A solidly designed zelda-like that offers robust 3D combat, platforming, and a variety of environmental puzzles. The game has all the trademark gaming tropes of 2010 but stands as a testament to their well rounded implementation creating a rich well-crafted gaming experience that uses the whole cow.
The hack and slash gameplay gives you an interesting variety of weapons and attacks that have a hefty satisfying feel as you pummel enemies and smash up the environment with moves that really emphasise War's bulky strength. There's a ton of enemies to churn through but thankfully the God of War/DMC style combos, dashes, grabs, and finishers don't grow old with the later unlocks add new life to the combat throughout. Enemies are also well designed with a good variety of tactics and defences that force you to make full use of your weapons and attacks.
The areas are linear by today's standards but they have an openness that still feels like you have plenty of room for exploration. This is complimented by the movement options which include wall climbing, double jump and glide, horse riding, and later on the portal tool gives you access to distant and hidden corners. This was a time when they were maximising use of the limited space available.
Many of the gadgets you collect are primarily for solving puzzles but they also assist in combat as ranged weapons, or for repositioning adding further depth to the hefty combat system. The puzzles grow in complexity and the first tools remain in use up to the end of the game as mechanics are layered and woven together in later dungeons without feeling like it gets overdesigned.
Gameplay is mixed up between the usual free roaming exploration in the overworld, the interior dungeon levels that grant new tools/weapons ending with a boss fight, on rails shooter sections, and artillery style shooting gallery sections. This kind of gameplay variety wasn't as common and set the standard for a lot of this 3D action platformer style gameplay going forward.
This is one of those games that just implements everything with such fine tuning. It's a best in genre and a rare case of doing Zelda gameplay better than some of the Zelda games did. The combat, dungeons, puzzles, and bosses are fun, interesting, and make use of all the gear. The overworld is littered with its own puzzles and mysteries to unravel. The animation really puts war's heft and weight into every action, and the cartoony art style doesn't distract from the over-the-top spectacles of the angels, demons, and monsters you fight along the way.
A rare case of excellent design, fun setting, and great visuals. The music isn't very memorable however and the story is a bit convoluted, but those are small flaws in a well crafted game.
The hack and slash gameplay gives you an interesting variety of weapons and attacks that have a hefty satisfying feel as you pummel enemies and smash up the environment with moves that really emphasise War's bulky strength. There's a ton of enemies to churn through but thankfully the God of War/DMC style combos, dashes, grabs, and finishers don't grow old with the later unlocks add new life to the combat throughout. Enemies are also well designed with a good variety of tactics and defences that force you to make full use of your weapons and attacks.
The areas are linear by today's standards but they have an openness that still feels like you have plenty of room for exploration. This is complimented by the movement options which include wall climbing, double jump and glide, horse riding, and later on the portal tool gives you access to distant and hidden corners. This was a time when they were maximising use of the limited space available.
Many of the gadgets you collect are primarily for solving puzzles but they also assist in combat as ranged weapons, or for repositioning adding further depth to the hefty combat system. The puzzles grow in complexity and the first tools remain in use up to the end of the game as mechanics are layered and woven together in later dungeons without feeling like it gets overdesigned.
Gameplay is mixed up between the usual free roaming exploration in the overworld, the interior dungeon levels that grant new tools/weapons ending with a boss fight, on rails shooter sections, and artillery style shooting gallery sections. This kind of gameplay variety wasn't as common and set the standard for a lot of this 3D action platformer style gameplay going forward.
This is one of those games that just implements everything with such fine tuning. It's a best in genre and a rare case of doing Zelda gameplay better than some of the Zelda games did. The combat, dungeons, puzzles, and bosses are fun, interesting, and make use of all the gear. The overworld is littered with its own puzzles and mysteries to unravel. The animation really puts war's heft and weight into every action, and the cartoony art style doesn't distract from the over-the-top spectacles of the angels, demons, and monsters you fight along the way.
A rare case of excellent design, fun setting, and great visuals. The music isn't very memorable however and the story is a bit convoluted, but those are small flaws in a well crafted game.
3 Comments
Awesome to hear - but maybe just start with the first one! The others offer different experiences.
I will, thanks!
ResidentAtelier
11 months ago