a review of the review? There is something wrong there I think. Could it be that the games just aren't worth discussing or is there something wrong with the reviews themselves? I'm aware that this post continues the trend :)
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 13:49

  • BremXJones #22 6 years ago

    Well, none of you - bar pirates - have played the game yet. It's more understandable when you only have the review to go on.

    KG

  • ZOMGie_flesh_eaters #23 6 years ago

    Well, none of you - bar pirates - have played the game yet. It's more understandable when you only have the review to go on.

    I've been playing it for the last week or so (i'm up to escorting Archimedes) and I'm not a pirate (oh and it's the GC version).

  • kangarootoo #24 6 years ago

    There isn't really a right or wrong way to write a review is there? Whatever style someone applies they will never please everyone. I for one thought this particular review was fine, but that is just me.

    Lets please not start spouting apparent wisdoms about journalistic technique like we know what we are talking about. If there are details missing from the review then someone reading this can probably post them here, and we will all be happier and wiser for it. I'd much rather read a thread about Spartan:TW than a thread about a review.

    I have moved from hung over to caffeine high, so I make no apologies for my curt manner today :)

  • kangarootoo #25 6 years ago

    @jiveguy

    Well said.

  • TheDifficult3rdAlbum #26 6 years ago

    Lol @ Teeth

    In other news, I think KG has consistently proven to be one of the most informed, entertaining and just-plain-good writers in the industry. His reviews on EG are among the best stuff on here and I won't tolerate any criticism of him! I won't!

    /realises I sound like KG's mum at a Parent Teacher evening.
    /coat

  • Dr.Haggard #27 6 years ago

    As a general critique of your review style... there's no need for that kind of history lecture, really. I'm not sure why some reviewers feel the need to enlighten us ignorant readers about how much they profess to know when it comes to games (or indeed, books or films) not set in the modern era. A few bits of trivia are not a sound base of knowledge! And we appreciate its a videogame! For heavens sake...


    Oh do shutup.

  • space_ace #28 6 years ago

    > Dynasty Wars

    hmm, not familiar with that game... must've skipped a lot of ancient history :p

  • StrangeDogg #29 6 years ago

    Well, none of you - bar pirates - have played the game yet. It's more understandable when you only have the review to go on.

    KG

    That's a little naive, no? Some of us played the game through as early as August and *still* think this here review is a little overly self-reflexive.
    Edited by 2 at 07/10/05 @ 14:29

  • Feanor #30 6 years ago

    "It struck me as funny.

    KG"

    Me too.

  • BremXJones #31 6 years ago

    StrangeDogg: You saying that people who've got hold of some Beta code a long time ago - either through piracy to working in the press to working for the company in question - are a significant proportion of EG's readership?

    (Er... on thread. I don't mind peopel not liking the review. 400 words without touching on the game is pretty bad, even for me)

    KG
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 14:31

  • StrangeDogg #32 6 years ago

    Not significant, perhaps, but it's loverly site and, yes, many in the industry look to Eurogamer on a regular basis. I think basically what I was saying was that to reject criticism of the style of a review on the basis that the game hadn't been played - when there's a (small) chance it might have been - doesn't strike me as that valid. Not to have a crack at your body of work or idiosyncratic style in particular, just that, y'know, the kids know what they like.

  • BremXJones #33 6 years ago

    Oh - you misunderstand me. I wasn't rejecting the criticism. I was saying that it makes a bit more sense to be talking about the review rather than Spartan when few people have had a chance to play Spartan yet. They can't say "This is so right" or "this is complete bollocks", because most of them haven't played it yet.

    KG

  • Dr_Fripp #34 6 years ago

    You can say all you want about history trivia with the whole "we just want a review" attitude, but you all missed the point. The main message that came across to me from the first few paragraphs was the fact that, for developers, the Greek era was a nice setting for a new game. There was just enough concrete information to give the setting a good basis, but not that much so that everybody and his dog knows about all the details from the period. That's exactly what came across while listening to the developers of God of War in the extra's section as well.

    In my book, it's an observation worth mentioning, and it's got nothing to do with being a wise-ass or anything.

  • BremXJones #35 6 years ago

    Well, it's got a BIT about being a wise-ass, but - yeah - what you say is what I was shooting for.

    KG

  • caligari #36 6 years ago

    "As good as Halo then"?

    OH mah god. I have an Xbox, and even I have to admit that Halo is (and always was) more of a 6 out of 10. The first couple of levels are fun, and then it just seems to lose its 'soul'...and becomes a rather bland first person shooter (hey, much like its sequel). Corridor upon corridor upon corridor.

