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Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Secret Level
Genre: Action
Release Date: October 14, 2008
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Reviewer: Eric
 SEGA is at it again with one of their well renowned franchises, Golden Axe.
The Golden Axe series is known as the simple 2-D hack-n-slash games that let
gamers choose between three characters. Instead of keeping the game the same
developers Secret Level had a different idea and SEGA did not mind.
Golden Axe: Beast Rider is not the game I expected. This God of War meets Conan
clone is all about kicking ass and taking names. Wait no it isn’t. Beast Rider
is a clone of those two games but it is not about kicking ass and taking names.
The game is all about boring games to a point where they want to put the game
back in its case and that will happen after the first chapter.
The games story…I have no idea. I know there is a story in Golden Axe: Beast
Rider but I had a hard time figuring out what it was. From what I know it has
your basic good vs. evil story. I guess this makes perfect sense since there is
only one character to play as, Tyris Flare.
Each chapter of the game is broken up into so many sections. As you beat certain
parts in the chapter you will be graded. During your first play through the game
you will almost always end up with a C Rating. This was strange to me because as
good as I did I always got a C. Once I looked at the games achievements I
figured something out. To earn some of the achievements I have to beat each and
every chapter with a certain weapon. Then if I get the highest rating, an A,
then I will get another achievement. I honestly believe that Secret Level
programmed the game this way to give Beast Rider replay value.
Certain sections in each chapter are way too short. Just as you think this part
is getting started it ends. At other times the parts will drag on way too long,
having you back track way too much just to open up a simple treasure chest with
one of the beasts in the game. If it wasn’t so bad controlling the beasts then
it might not be as bad, but the games main attraction is its worst feature.
 All of the beasts in this game just control very clunky. You have to stop in
your tracks and turn around just to attack the guy to your left. If you can’t
turn around fast enough then the enemies will knock you off your beast and kick
your ass with the same beast that is hard to control.
Controlling Tyris Flare is simple though. You use two buttons (X and A) to
attack then entire time. There are some magic spells (B button) but you get them
way too fast in the game, causing the spells to get old real fast. As easy as
the attack buttons are the defending aspect in the game is a problem, mainly
when it comes to the enemies using magic. The game tells you to use certain
buttons to defend but it never seems to work out right.
Since the game doesn’t offer too many combos or attack configurations you will
get bored fast. Secret Level must have known this so they added in pointless
scrolls to pick up during chapters. Most of the time these scrolls you pick up
give you hints on new enemies and some information about the surroundings, so
this gets old fast as well. With all of the hints the game gives, even in the
tutorial, I don’t think the game tells you how to jump. I kid you not, I didn’t
figure out how to jump until the second chapter in the game.
 The graphics in this game are pretty bad. Our hero looks like she was ripped
from a real bad sex novel and the enemies look like they’re from a Playstation 2
game. Overall the game looks like a Playstation 2 game. Cutscenes are just as
bad as well. This is not the Golden Axe game that we have been waiting for.
Other than the achievements there is no real replay value in the game. You gain
gold and such in the game. The more you gain the better chance you have of
unlocking new weapons, outfits, and arena battles. None of these aspects of the
game are real groundbreaking and as long as you play through the game once you
can unlock most of these things. Pretty pointless stuff, but at least you can
watch the cutscenes again if you want.
Beast Rider has no online play at all. For a game that use to have three
characters to choose from you would think the new game would have online play,
at least co-op play. The developers dropped the ball big time.
Final Verdict
Golden Axe: Beast Rider is not worth the $60 price tag. Beast Rider is a
disgrace to next gen consoles, nothing about this game shows off what the Xbox
360 is all about. No co-op and online play, does that make any sense? Stay away
from the latest Golden Axe game and stick with the older games on the Genesis.
Rating
4 out of 10
Golden Axe: Beast Rider Trailer
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