The title "Golden Axe" might not stand for much to some gamers, but for a lot of us it will bring back some memories of times spent in the arcade, and for myself included - countless hours spent playing the Mega Drive release of the game. Quite possibly the defining factor that made Golden Axe so popular was its re-playability, being able to play through the game with a friend is certainly something that will keep you coming back for more.

So then, with a new developer looking to take the iconic classic and re-introduce it to gamers in 3D form, as Golden Axe fans, what should we expect? There's a few things and the first would have to be co-op, both locally and online for at least two players. The second would be quick, simple and yet satisfying gameplay of where you can unlock new and more devastating combos to keep up with the games of today. And thirdly, Golden Axe is all about fighting with the sharp-steel and so excessive use of gore is expected. Ultimately does Beast Rider deliver a Golden Axe experience with the 'expected' features that gamers wish to reminisce on or is it something simply, much more painful?

Gameplay:

Golden Axe: Beast Rider sees you playing as the redhead warrior known as Tyris, the story as it goes with most mythological hack n' slashers is rather easily something to be dismissed, it all seems to revolve around you finding pieces of the broken Golden Axe, which posses some elusive power once rebuilt. Story wise, there's little to get excited about, though at least the cutscenes help to shine out some of the few finer details. Going into Golden Axe: Beast Rider I was not sure of what to expect, though as a Golden Axe fan I was expecting some things that fall in-line with the original, much more than what is actually on offer in the abysmal experience that is Beast Rider. Well, as far as the title goes, riding on beasts was a given before even getting to put the disc in the Xbox 360. I've no idea what the developers we're thinking going into Golden Axe themselves though, the only real comparable things between this game and the original are the fact that you can ride beasts, and there is one other nostalgic thing to bring the memories flooding back...

One of the things I mostly recall about Golden Axe are those pesky Gnomes, and Beast Rider does get this right. No more will Gnomes wake you in the middle of the night with their bag of treats, though they do often show up in Beast Rider and it's usually right before a battle bearing some gifts, and in classic Golden Axe fashion; they're still a big pain in the ass to get a few hits on. And we wouldn't have that any other way, this, combined with the oh-so familiar music in the background certainly brings back some 'golden' memories. It's just a shame that the rest of Beast Rider does very little to reminisce as much as that.

There are various enemies and beasts to be killed, and the latter of which can of course be ridden, provided you first knock the enemy rider off said beast. There can literally be a dozen or so enemies on screen, and so combat needs to be fluid, while dealing with a couple of enemies things are certainly approachable though as you get surrounded things can get rather out of hand. Combat is all about hacking and slashing your way through all enemies in sight, for some of the bigger enemies countering is almost always a requirement. And it's pretty effective too, enemies will glow a specific colour right as they attack, this colour represents which button you should press to successfully pull off a counter and put you in position to unleash a devastating attack or gory execution, slicing enemies in half. There's some enemies which are are a right pain in the behind, their easily dealt with usually by countering and reflecting the troublesome attack back on the enemy or a quick side step can get you out of harms way. Though when in the middle of combat with a number of enemies, these enemies which summon down rocks on your head or shoot magical blue lightning balls at you are a real nuisance, and they're typically further back then the enemies you're fighting up close, so it's a matter of running over to them and disposing off them quickly while the other bunch of enemies chase you around. However, if you have some magic, you can fire off a quick fireball in their direction instead to get rid of them much more quickly - leaving you to get back to the task at hand. The combat in general just feels very weightless, there's not much depth to it, and while beating an enemy to his death and seeing him stumble for a few seconds, which gives you the opportunity to hack him in half is rather thoughtful, the game just remains very unsatisfying to play. It's as if my brain is somehow insulted by what it is I am actually experiencing.

When surrounded by multiple enemies this is where the game breaks down into your typical button masher, as enemies surround you from all angles it's almost nigh on impossible to spot what colours enemies are glowing for you to be able to counter, magic can prove useful as a defensive measure, even more so when surrounded - though magic can come and go so quickly it's literally pot luck if you will have it when you really need it.

