Unless it’s a new “Kid Icarus,” no other game should be set in Greek mythology for the time being. The realm of Zeus and Hera has fallen under the dominion of Sony’s Santa Monica Studio, and its epic “God of War” franchise.
Any title venturing in this area risks being compared to that series. Because of the high bar it has set, rivals will inevitably be judged lacking. It’s comparable to making a mob movie on the heels of the “Godfather” trilogy or sci-fi movie in the wake of “Star Wars.” The flick just won’t stack up compared to instant classics.
Unfortunately, Liquid Entertainment falls into this predicament. With “Rise of the Argonauts,” the team explores the same world that Kratos made famous in “God of War.” And its not the same type of game, “Argonauts” suffers in its comparison to the PlayStation 2 game.
The newer title feels unimaginative and too conventional when juxtaposed with the more-established franchise.
In “Argonauts,” players take on the role of Jason, King of Iolcus. They embark on a quest to resurrect his newlywed Alceme, who was assassinated by the Blacktongues, a cult that worships the titan Hecate. To bring his wife back to life, he’ll have to journey to the Oracle of Delphi and travel to three other islands in an attempt to obtain the Golden Fleece, the only artifact capable of restoring his bride.
It’s not exactly the real myth. It mangles a few characters including Achilles, Atalanta and Medusa, and uses them as stock characters in what’s essentially a game modeled after Bioware’s “Jade Empire.”
The game has a semblance of a morality system. During the journey aboard the Argos, players will travel to different lands and solve residents’ problems. But what matters are the details and how they accomplish each mission.
They can answer questions with attitudes based on four gods — Apollo gives a compassionate answer, Ares offers an emotional one, Athena has responses based on reason, and Hermes focuses on wit.
A player’s answer will not only determine the flow of the conversation, but it will also have an impact on their combat. Every response boosts experience points that help players gain abilities characteristic to each god. For example, defensive players will focus on Apollo. Those who want to focus more on offense will be lured by Ares’ power. It forces players to role-play Jason a bit more consistently.
As for combat itself, there’s a lot of button-mashing with a series of different weapons. Players have to block attacks and counter with shield bashes or dash attacks. But the battles come sporadically between dialogue and are more like set pieces that fill in parts of the story.
Perhaps the hardest part of “Argonauts” are the boss battles with Achilles and Nessos. Their patterned attacks offer somewhat of a challenge, but the ability to run away and heal lets players be successful as long as they’re patient.
But where “Argonauts” fails is in its design and art direction. When it comes to solving people’s troubles, most of the time force is the only solution. There’s little room for negotiation or logic.
When it comes to art direction, the game sorely lacks any sense of vision. Liquid Entertainment plays it too safe when it comes to the creation of Mycenae and Saria. These are linear worlds that could resemble any other temple, jungle or city in countless other games.
It’s not until a foray in Tartarus that the “Argonaut’s” artistic talents come through, but by then, it’s too late. The rest of the game up until then is an uninspired mess. Players don’t get the impression that this is a rich, epic quest to find the Golden Fleece. There are no grand vistas or breathtaking sights.
Unfortunately, players end up with a conventional game that feels dated. It would have been revolutionary five years ago, but right now, “Argonauts” is outclassed by the older franchise in terms of gameplay and art design.
And once again, it proves that it’s nearly impossible to one-up a classic.
Reach Gieson Cacho at gca cho@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Review
Argonauts”
