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The Current-Generation revival of the infamous Golden
Axe series has been a long time coming. Originally rumoured for
an update on the Previous-Generation systems
 and finally announced
for Xbox360 and PLAYSTATION3 back at
E3 2006, developer Secret
Level and publisher SEGA touted the game as blockbuster material.
The gaming world followed the title through a series of Press
Releases and cunningly constructed screenshots revealing little of
how the game would actually play. And then? Nothing.
All went quiet, and little was discussed until the title
was showcased at
E3 2008 earlier this year. The reception however,
wasn’t good. SEGA’s 2008 games-rush is often cited to include titles
such as Samba de Amigo,
The Incredible Hulk: The Official Videogame, The Club, Iron Man, Sonic The
Hedgehog Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood and
Viking: Battle For Asgard, yet this revival of a truly memorable franchise has
been almost entirely ignored. So much so, that the vast majority of
UK videogame resellers are in-fact not even stocking the release.
But has Golden Axe: Beast Rider been treated unjustly? Could
Secret Level succeed where they clearly did not with
Iron Man?
First and foremost, Golden Axe: Beast Rider is a
Current-Generation adaptation of its classics source material; for
both better and for worse. The storyline is your typically contrived
swords-and-sorcerers adventure and is utterly superfluous to the
gameplay. The game revolves around combat, and a well balanced
system has been developed. The A Button and X Button perform light
and heavy attacks respectively, with the both together executing the
kick manoeuvre. Combinations are limited to represent similarities
to the Arcade and Mega-Drive originals – which is a theme the vast
majority of the game caters towards. Dodges and Parries are the crux
of the game’s Combat System, executable on the LB Button and RB
Button respectively. Horizontal attacks demand the player parry in
order to avoid taking damage, whilst vertical attacks can be dodged.
Once the player has avoided a blow, a Counter-Attack can then be
initiated, doing much greater damage than a standing attack while
still allowing further Dodges or Parries to be linked into combos.
The Combat System is heavily weighted towards timing as opposed to
the correct choice of attack. Most manoeuvres available to the
player will do a similar amount of damage on basic enemies when
performed at the optimum time, and each enemy has a vulnerability to
a specific Counter-Attack which initiates a brief Cut-Scene. The
Cut-Scene manages to avoid becoming little more than an annoyance
due to its rarity – the timing demanded for execution of this
manoeuvre in the heat of battle
 could put even the sharpest of
gamers into a cold sweat. The Parry, however, very soon becomes a
frustration. The hardest ability to perfect the timing with, the
animation for the Parry lasts several moments longer than would be
hoped, and often can lead to strings of broken attacks through no
fault of your own.
Stringing together attacks to form successful chains is important,
as it adds to the Tribute a player earns for completion of any
Checkpoint. Golden Axe: Best Rider reflects its inspiration
directly in its Level design, with a handful of Levels divided into
Checkpoints. Each Checkpoint totals the player’s current Tribute –
unlocking Spell Upgrades and new swords for use in the game’s other
two gameplay modes – as well as saving progress. The environments
differ between Levels and greatly expand upon the architecture seen
within the locales of the 16-bit releases.
The whole package is deigned to be played as the originals would,
with the typical Score Attack and Arena Modes included and
additional weapons to be unlocked through completion of additional
playthroughs. Indeed, even the Achievements are designed around the
ideal of playing the game in a fashion gamers of an age were once
accustomed to, with most unlikely to unlock more than 200 GamerScore
within the first completion.
The Beast aspect of the title is an important element of the game.
Players can mount one of five Beasts with varying abilities and use
them to defeat enemies or solve puzzles. The puzzles of the title,
however, are very limited and quite clearly signposted. Much like
the recent
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, the puzzle element
of Golden Axe: Beast Rider is effectively nullified by it’s
unwillingness to allow players to think for themselves.
Lacking any Multi-Player features at all, many may feel the entire
point of the original title has simply been disregarded and, in many
respects, they would be right. The lack of even a two-player
single-system Co-Operative Mode is disappointing, but the mechanics
of the game simply wouldn’t allow for the flow to remain intact with
two players on the aggressive without some major fine-tuning.
The title features some very nice touches; enemies can be hacked
into pieces and will turn to stone, remaining in the area for a long
period of time.
 Beasts handle true to the original titles, and
enemies can be dismounted with the same tactics. Spells are executed
on the B Button, and repeated presses will summon a Spell of greater
effect. The infamous Gnomes feature, and follow the more adult
aesthetic the rest of the title has been glossed with and when the
player finally gets hold of the Golden Axe – though a brief affair
it is – it’s quite a spectacle. Basic enemies explode when in radius
and scenery items crumble.
As an expansion to the Golden Axe universe, Golden Axe:
Beast Rider fills in many blanks. The title’s world remains
strong throughout, but there’s no denying that the visuals are
rather lack lustre given the Current-Generation’s horsepower. Many
elements of Golden Axe: Beast Rider feel a tad rushed –
indeed, even the artwork for the game’s protagonist seems rather
muddled. Various illustrations within the UK packaging and press
details presenting Tyris Flare with a variety of hair lengths and
styles, costumes with different designs, patterns and trimmings that
don’t correlate with each other, nor any of the differing options
for apparel within the game.
As a title designed as a gesture purely for fan service – for which,
Golden Axe: Beast Rider most certainly is – the game features
many returning characters; Gilius Thunderhead, the playable dwarf
from the Arcade and Mega-Drive originals, makes an appearance
early-on. The title features many conventions that may well be
judged as outdated or contrived; yet looking at the larger picture
they only aid the titles’ attempt to retain the feel of the original
titles. Comparisons to titles such as
God Of War,
Devil May Cry and even the likes of Conan and
Kingdom Under Fire: Circle Of Doom will inevitably find Golden Axe: Beast
Rider wanting, however, as with Wii’s recent marmite release,
Baroque, players will either enjoy reliving their Golden Axe
experience, or find it an intolerable experience.
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