Spartan: Total Warrior

Written by Glenn Wigmore  on August 01, 2005

Hands-On Preview: You gotta love slashin' dudes, but with a historical backdrop, it's even cooler.

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One of the more overlooked games at E3 2005 might very well have been Spartan: Total Warrior. Not only was the game relegated to the side of the SEGA booth (although, it did have a slight presence), but it was also overshadowed by SEGA's two Xbox 360 entries (Condemned: Criminal Origins and Full Auto). I got some time to play this game at the show, and while it won't give you a whole new gaming experience, it does look to provide a rock-solid action game with some slight stealth and mission-based elements.

The setting for the game's story has you battling as a Spartan (no, not the guy with the bulky green armor) for the Greeks, as they fend off the advancing Roman horde. Your war duties will include killing scores of oncoming foes Ц of varying sizes and persuasions Ц guarding V.I.P. characters, infiltrating defensive structures, and conducting various stealth missions. In the end though, killing baddies will be your main task, and the game engine will support upwards of 150 enemies on-screen at once. Game areas will be quite varied and will include confined coliseums, structured bases, and expansive landscapes.

From what I played on the show floor at E3, I was able to get a good rundown on how the game feels and looks. There are some similarities to Dynasty Warriors, but I was actually reminded of the Two Towers and Return of the King video games done by Electronic Arts Ц this is a good thing. Much of the hack-and-slash gameplay that Return of the King perfected seems to be УborrowedФ for this game; quite a bit of the semi-deep combo system from the Return of the King game seems to have been augmented into this title as well, and it (currently) is at the same high level of quality. You'll be able to use a basic set of strike combos, but these can be chained together for greater effect. You can use your shield for defensive purposes, which is paramount in this game, but it can also be valuable for an offensive outburst to knock down your enemies. When on the ground, you can also deliver a one-hit finishing move for the quick kill Ц this also calls to mind Return of the King. However, you might just want to wield a single weapon for more power, but you'll sacrifice a great deal of your defense for this luxury. Taking enemies out at long range with your bow and arrow is also an option, but this seems like it might be better in more strategic or stealth situations.

The main level I played at E3 was a coliseum setting, and the action was fairly frantic and unrelenting. Enemies poured into the arena, and I was able to dispatch them with relative ease. However, once their numbers climbed, the challenge increased. Then, when the bigger and more armor-clad warriors started stepping into the fight, the challenge increased further. As said, the combos work fairly well, and you can even deal out some charged-up multiple hits that can level the swarming Romans. The environment was well detailed, with charred debris and slain bodies peppering the ground. Another cool effect came at the start of the battle when you and your fellow fighters charged at the opposing side; this had a cool look and the animations of everyone running and fighting was very good. The fighters themselves didn't display eye-popping detail nor great variety, but they functioned quite well to create a large, epic feel for the battles.

The game will play over 14 campaign missions and will function (again) like ROTK, as you'll get rewards to upgrade skills as you complete missions and kill foes. The upgrades will be for melee attacks, ranged attacks, defense, speed and so forth. You will also be able to get new equipment and change the look of your character as you advance through the game. In-engine cutscenes will be used to tell the majority of the story, and some name voice talent will be tapped to create an authentic feel to the proceedings.