Product Description

Rise of the Argonauts X360

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8931 in Video Games
• Brand: Codemasters
• Model: SARGOX3FC00
• Published on: 2008-12
• Released on: 2008-12-16
• ESRB Rating: Mature
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .33 pounds

Features

• Become a hero in a primal story based on an epic legend artfully re-imagined
• Fight alongside Hercules, Achilles and other fabled heroes, each with their own extraordinary powers
• Breakthrough real-time combat system with dynamic animations and visual damage modeling
• Develop and upgrade multiple weapons, specialized killing techniques, finishing moves and more
• Travel to dozens of unique islands filled with richly researched, intricate detailing

Amazon.com Product Description
Go back in time to an era where the Gods themselves walked the earth, and where the battles that occurred brought such fame to their heroes that their stories still resound today. With Rise of the Argonauts for the Xbox 360, gamers can immerse themselves in one of the grandest tales to be told in the history of modern civilization.

You can immerse yourself into the grand story and mythology of Jason and the Argonauts. View larger.

Rise of the Argonauts has a look that evokes Ancient Greece. View larger.

The Story Unfolds
As the King of Iolcus, Jason had everything: a prosperous kingdom, the respect of his peers and a beautiful fiance, the princess Alceme. But when she was assassinated on their wedding day, Jason vowed to take revenge on her killers, and to restore her life. To accomplish this feat, you, as Jason, must seek out the Golden Fleece with the help of Greek mythology’s greatest

Jason gains new abilities and weapons as he progresses through the game. View larger.

heroes. An epic-scale, action role-playing game (RPG), Rise of the Argonauts immerses gamers in a gladiatorial adventure engaged in brutal combat, with warriors such as Hercules, Pan and Achilles as they traverse a world ruled by mythological gods.

Incredibly Absorbing Play
Rise of the Argonauts immerses players completely in the world of ancient Greece. One way this is accomplished is by streamlining the RPG elements in exciting new ways. For example, rather than increasing arbitrary stats like 'Intelligence plus one', items and upgrades give Jason unique, tangible abilities like the Fist of Ares, which causes shields to explode, ripping apart nearby enemies. And individual battles aren't dependant upon a hit-point and dice system. If you manage to get behind a shield and slice into your enemies' neck, their head will be cleaved from their shoulders. The developers also spent time researching the look and feel of ancient Greek artwork, crafts and architecture for a richness of surrounding that is astonishing.

As in ancient Greece, in Rise of the Argonauts players must curry the favor of the Gods. As you achieve deeds, you can dedicate them to different gods. A god's favor will also be affected by choices you make in conversations with non-player characters. As your favor, or disfavor, with a particular god rises, your abilities will be affected accordingly. But be careful, because the gods like few things better than meddling in the lives of their human subjects.

Amazing Battles are Loads of Fun
The battle system in Rise of the Argonauts is simple enough to pick up quickly, but has more finesse than your typical button masher. In battling enemies you weaken their armor, then their limbs, eventually finishing them off. Weapons can be switched mid-battle to unleash devastating combos, while using god-granted powers can also cause serious damage. Players can also choose how to defeat their enemies, and in so doing find interesting new allies. For example, in one of your battles you will fight Medusa herself. If you kill her, her brother Perseus will grieve for her but join you on your quest. If you save Medusa, however, Athena will command her to join your crew as a beginning to her penance for her misdeeds.

In Rise of the Argonauts gamers will find a deep, and enthralling story that is matched only by the fun of playing it. With a wide range of upgradeable weapons, loads of different heroes to help you, gods to entreat, and an ever-changing story that is constantly affected by the choices you make, the possibilities seem endless. Add to that stunning visuals, a musical score created by film composer Tyler Bates, and a smooth blend of action and RPG that is new to the genre, and this is a game you simply must check out.

You'll recognize characters from classic myths such as Medusa and her head of snakes.

Customer Reviews

Its Good, but not Great
Rise of the Argonauts is a strange game. The idea of creating a game around the saga of Jason and the Argonauts is a great one, and has lots of potential. The idea of creating a Mass Effect type game set in ancient Greece is a great one, with lots of potential. RPG-type power up system mixed with hack and slash gaming is a great idea too

The problems come in on the "but..." end of things. Great idea to use the Argonauts myth, BUT they basically wrecked that by making the game have absolutely zero to do with Greek mythology. All the character names are the same, but none of the characters are doing anything that they're supposed to be doing. The Argo is full of all new people, ie, NOT the actual Argonauts, and the quest for the golden fleece is still the same in name but they want it for a completely different purpose

None of the character relationships are the same either. People who are half-brothers in Greek myth are uncle and nephew in this game. People who are married in Greek myth are vague acquaintances in this game. People who live in completely different eras are united in the same time and place. No idea why they would do this, its completely unexplainable

One might as well have a Bible game that has Noah, Moses and Jesus wandering through the desert for 40 years together with the Jews, and at the end of it they fight the battle of Armageddon. That's the kind of hodgepodge you're faced with here

The dialogue trees are a good idea it seems, at first, until you realize that absolutely nothing you say makes any difference. Regardless of your choice, the people you're talking to will give you the same item or response. Occasionally you will talk to them and they will just repeat themselves over and over til you get to the part of the quest that causes them to change to a new set of selections

Tons of bugs too. Occasionally you'll talk to people who aren't there. People will appear and disappear for no reason. You select certain "god powers" which are basically just power up attacks from the D pad, and when you push down it gives you the power that's on the right, or you push up and get the down power. Just totally unexplainable things like that

Don't get me wrong, none of that makes the game unplayable. Its a pretty decent game, fun to play if a little unchallenging. I'm maybe 15 hours into it and plan on beating it before I put it down. Its by no means a 5 star game though, not another Mass Effect like some people here are claiming. Not a 1 star game either, like some people are saying

Basically if you want a game with lots of sword fighting and not much chance of actually dying, this is it. A game with lots of choices but no consequences if you make a bad one, this is it. A game that plays out like a movie, but not a movie you'd really want to see twice. Here it is

Hope that helps you make a decision on whether or not to give it a try

Give it a chance
I agree, I don't understand how gaming review sites and magazines can condemn games so quickly, seemingly without being able to point out specific flaws. They tend to fall in step with each other in fear of writing a disagreeable review. This game should be a lot of fun and great for anyone with an inkling of Greek mythology. It provides a lot of new fun little features - like using achievements or combat feats instead of experience points to boost abilities - that set it apart, despite being too "streamlined in both action and RPG elements" for the boys over at IGN.

This Year's Mass Effect
If you are in the mood for an RPG that changes the rules of Action RPG's then this is your game.

I've played the game for about 10 hours now, and I must say it has thrilled me and lured me in as much as Mass Effect did from last year.

This RPG comes highly recommended if you like great dialog, character relationships, story, simple yet elegant fighting systems, and logical game direction!

You will see some reviews giving this game a low score based on the fact that they think conservations are boring and that they think the pacing is too slow. You'll also see reviewers note that this game has too many technical flaws.

Both those claims are rubbish, there are frame rate issues, but what game doesn't have them, reviewers are spoiled and it shows when they dog on a terrifically neat title with no hype, such as this one.

Please give this one a try, I promise it is a hidden gem amongst the holiday crowd of guns and blood.

Thank for reading,

Mika'il