The editor of Play magazine, Dave Halverson, has some harsh words for anyone who scored Sega’s Golden Axe: Beast Rider below a 7 out of 10: “Be wary. The majority of these people (can’t call them critics) either didn’t complete a fraction of the game, don’t understand game design, or just plain suck at games.” At last check, all outlets but Play have reviewed the game well below Play’s 9 out of 10 — the GameRankings average is currently at 44%. Halverson derides these “sad reviews” as an “ever pervasive sign of the times.”
Don’t mix beer and wine. Ever. And don’t dabble in Golden Axe: Beast Rider when suffering from intercontinental jet lag. Let my folly become your wisdom. See, the Secret Level-developed update to the Golden Axe franchise is probably more… let’s say… relaxing than it should be. That’s a nice way of saying rather bland, as the rainbow of browns that permeate the game may lull hack ‘n’ slash fans into a restful slumber.
I mean, even the purple chicken things are brown.
That’s not to say Golden Axe: Beast Rider is a bad game, from our hands on time with it. Just a bit uninspired, lacking in some tangible oomph, in the graphics department and the swordplay.
Beast Rider star Tyris Flare looks fantastic though. Whomever is responsible for her model and those perfectly modeled lower back dimples deserves a raise. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game does have its moments, visually. Hopping on a ridable beast that can camouflage itself with a Predator like effect looks pretty snazzy too.
Remember all those lovely blue and pink dragons and purple chicken beaked things, those brightly coloured characters from the original Golden Axe? You won’t see much of that in the debut trailer for Sega’s Golden Axe: Beast Rider, the adventure game that features a playable Tyris Flare who has traded in bikini and boots for something a bit more extreme. If we’re sounding a bit down on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 franchise reboot, it’s because there’s not a single purple chicken beaked thing in sight.
The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 sequel to Sega’s hack n’ slash series Golden Axe sure isn’t gonna make its estimated 2007 release date. We haven’t heard a lick about the game since it was announced way back in May of 2006 but now, we may have a name. Golden Axe: Beast Rider was recently trademarked by the Sega for “video game software” and “computer game programs” and could be the name of the next high-def iteration.
On the other hand, it’s Sega. They could’ve have decided to divert resources to what would essentially be Golden Axe: The Ride at one of its SegaWorks arcade locations. We’ll bug them and try to find out more. More »
The retail snoopers at Gamespot have rooted out a new, as yet unannounced Sega game due for 2008. Viking: Battle of Asgard has been listed by Gamestop for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 revealing that Sega may be working on yet another original franchise for consoles. Details are virtually nonexistant, other than that the game is in development at Sega of America and that it’s due in February of next year.
Sega recently announced plans to release another Nordic themed property, licensing Marvel’s Thor for a multi-year agreement and has also long talked of a Golden Axe game for the above mentioned consoles. Wondering if Viking: Battle of Asgard has something to do with either of those titles? Me, too.
Retail Radar: Sega’s Viking, Rock Band release date? [Gamespot] More »
