As a cool and politically incorrect twist, Death=Adder eventually employs suicide bomber gnomes. Gnomes pop up throughout the adventure, just like they did in the original game, delivering health and magical restoration potions after difficult encounters. The familiar music, the familiar squeals, the familiar feeling of beating their indestructible behinds - that's when I knew this really was Golden Axe. I've never been so happy to see those damned little buggers. I feared that Beast Rider was going to be a generic fantasy adventure feeding on fond Golden Axe memories. Tyris had doffed her skimpy outfit and chopped her long hair in favor of becoming the 'tough warrior chick who's too cool to act sexy'. According to the instruction manual, I had to actually earn my magical abilities.

To be honest, I was a bit frightened by the game's first few minutes. It's a pretty flashy opening, but flashy openings have become a dime a dozen. Tyris is the last survivor of her clan, and she vows to rescue the sacred dragon, last survivor of the legendary Titans. Only one group opposes him, but that won't last for long - the very first chapter depicts the destruction of Tyris Flare's amazonian tribe and the abduction of their guardian deity. I could also slam Panzer Dragoon Saga for not being a shooter.Įmpowered by legions of grubbers, skeletons, and dark knights, the iron-fisted Death=Adder has squeezed all hope from the land of Yuria. I could slam it for not being two-player simultaneous, and I could slam it for not including a slew of selectable characters. I could slam this game for not being a brawler. This is an adventure set in the Golden Axe world, similar in spirit to the Game Gear's Ax Battler, but this time, the star is Tyris Flare. To Sega's credit, it's actually a competent and enjoyable adventure. I doubt anyone is surprised despite the developers' declarations of love for the original series, many gamers had Beast Rider pegged as 'crap' before it even hit storeshelves, and the generic cover art didn't help. It's all too common these days for developers to design their own world and just slap a familiar name on it, but that's not what happened here.'īreaking news: Golden Axe: Beast Rider doesn't have the cocky stylishness of Devil May Cry, the deep combat system of Ninja Gaiden, or the outlandishly epic trappings of God of War. 'Even though Golden Axe doesn't reign supreme over its action-adventure brethren, and even though the scenery can be a bit creepy, it's obvious that the designers truly respect the Golden Axe name. Golden Axe: Beast Rider (Xbox 360) review

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