Californian developers Nihilistic have had a somewhat checkered run so far: Vampire wasn’t received that well despite some graphical flair, and Starcraft: Ghost sadly never saw the light of day. 2005’s Marvel Nemesis was a decent multiplayer brawler though, and the team have used the skill gained there and taken the gauntlet, no pun intended, of Conan with confidence and technical ability without forgetting what makes a game like this popular – a sense of humour.
Based on the Robert E Howard character, Conan here is a more rounded figure than seen in the Schwarzenegger films, and the game attempts to convey a little of the history behind the barbarian without getting in the way of the fighting which should please fans. Metal Gear Solid this isn’t though – during cut-scenes the acting is rudimentary, the dialog is laughable and the graphics appear to use an odd mix of pre-recorded footage from the in-game engine, which whilst fine at a distance appears clunky and last-gen close up.
But this isn’t about exposition and you certainly don’t need to be a fan to enjoy the game. Playing out much like the PS2 title God of War, Conan is a third-person action adventure with less emphasis on pace-ruining puzzles and a firm focus on creating flowing entertainment from start to finish, all 10+ hours of it. With a massive, evolving move-set at your disposal there’s no excuse for button mashing – combos are easy to make use of and different enemies will require unique approaches from the wide range of options.
Conan starts with few skills and a single sword, but can quickly collect additional weaponry (and the ability to dual-wield) and dispatched foes will add RPG-lite points to your stats screen, which can be spent on new moves. Without spoiling plot developments further into the game, you can also use fixed, larger items and magic both as weapons and ways to solve problems, although don’t expect massive Tomb Raider-esque puzzles. Bonuses are dotted (and hidden) throughout most levels giving the adventurous player a treat at every corner.
It’s worth pointing out that this isn’t a game for kids – the 18 certificate sticker on the box has been earned. Blood and gore gushes from every strike, people burn, and decapitations and other limb-losing activities are aplenty. There’s also a fair bit of nudity and references to off-screen sexual activity – well, he is a barbarian after all.
So, with massive screen-filling bosses, quick time events and impressive set pieces all present and correct, and with combat at least as good as Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry we’d be giving praise indeed, but it’s warranted here; look past the slightly plain graphics, which are adequate but never breathtaking, and the dodgy (but tonque-in-cheek) script and you’ll find a solid game that’s endlessly rewarding, packed with variety and actually far better than we ever expected. Conan is a little gem, and one that you’d be daft to ignore – and we’ll be expecting co-op multiplayer for the sequel, guys.
