Wrath Unleashed

But before I explain why, here is a bit of info for those who don't know the original Archon game. Archon is a combination strategy/action game. The game consists of a strategy portion that is played on a chessboard where creatures are moved on squares to try and capture the N key locations on the board. A number of options further enriches the strategy portion of the game (such as letting you teleport your creatures, heal them, invoke elementals). When 2 opposing creatures occupy the same square they must fight it out.

Ok, now on to the 2003 remake of the game: I recently played the demo version of WU on the Xbox. It is as you'd expect for a 2003 port of the original game. Everything is in 3D. Everything is beautifully rendered. When characters move across the chess board, they animate beautifully. The chessboard is drawn in 3D- but also provides you with a 2D map. Apart from moving pieces around you can also invoke magical abilities- such as heal characters, teleport them, invoke elementals to do your fighting (as in the original game).

In the fighting mode of the game, the motion capture is wonderful. The artwork is gorgeous- though a bit on the colorful side (the images on the Lucasart's web site is exactly as the demo appeared). The environment itself, as in the original game, plays a role in the combat as in the original game. You can get impaled by a bunch of spikes or struck by lightning if you stand in the wrong spot for too long. You can also break obstacles in the environment during combat.
Each creature gets 2 melee attacks and 2 magical attacks, and 1 blocking move. EAch creature also gets a health bar and a mana bar which replenishes over time (as in the original).

The multiplayer mode will be where this game shines, especially now that 4 players can play together.

This game will be an excellent addition to any nostalgic Archon fan's game collection. It will also appeal to gamers who like fighting games but want to also engage in a bit of strategy. Don't worry if you aren't into heavy strategy, the strategy elements in WU (and Archon) are simple yet provide incredible richness to the game.


fun single, awesome multiplayer   February 17, 2004
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

The single player game is pretty fun, the story line isnt the greatest but it gives you practice for the real reason this game is so great, the multiplayer aspect. Personally I played for hours on end not even realizing the time going by when a few of my buddies got together. The switching from strategic to straight up head to head fighting is awesome. Along with the incredible sound and beautiful graphics in the fighting mode this game is worth the money. The only complaint I can think of is the single player campaign story line. For those of you who enjoy getting together for bragging rights, this is for you.


THEY'RE TELLIN THE TRUTH   March 12, 2004
Nassif E. Dawlabani (trenton, nj USA)
3 out of 8 found this review helpful

STRATEGY
AMAZING GRAPHICS
INTENSE FIGHTING
AND THE ONE OF THE BEST MULTIPLAYER GAMES FOR THE XBOX ALL IN ONE. WRATH UNLEASHED IS A EXTRAORDINARY GAME. wHEN I SAW IT AT FYE I THOUGH THAT IT WAS A FIGHTING GAME. i WAS BUMMED WHEN I TURNED IT ON AND SAW THAT IT WAS A STRTEGY GAME. tHEN, I SAW THE LIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF STRATEGY AND ACTION IS ECEPTIONALLY AMAZING. mE AND MY BROTHER PLAY ALL THE TIME, I USUALLY WIN OF COURSE. EPOTHOS, THE FIRE GOD, IS THE BEST NATURALLY BECAUSE FIRE IS THE MOST DEADLEY OF THE 4 ELEMENTS. THIS GAME IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANYBODY WITH 2 THUMBS AND XBOX AND REMOTLEY ANY TASTE FOR A GOOD GAME!


Beware!   November 16, 2005
Hector Medina (Mexico City, Mexico)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful

The game can be quite frustrating if you start in campain 4, and work your way towards 1. The game is designed to go the other way around. So have pacience. This game has a healthy balance of ideas, strategy, ability and luck. For ideas, there are 4 player alignments: they are light vs. dark; and order vs. caos. You can be light order (jedi-like), dark caos (sith-like), light caos (strenght-like) and dark order (ploting-like). For strategy, each area has bonuses for each creature alinment (water/fire/earth/wind), so if you fight a Magma Giant (fire) with an Frost Dragon (water) in the ocean, the giant will most probably loose. For skill: terrific players can kill the most powerfull creature (God) with a patheticly weak creature (unicorn). For luck, in multiplayer maps, killing the God (army head) usually kills the army (player looses), so if you spot a God, who just came under attack by 2 player, now is you chance since he is most probably weak! In team campains, most of the time your ally is PATHETIC, yet some extraordinary times, he's terrific. By now, you get the picture, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!! What else could you expect from LucasArts, my young padawan?


Great game no one played!   December 29, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Not a kid, I played and loved Archon way back in the day. I got this for my kid for xmas and we love the multi-player. This game would probably have been better known if it would have had xbox live on-line play. I got it cheap,for like 7 bucks, brand new and it is well worth more. If you have friends or kids that like a little strategy with some fighting action then you have got to get this one!