Topic: Rygar: The Battle of Argus/The Legendary Adventure

[RichterB]

I just picked up 2008's "Rygar: The Battle of Argus" for Wii (a somewhat altered/enhanced port of 2002's "Rygar: The Legendary Adventure" for PS2). Wow, this game was WAY ahead of its time.

In Rygar, you have a shield linked to a chain that besides combo-attacking, can be used to open sealed doors, break numerous walls and objects, defend, swing across gaps, pull yourself up to a ledge, summon familiars, use as a zipline, grab onto enemies and toss them, or pull/slingshot yourself across a gap.

The gameplay features varied 3D platforming sections (horizontal and vertical-based) and puzzles, with not so much combat that it becomes redundant. The care of the art-style, visuals, locations, and music makes this game more artsy than later games like God of War. This is more like Shadow of the Colossus + more action. I don't understand how this game never hit it big or spawned an official sequel. It was before God of War, and that hit it big. And I can't believe the PS2 Castlevanias didn't learn more from this. It's not perfect, and may have aged a bit, but it is an amazing game. If I had played it when it came out on PS2, I would have been 100% floored. As it is, I'm still being drawn into it and surprised again and again.

[Neverafter]

The game reminds me of Sword of the Berserk: Gut's rage for the Dreamcast back in 1999. They both use the same system for performing combos and they both have a fixed camera. (I think thats enough reason) It makes me wonder if any other game used the same system before. Anyways, I like Rygar a lot more.

[Aridale]

Ive played the ps2 Rygar for like 5min thats it. Now Rygar on NES... thats my game

[PFG9000]

I played Rygar on the PS2 up to the level just after the beach scene (maybe 3-4 hours in), IIRC.  It was decent, and had some gorgeous visuals, but there was something extremely bland about it that turned me off.  I can't quite put my finger on what that was.  Maybe it was how the main character seemed so heavy, or maybe everything just felt unpolished. 

[JR]

I played Rygar on the PS2 up to the level just after the beach scene (maybe 3-4 hours in), IIRC.  It was decent, and had some gorgeous visuals, but there was something extremely bland about it that turned me off.  I can't quite put my finger on what that was.  Maybe it was how the main character seemed so heavy, or maybe everything just felt unpolished. 

I definitely felt the same way. The characters didn't really interest me, and towards the end of the game I realized that I was spending more time destroying background objects than anything else. Great looking game, but it was fairly boring for me.

[Inccubus]

Awesome game. Always thought it's engine would have been perfect for a 3D CV.
I got up to the fight with the blue winged bastard on PS2. He handed me my ass in tattered pieces.
I'm playing it again on Wii right now.

[RichterB]

Yeah, I beat the Wii version a little while ago now. The game is short but sweet. The story is a little out there/semi-incoherent, but it wasn't without interesting ideas. I think the new design of Rygar the character was pretty cool, actually. The old one was fine, but didn't really stand out. This one is kind of unique--a mixture of SNK and Square aesthetics. The diverse usages of the diskarmor, the atmosphere, and the music kept me playing. I can't imagine this game without the knight/human enemies added to the Wii version (there's more the higher the difficulty is set). The end was a little anti-climatic, but not bad. Overall, a memorable experience. (There is one bonus item in the latter stages that is nearly impossible to get with the forced camera angle, though. That frustrated me).

Oh, and the new Gladiator Mode of the Wii is surprisingly fun until you've mastered it. At first I wasn't impressed with this bonus mode, but the motion controls are surprisingly intuitive after a bit and the strategy needed to survive the middle-to-latter stages are well thought out. Once you succeed at beating these bonus fights, the replay value goes down on this mode. Yet, I'm still tempted to play through parts of the original quest.

[Inccubus]

I actually thought they went a little overboard with the new costume. Not because of the costume itself, but rather that they didn't redesign anything else which make Rygar look a little out of place. I thought the original costume was alright. If anything they should have made the new outfit optional and maybe even had a few more based on the different disk armors.

The gladiator mode is quite fun once you get into it.

[RichterB]

I actually thought they went a little overboard with the new costume. Not because of the costume itself, but rather that they didn't redesign anything else which make Rygar look a little out of place.

Well, they don't show up as much on normal/easy mode, but the variety of living suits of armor (green, red, gold, black) and the diskarmor-using enemies (male and female) are new to the Wii game as far as I can tell. There might be a few more new enemies, too (HIGHLIGHT for details)(the horned skull mask scythe-wielders, the water creatures). Not sure, as I have limited experience with the PS2 version.

[thernz]

The redesign really turned me off. I think the original PS2 design was superior despite its blandness. I'd take a bland design over a terrible over-anime design any day. The bland design still feels more consistent with everything else. And consistency and harmony is kinda the top factor for any character design~

[Inccubus]

It's always safer to make stuff like that optional.

[Belmont Stakes]

     I liked the Legendary Warrior it was a very long and involving game. The camera angles were a little harsh. But the first game is and will always be more memorable. If only they could remake that game. Now to pull that off successfully would be interesting.