    So yes, any game above a 6 from now on will be better than Halo ;).

  • BlackJedi #37 6 years ago

    Tabla is an old spelling of Tabula. A perfectly Latin word meaning tablet/slate (while rasa is actually Sanskrit). 17th century philosopher John Locke, attributed to have coined the term - although the idea had already been introduced by Aristotle 2000 years before - actually used the spelling "Tabla Rasa"

    I'm still not getting any hits from Lewis and Short for "tabla", nor from the corpus of Latin authors, which means that there is no existing spelling of "tabula" as "tabla" in Latin. Do you perhaps mean that it's a later spelling rather than an old spelling?

    Also, "rasa" is Latin, not Sanskrit - it's the perfect participle passive feminine nominative of "rado", "I scrape", agreeing with the feminine nominative "tabula" "tablet". I believe that "rasa" in Sanskrit means something like "taste, essence, charm" and a whole bunch of other things, none of which give the meaning "scraped tablet" or "blank slate".

    Further, a Google search for "John Locke tabla rasa" gets 476 hits, while "John Locke tabula rasa" gets 55,100, which makes me think that perhaps "tabula rasa" is the more commonly accepted spelling, even when discussing Mr Locke. The back of the book "Concerning Human Understanding" by Locke, indeed, spells it "tabula rasa".

    Still, that Spartan game, eh? Looks quite good.

  • kangarootoo #38 6 years ago

    So it was setting the scene, setting the mood or whatever you want to call it. Sounds like a commendable strategy. I personally read reviews for entertainment first and information a close second (if ALL I am interested in is info I'll rent the game and answer my own questions). A review thats reads like a washing machine manual is likely to bore me into moving on before I have learned anything.

    So lets stop splitting hairs over what most people agree was a good review. If you don't think it was good then thats fine, but your message has been heard and repeating it won't achieve anything.

    If no-one has anything more to add on the game itself, I suggest we all move over to the Movies thread for a bit of light hearted Moleneux bashing.

  • kangarootoo #39 6 years ago

    @caligari

    SHUUUUUUUUUTTTT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ;)

  • kangarootoo #40 6 years ago

    @BlackJedi

    "Still, that Spartan game, eh? Looks quite good."

    Hey, don't stop there dude. I'd much rather expand my latin than read further posts about how we can reinvent the review writing wheel.

    "Also, "rasa" is Latin, not Sanskrit - it's the perfect participle passive feminine nominative of "rado", "I scrape", agreeing with the feminine nominative "tabula" "tablet". I believe that "rasa" in Sanskrit means something like "taste, essence, charm" and a whole bunch of other things, none of which give the meaning "scraped tablet" or "blank slate". "

    That is the finest paragraph I have ever seen. If you are done with it, can I have it?
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 15:09

  • toy_brain #41 6 years ago

    "Well, none of you - bar pirates - have played the game yet. It's more understandable when you only have the review to go on. "

    I've also had it a week (see my comments in the Spartan interview articles) and am no pirate.

    Personally I'd say its more a 7/10 than an 8 - but thats just me.
    And I didnt have a problem with the review style - but then again, I wasnt really looking for 'informative' seeings as I'd already played it :p

  • sumanai #42 6 years ago

    Seeing how I haven't played it, it still feels like a good review. Explains the button scheme, free worded discription of gameplay, bunch of humour etc. And the historical stuff was a nice topping as well.
    I'd say "could have used more substance", but having to press "Page Down" button seven times before getting to the score sort of hints that I would have choked on the piece were there more of it.

    So, how is the control scheme for X-box and GC? Where's the L1's function in GC? etc.

  • Donglebomb #43 6 years ago

    >> Dynasty Wars
    >
    > hmm, not familiar with that game...

    http://w ww.gamestats.com/objects/000/000190/

    I remember playing the Speccy version.

    > It's actually a borderline J Nash pastiche. :)

    Yay the Nash!

  • space_ace #44 6 years ago

    soo... both mobygames _and_ kg slip up :) how interesting

  • Juriel #45 6 years ago

    So, it at least has more fighting to it than God of War? GoW was way too slow, the farther in it went, and I did not understand the hype it got. An average game.

    This looks more promising, only...it looks much worse, graphically. Low-poly models, to get so many of them on the screen at once, still look like low-poly models. A shame.

