Even for the time, this was a fairly mediocre hack n' slash, and even though it codified some staples of the genre (like the boss fights), they barely hold together against today's offers.

What makes this game tick (and what makes it so dear to industry watchdogs) is its presentation. This game is a triumph of graphical fidelity, and even now one can be easily swept away by the spectacle. And for one, the protagonist doesn't feel completely hopeless as a vehicle of murder and mayhem. But let's not kid ourselves: these games were never about anything but murder and mayhem