PixlBit

In this post, I play some of the hack 'n' slash games after the Genesis/SNES era. 

PS1/N64 era

I have so far not been able to get playable versions of any of the games on my list between the years 1995-2000. Back in the day, I had played Guantlet Legends and Gauntlet Dark Legacy very thoroughly and in co-op with my friend Mark on N64 and Dreamcast respectively. I don't have these games anymore, and I discovered that they aren't cheap to reaquire. But I'm still looking, and maybe I'll find one of the games on my list for this time around $20 or less and play them. 

PS2/Xbox era

I have a 39 game list for this period (roughly 2001-2005) and have begun to play what I already have, and what I've picked up recently. However, I mostly stopped picking up games realizing I may not get to them by month's end. Still, I love adding good games to my collection. 

Severance: Blade of Darkness (2001)

 

This was a PC game in 2000 and it now has a remastered version available called just Blade of Darkness. It was on sale this week ($5), and so I got it and played it. It's clear why they remastered such an old game. It's a Souls-like. It takes place in medieval times. You have four characters to choose from whom each start in different locations and have their own skills and challenges. I made varying progress with all of them, none to completion.

The battle system is a bit quirky. You have to time your left stick movement with your attack button to swipe in different directions and activate special moves. I found that just varying my attack movements almost at random did better than trying to do anything accurately. There's also a fatigue meter that can have you breathless and immobile after a special move. Dodging seems to barely do anything. You jog very slightly when activated. I only rarely got out of the way of a sword hit. There are lots of weapons to pick up of different types, but depending on your choice of character, they may not work so well. 

There are traps in the game that can surprise you into a cheap death, but you can save anywhere quickly and restart quickly which is key. One issue was the camera which bobs around as you move. It's a note of realism but very annoying and slightly nauseating. I switched back to the original camera in the settings which helped a little bit. Overall this is a fun and challenging game with a cool, gloomy art style very reminiscent of Dark Souls. I enjoyed it. 

Devil May Cry (2001)

 

I have played this game several different times over the years but I don't think I've ever finished it. I used to have it on PS2 but don't anymore. Last summer I got the HD collection on Xbox 360 before the store closed, but this version is not back compat on Xbox Series. But, last month I gave it a try when I had my 360 hooked up and found myself stuck in the very first part of the game. I am determined to get farther in it, though, when I get the Xbox Series HD collection on a sale. 

Rune: Viking Warlord (2001)

 

This was the PC game Rune ported to PS2. Developer Humanhead Studios did two of my favorite early 2000s console games Dead Man's Hand and Prey. Rune is a Souls-like game in that it is dark and full of swordplay, but I would say it is not as difficult. I managed to finish it in about 10 hours over the last few weeks. The swordplay is fun. You can carry a large number of found weapons: swords, axes and maces and change them quickly to suit different enemy types. Maces are good against skelletons, swords are essential to take the heads of zombies or they will reanimate, and big axes slice and dice dwarves and goblins into chunks.

Magic is gained from found rune stones. Depending on the stone you can gain permanent health, a magic shield or various weapon effects. You also have a bloodlust which is either activated by a rune pickup or by defeating a certain number of foes quickly. 

You are a newly annointed Odin worshiping Viking warrior who has been tasked to go to Hel to stop a power hungry Loki worshiping warlord from taking over. The world sometimes presents you a puzzle to solve or enivironmental challenge to traverse, but mostly you fight macabre and supernatural foes. I liked it very much. They only gripe I had was the darkness of the environment. There's no setting you can adjust in the game, and so I cranked up my TVs brightness which helped only a little bit. I had to look up a walkthrough a couple times to discover the exit, or platform to jump to, because it was so dark and without detail I couldn't see it. Overall, though, a worthy and enjoyable game for under $20. 

I'm currently on to a new title in this era I'll hopefully cover next week. There's some really cool stuff I hope I can get to before month's end. See you then.