  • Dr_Actually #46 6 years ago

    "So, it at least has more fighting to it than God of War? GoW was way too slow, the farther in it went, and I did not understand the hype it got. An average game. "

    Absolute poppycock - GOW is roaring all the way through on every level.

  • 8bitMofo #47 6 years ago

    Absolute poppycock - GOW is roaring all the way through on every level.

    Until the last level, where the entire game sucks ass.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 16:50

  • Jokerr #48 6 years ago

    "Also, "rasa" is Latin, not Sanskrit - it's the perfect participle passive feminine nominative of "rado", "I scrape", agreeing with the feminine nominative "tabula" "tablet". I believe that "rasa" in Sanskrit means something like "taste, essence, charm" and a whole bunch of other things, none of which give the meaning "scraped tablet" or "blank slate". "

    Yes you are correct, rasa is a latin word. It's also where we get the english word 'erase' from. Amazing, huh?

    edit: I'm clearly too educated for this forum.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/05 @ 18:22

  • BBIAJ #49 6 years ago

    I picked this up yesterday on the X-Box, and from the few hours that I fitted in last night, I would have to say I pretty much agree with the review, from what I've played of it so far (up to attaining the Medusa Shield).

    Any chance of a Darkwatch review somehwere in the not too distant future EG?

  • wiper #50 6 years ago

    Here I was hoping to stand out as a geek among geeks with obscure Classical-era knowledge, and then a bunch of linguists spoil my fun. Bah.

    I guess I won't bother then (except to complain that the game lacks any true hoplite warfare, despite the fact that basing a game on such a mechanic - when controlling a single character - would make for perhaps the most boring title known to man)
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/05 @ 05:27

  • Aysir #51 6 years ago

    Again a bizzare comparison. Yes it's set in a similar era to God of War, but isn't this game more like The Dynasty Warriors spawned games like the Lord of the Rings games... :?

  • Jimmy__Fury #52 6 years ago

    I'm convinced that the chatty, informal style of games journalism we see is still a leftover of the magazines from the 16-bit era, the main target audience being children (complete with irritating 'gags' every other sentence). Why it persists, I'm not sure. So I tend to find a lot of review 'styles' aren't idiosyncratic, they are infact repetitative and derivative.

    @kangarootoo
    Haha, no worries about being curt! I think though, that most of us are able to make informed judgements of review styles. We all read enough reviews to be able to compare!

    Though I have to admit it is perhaps rather pedantic (could I use that word? Perhaps 'anal' would be better) to start nitpicking at a review... I also agree, t is daft that comment threads often turn into 'a review of the review...'


    @Dr.Haggard...
    Hey, criticisms were invited :p And who says ' oh do shutup' these days?

    Man, this forum needs a quote function.

  • SlackMaster #53 6 years ago

    This game can get a bit tricky at stages especially if you have to guard someone else from getting killed. Haven't played it for a day or two now cos got frustrated by getting backstabbed and shot by arrows that you can't even see coming.

    Also even if you manage your health correctly when you're running low you usually have a whole hoard of enemies chasing you and hacking you when you're trying to recharge your vitality. As you can't block when trying to fill your health bar and since it takes a few seconds, your enemies have hacked a fair bit of the life you were trying to fill up on. The statues to recharge are also very few and far between in some areas when you really need them and then dotted all over the place when you don't. IMO the game is made difficult by the level design and unfair enemy AI rather than challenging combat.

    On stage 3 which is pretty damn annoying in some places and although I like a challenge (Ikaruga) I got a bit bored having to do the same section time and again cos they character I was protecting can't protect itself and all the Romans seem to pile towards it rather than fight me.

    The game was released on the 7th Oct by the way...
    Edited by 3 at 10/10/05 @ 10:25

  • Pachinko #54 6 years ago

    The boss Kieron mentions wouldn't happen to be the bloody clone in Achilles' Tomb, now would it? I though the design of that fight was just bloody ridiculous. I mean, come on, random placement of health and power ups that he sees and grabs with annoying regularity while you are either standing stunned or wheeling about the camera? The person who designed the boss fights should be turned into a statue and bashed for all eternity.

    Any ideas how to beat the bloody clone?

  • Pachinko #55 6 years ago

    Never mind, I got him. Turned out I had to be running instead of fighting :).

  • tengu #56 6 years ago

    Well, it isn't really trying to be anything like God of War in fairness. The closest comparison I can make to this game is Shadow of Rome, but not arena based and slightly more straightforward.

    It isn't the most taxing game, but it is a laugh for as long as it lasts, which isn't really that long though...