In those mythical, ancient times, when video games were still emerging from the primordial mists and magic still flowed through everything, there were games of the highest order. These games weren’t about Italian plumbers or sad surrogate fathers, but about savage warriors who went into battle shirtless, their muscles magnificently displayed, slashing their enemies with swords and proving themselves to be the strongest and most masculine of all. I’m talking about barbarians, of course. And while games that focused entirely on the heroic feats of barbarians have been few and far between in recent years, we now find ourselves in the midst of a mini-renaissance of barbarian games! To quote the 1982 film Conan the Barbarian“That's good. That's good.“
Before we look at these new barbarian games, let's pay our respects to the old noble barbarian games. Of course, There are Barbarian For Amigaa weird platformer that's still awesome because your sprite is a shirtless, muscular warrior wielding a giant sword. Then, of course, Barbarian A fighting game for the Amiga that made me and a friend laugh non-stop As we cut off each other's heads over and over again(Here in the US this would be called: Death Sword but it will always be Barbarian (In my opinion.) If I were to list all the barbarian games of that era, I'd be here all day, but here are some other notable ones: Sword of Sodan (Avoid the Genesis version at all costs) and perhaps most legendary of all, RastanTaito's 1987 tough-as-nails arcade game, with a pulse-pounding soundtrack and a barbaric hero to rival Conan himself, is here in all its glory.
In addition to being arguably the most famous barbarian game of the 1980s, Rastan and its influence is most evident in two brand new barbarian games that have given the genre a mini-renaissance. First of all, Abathoris a side-scrolling action game available on every current platform. Abathor It lets you embark on an epic hack-and-slash mission across dozens of stages, and while things may seem a bit easy and mundane at first, rest assured that the intensity will ramp up dramatically as you progress. I've reached the fourth area of the game so far, and I'm really impressed by how it keeps throwing surprises at me, all sorts of new dangers and new situations that keep me on my toes. If anything, I'd recommend NOT watching the trailer below, as I think it's better to discover what the game has to offer yourself. However, if you're looking for a glimpse of the game's gorgeous pixel art and old-school gameplay, look no further. Abathor Definitely a worthy sequel to the old barbarian games.
And then there is Viking Volgarr II. Now look, Abathor It's not exactly a walk in the park though Volgar IILike its 2013 predecessor, it leans into the difficulty of the 1980s games that inspired it—difficultVolgarr may be a muscular viking warrior, but he still dies in one hit by default, and when you play him, will to die, too much. This is a game that requires you to study, memorize and master, remembering where the enemies appear and how they behave, knowing how to defeat them and ultimately exit the level victoriously. Maybe this may sound boring to you, but let me tell you, Volgar II It reminded me how rewarding games with these types of difficulty levels can be.
I can see myself figuring out how to overcome the challenges it throws at me in real time, and developing that kind of mastery is incredibly satisfying. Also, if you played the original a decade ago and decided it wasn’t for you, don’t dismiss this sequel just yet. It’s just as challenging as its predecessor in every way that matters, but it offers a few more tools that give you the encouragement and support you need to succeed; it’s so twisted and creative, like mid-level checkpoints and a help feature that I refuse to spoil. I still have a long way to go Volgar IIBut I know it provides a kind of satisfaction that I rarely experience from similar games. Ninja Girl And Super Ghouls and Ghosts It was ordinary. Like AbathorYou can find it now Volgar II On almost every platform where new video games are released.
OK, two games might not seem like much, but for a subgenre that has seen little activity in a long time—especially challenging, side-scrolling hack-and-slash action games about barbarians—two great entries arriving at the same time feels like a veritable feast of riches for people like me who long to return to the glory days of old. RastanEnjoy your meal, my friends. Valhalla awaits you.
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