On the surface, fighting camp after camp of evil monsters sounds a repetitive bore -- and it is toward the end -- but Viking actually did do a good job of keeping me entertained. Aside from the different ranks of beast each map dot holds -- there are archers, swordsmen, wooden shields, steel shields, double-sword wielders, and more -- there's the constant question of how to infiltrate their ranks.
In the beginning, it's easy just run in there and hack away with the weak strike button before letting off a heavy attack , but by the third island, I found myself standing back and scoping out all of the different entry points and options.
One base had my men and the aforementioned ribcage structure in the middle of the encampment. After a while of watching troop patterns and locations, I crept up on the base -- Skarin drops to a tip-toe crouch when he can see enemies but they haven't seen him -- and took out the one guard at the southeast entrance.
After that, I waited for a patrol to pass, ran into the camp, freed my men, and let them help me with the murder of every creature in the place. Now, if there were just a few of the low-level Legion in there, I probably would've run in and just waxed them all without worrying.
If there were some monsters off in the distance, I would've had to have been careful that a horn blower wasn't hanging near the prisoners -- if he sees me before I get the chance to kill him, he can alert every enemy nearby to come kick my ass. These little touches of stealth, problem solving and planning are a nice touch that actually keeps the hack-and-slash gameplay from getting too stale … at least for a while.
Want to know what else helps? Insane levels of violence. We're talking Rob Zombie levels here. Remember how I said I iced that lonely guard a few paragraphs back? That was a lot cooler than I initially let on. As you run around Midgard and gather gold, you can take it and buy new moves from this Viking ghost. One of those moves allows for instant kills if you sneak up on a foe. You'll be creeping up, square will appear above his head, you'll tap the button, and Skarin will cut the bastard in half with one strike.
Blood will gush everywhere and entrails will be visible. These bloody, grotesque deaths aren't limited to stealth kills. Once you've whittled away the life -- and usually an arm -- of an opponent, square will pop up over the bad guy.
Tap it and Skarin will launch into a slow-motion dismembering attack that will spray red goo everywhere. He'll lop off their heads, cut them in half remove their limbs, and more.
It's awesome, and the finishers usually give off more magic-meter filling red orbs than the normal kill would've. Sadly though, fun tidbits get lost in a sea of mediocrity when it comes to Viking. To begin with, the game can get extremely frustrating -- and I'm talking beyond the fact that you're just alternating between two attack buttons for the entire thing. There's a mission early on in your quest when you have to sneak into an enemy's base and power a sacred stone at their portal.
The way the task is set up, you have to crawl into the camp and walk around the entire perimeter to get from Point A to Point B. If you're spotted, there are way too many people to fight and survive so you must run. However, there's no run button, so Skarin just jogs at his normal pace while enemies leap and stab him in the back, which completely halts your getaway. When you get to the energy your stone needs, you have to tap the circle button to power up, however the bad guys who were chasing you are now on top of you and each time one of their blows connects, you stop powering up the stone.
Of course, if I thought that was bad, the assault on Hel's fortress showed that I hadn't seen anything yet. With the final big battle behind me, I was now sent out on my own to best the queen once and for all. However, first I had to climb a seemingly never-ending staircase that was filled with enemies.
Did I mention that Viking's combat is incredibly hit-or-miss when combatants are going at it on different levels? Once I wasted all of my health potions and throwing axes on the villains who insisted on blocking everything, I climbed into the final battle with Hel. Now, for the few of you who don't become incredibly bored with Viking and actually make it to the end, I won't ruin the final boss fight for you, but I will tell you that not only is it absurd and anti-climatic but it is also one of the most annoying fights I've had in quite sometime.
When you're waiting and waiting and waiting to move to the next area, you'll see what I mean. The story of Skarin seems like it could've been an interesting one, but you'll never get it from Viking. The game opens with some colorful artwork and an over-the-top voiceover that works, but the story is quickly forgotten. Skarin never really speaks and just turns into Freya's errand boy.
There will be some delay after submitting a comment. YouTube Channel Tweet Us! Toggle navigation Home. Viking: Battle for Asgard. By Martin Baker Published November 16, at pm.
Left: Skarin. Right: Big-ass bad-guy. OK, we're all here Can't touch this. Last modified on June 19, at pm. Is this game relevant to you? Sign In or Open in Steam. Languages :. English and 6 more. View Steam Achievements Includes 50 Steam Achievements. Publisher: SEGA. Share Embed. Add to Cart. View Community Hub. The battle has escalated, spilling over to the mortal world of Midgard and now a Champion must be found, a Warrior than can sway this war that threatens the fate of Asgard and the Gods themselves.
Angry at her fate, she seeks to release the ancient wolf-god Fenrir which legend tells will bring about Ragnarok - the apocalyptic battle that will destroy Asgard and the Gods. With her army of resurrected Viking warriors, Hel marches on the unsuspecting mortal realm of Midgard. For her champion she chooses Skarin, a great but troubled young warrior, ignorant of the true reason for his favour with the Gods and thrust into the midst of their bitter war.
As Skarin, players will experience unparalleled battle scenes, leading the charge in a titanic clash between powerful gods and mere men. War on an unprecedented scale will rage across a beautifully realised Viking landscape. Key Features A truly stunning graphical experience on PC Viking on Steam will re-invigorate the game for with outstanding visuals taking full advantage of modern gaming hardware.
Players can scale resolution, use anti-aliasing and other graphical effects according to the power of their PCs, for a truly stunning graphical experience.
The story of a Viking Hero. Skarin is an uncompromising force. A plaything of the gods rebelling against their selfish agenda. The definitive Viking warrior. Rich Viking Lore. The violent and glorious world of Viking mythology brought to stunning life. Players will write their own legends to be told around the campfire. Vast open world environments.
Explore, uncover and fight your way across huge worlds full of combat, exploration and quests. High impact, brutal combat engine. Experience intensely physical melee combat.
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