During the 16-bit era, a game combining 2D beat-em-up action with a comic book motif was released for the Sega Genesis. Now, a few years later, developer Vogster Entertainment has put a modern spin on this unique combination of classic genre and stylistic presentation with Unbound Saga.
Game: Unbound Saga
Publisher: Vogster Entertainment
Developer: Vogster Entertainment
Genre: 2D Beat-Em-Up
Price: 800 MSP
Verdict: A clever spin on the classic beat-em-up genre.
Pros: Excellent graphics, tight controls, and intriguing story
Cons: Repetitive gameplay, lack of replay value
Acquired via Publisher
Originally a PSP title on PlayStation Network, Unbound Saga has now made the jump to a wider audience on Xbox LIVE Arcade. The game puts the player in control of either Rick Ajax or Lori Machete – two comic book characters intent on escaping the comic book world and seeking revenge on the author of their stories (a.k.a. The Maker). The Maker, however, is having none of it, and has drawn up an army of thugs, mercenaries, mutants, werewolves, jungle tribesmen, zombie mutant bears, and more, all hoping to thwart the heroes’ escape. The story is well-written (as would be expected from author and comic book veteran Mike Kennedy), and never takes itself seriously. Be on the lookout for a few nods to classic comic book and video game series (including a homage to the TMNT).
The game consists of ten issues (levels), with each level consisting of several comic book panels. Within each panel, there are loads of baddies and destructible objects. Once the goons are defeated, a portal opens up, leading to the next panel. Baddies will occasionally drop items that replenish health or stamina (which is used for special moves). Special tokens will also appear that allow the player to upgrade both Rick and Lori’s abilities and grant them new techniques. In single-player mode both Rick and Lori are visible on the screen, and the player can switch between the characters at will – a feature that becomes important during some of the game’s more intense battles. Rick and Lori play very differently: Rick is a strong grappler that can also use objects in the environment to his advantage, and Lori is a weaker, faster character that can heal herself and cast a variety of shadow magic to damage and deceive groups of enemies. Each character is better in different situations, but I found Lori easier to use in many of the game’s later levels due to her AoE spells and ability to heal.
While fun while it lasts, there isn’t a lot of variety to the gameplay in Unbound Saga. The game does try to mix in a few switch puzzles and timed challenges to break up the monotony, but the fact remains that the majority of the game consists of walking left to right and punching enemies in the face. The game does allow the player to carry over character upgrades from previous playthroughs and also contains both online co-op and survival modes, but replay value is admittedly low. Also, although the controls are perfectly adequate and responsive, the camera can occasionally make it difficult to judge the position of Rick or Lori relative to an enemy, causing attacks to miss. I found Lori’s shadow powers more fun to use than Rick’s brawling techniques, as puffy clouds of poison don’t discriminate based on character positioning.
Overall, Unbound Saga is an excellent addition to the Xbox LIVE Arcade library. Although its gameplay is repetitive at times, there are enough modern twists, upgrades, and self-aware dialogue for any comic book fan (or classic arcade beat-em-up fan) to give this game a closer look. Go ahead, meet your Maker.
GrE Grade: B
Popularity: unranked [?]
