Rise of the Argonauts - Review Roundup

Combat, though rewarding with its frequent decapitations and bursts of blood, also becomes a repetitive process of light/light/heavy and light/light/light/heavy combos before long. Things are kept somewhat fresh by Jason’s range of weapons and his ability to string together multi-weapon combos, but there’s rarely any need to employ any strategy beyond the basic combos. Some enemies are better able to deal with certain weapons than others, such as shield-bearers turning away Jason’s sword with ease, but Argonauts’ combat in general feels unpolished and clunky.
Combat isn’t the only mechnical issue either. Navigating Argonauts’ load-free environments can be quite a chore thanks to the total lack of an on-screen minimap or directional finder. What’s more, actually getting to the map requires pausing the game and selecting the map option while the gamepad’s Back/Select button remains unused. While I can respect Liquid’s desire to maintain a HUD-free presentation, would it have been so difficult to at least allow players quick access to the map?

Click to expand...

But even that doesn't offset my biggest complaints. You'd think that -- for a game where most of the "action" takes place in conversations -- the developers would take special care in making the characters interesting to the degree that you actually care about what happens to them throughout the journey. But upon interacting with most of the game's main characters, it's clear that they all fall into archetypal roles that we've seen countless times over in other games and in completely different genres. The brute with the heart of gold, the egotistical and skilled fighter, and the tough warrior-princess -- they're all here, and they're just as predictable as you might expect. Granted, since Argonauts is based off the myth of the Golden Fleece, it's logical to assume that the writers didn't want to get too crazy...but given the considerable liberties taken with the mythology throughout the game, they don't have much of an excuse for making the characters this cookie-cutter. On top of that, the conversational fetch quests (where you're constantly forced to run back and forth) and dialogue trees do little to make any of them interesting.

Click to expand...

Going long stretches without having fun is Rise of the Argonauts final error. This game could have used a lot of tightening, perhaps even a little grinding. But it’s clear Rise of the Argonauts doesn’t want to be that kind of RPG. But building attributes and unlocking God Powers is something you see in straight up action games these days. It seems like they want to be a bit more like God of War meets Fable. But without all the cool stuff.

Click to expand...

It pains me to begin this review with a damning criticism, but it is a problem so great that it overshadows anything good that Rise of the Argonauts accomplishes. Let me start then by saying that RotA is the most broken, glitchy, buggy, unfinished videogame I have played all generation. Possibly ever. This game is so badly made, I cannot even comprehend how it got past QA, let alone made it far enough to be released.

Click to expand...

Let me start then by saying that RotA is the most broken, glitchy, buggy, unfinished videogame I have played all generation. Possibly ever.

Click to expand...

GothicGothicness said:

I wounder if he played G3: forsaken gods ? if he did, I cannot even imagine how awful this game would be.

Click to expand...

GothicGothicness said:

I wounder if he played G3: forsaken gods ? if he did, I cannot even imagine how awful this game would be.

Click to expand...

Prime Junta said:

I'll be looking forward to txa's take...

Click to expand...

Prime Junta said:

Quelle bummer.

Click to expand...