Off with his head! (Barbarian)

Member Name: wampyrii

Product:	Barbarian
Date:	13/12/00 (82 review reads)
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This is a game which is probably more memorable for its cover design and free poster than actual gameplay. Featuring a musclebound oily barbarian and equally oily buxom amazon warrior this game created something of a stir amongst those who like to complaion when it was released. Couple this with the fact that the sole idea of the game is to walk to towards your opponent and hack off his head and they may have had a point...

Barbarian can probably be described as a forerunner to such dubious classics as the Mortal Combat and StreetFighter series of games(although the original streetfighter game was also around at the time). Basically, you played a warrior with a big sword who had to hack/slash and parry his way to victory in 9(i think) progressively harder bouts of swordplay to win the tournament. Personally this was a feat I never managed but this was because Barbarian 2 was released shortly after I was given the game and this was far superior.

The graphics are large and blocky and the sound effects limited to clangs and 'sword in flesh' sounds as well as a suitable tinny barbarian type musical accompaniment. The are a variety of sword manouvers which can be performed, the best of which being the 'spinning head chop' which basically separates your opponent's head from the rest of his body and ends the bout immediately...but only works in the earlier levels.

At the time I have no doubt that it was a classic, although hugely eclipsed by its sequel which allowed you to roam around and fight more than just human adversaries in your quest to do whatever it is barbarians do. Now it looks incredibly dated and doesn't stand up at all well against games such as streetfighter and mortal kombat.

Verdict: its ok, but there are far better games now in the same genre and better example then as well so its probably one better left to the archives.

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