While on the subject of magic, it's not quite as initially fantastic as that seen in the 16-bit era either, the classic could have almost the entire screen filled with explosions and various other mesmerizing graphical effects (at the time) thus eradicating most, if not all enemies on screen. Other than for the use of when surrounded, the only other thing magic is really required for is to light up some items around the level. There is a puzzle or two amongst the missions like this that require some things to be lit, or for you or a beast to stand on a switch - these puzzles get rather tedious very quickly, even more so as in some cases it is not abundantly obvious as to what actually needs doing.

While riding on some of the beasts featured in the game is pretty entertaining, like when riding the Mirigore, whose special ability is to get angry and enraged, so it's somewhat like the Hulk, except you can ride on his back while he proceeds to tear some other creatures head-off, which is pretty brutal, in a rather splendid and gory way. Though riding the beasts in general is not all it's cut out to be as they generally move rather awkwardly though they are essential to the game's progression.

Graphics:

Beast Rider is certainly no visual feat by any means, though the gore comes thick and fast, and despite multiple enemies on screen with some large beasts wreaking havoc, the framerate never takes a dive for the worse. Overall the game does have a rather bland look about it, though this tends to help the blood stand out that much better, and if you're not seeing blood spilt at least every 30 seconds or so then you're doing something wrong... which means you're probably scratching your head due to one of the games annoying little puzzles.

Audio:

The game features the frequent "clings" and "clangs" as you might expect with steel frequently clashing on the battlefield, as well as many grunts and groans as enemies are torn limb from limb. The game's music serves its purpose, though it lacks a sense of urgency when in some combat scenarios, but generally it otherwise fits in with the levels rather well. The performance of some of the voice-acting is noticeably impressive and served exceptionally well, it's just a shame the rest of the game is not to such a high standard.

Longevity:

There's little reason to play the game, but if you battle your way through and are looking for more of the same then you can take up the Challenge mode. This is basically a level selection mode, where you can replay and hack n' slash your way through the completed missions in the hope of gaining a better ranking and tribute. The other and easily the more interesting mode, and somewhat more enjoyable than the actual standard campaign is Trials of Tyris.

This game mode enables you play through unlocked arenas with several waves of enemies to battle through, and while it's prone to the same combat issues as mentioned further above, at least there's no puzzles to run about doing, this just enables you to jump in and hack n' slash without any of the fuss of the campaign. The beasts even make an appearance as well, so you can go around stomping on some enemies rather quickly, though beast maneuverability is simply annoyingly mechanical and awkward, generally Trials of Tyris still offers up the best portion of what Golden Axe: Beast Rider has to offer, although it's nowhere near enough.

Overall:

The biggest shocker is not that the game is mind-numbingly painful to play, but it's just the general lack of features. For a game that carries the Golden Axe name I'd expect some of the features that make Golden Axe well, you know, "Golden Axe" to have made it in the game. I mean, where's my old midget-man with his jolly white beard and battleaxe, and what about the guy that thinks he's Conan the Barbarian, where's he at? I realise the game is not trying to recreate the time, enemies and or characters precisely, but we certainly have the familiar fiery redhead to do battle as, and those other characters certainly make, or rather their lookalikes make an appearance. I expected over the top use of magic, a more fulfilling combat experience and first and foremost a co-operative Golden Axe experience, so I can once again fight over who gets to ride what beast.

Beast Rider is certainly not doing the legacy of Golden Axe any favours, it's one of those games that gave me the exact same feeling I had when I first saw the abomination that was the Super Mario Bros. movie, which was "loosely" based on the games of the same name - and that feeling is a great sense of disappointment, you almost feel offended by just how bad it actually is. Perhaps the hit is an easier one to take if you don't have a great deal of feeling for the classics that the game/movie is trying to recreate. There are certainly worse games than Golden Axe, even if I am having trouble thinking of any currently.

Beast Rider is best avoided, especially if you like the original Golden Axe. Do yourself a favour and do not tarnish your memory of the classic, instead go and download the Xbox Live Arcade version of the original.