Gauntlet Legends

"Those who like fighting and RPG, Gauntlet is here."

I was at this sleep over one day when one of the people there brought out a game called Gauntlet. It looked kind of cool so I played it a little and got to liking it. You know how it goes, liking leads to renting, and renting leads to buying.

Gauntlet is one of those fighting/rpg games that take no real effort to learn, but a lot of skill to beat. You start off as either a warrior, valkyrie, archer, or magician. They all have their own good points and weaknesses so that one is not better than the other. Through the course of the game you can find characters of the same fighting type to replace the weaker originals. But wait, there is more. You can find weapons in all levels that make the ones to come easier to handle, there are special weapons that make the bosses easier to defeat, the levels gain more enemies the more levels you gain, and at level 25 you get a familiar (fancy word for pet) that attacks with you. Whew, all this and more makes Gauntlet a really fun game.

Gameplay – The controls are easy to learn, but do not let that be an omen to how the game actually is. The levels can get quite hard at times and life could be a real problem. Not to mention the puzzles ( yes I said puzzles). The puzzles are what add flavor to the game, what make the levels harder to get through. Along with this is the fact you have to find 13 runestones and touch special obelisks to be able to beat the game. Another great feature is the multiplayer mode. It is basically the same as 1 player, but there are more than 1 player. Multiplayer really comes in handy when your stuck on a level and you need someone else help getting through it. Overall, the gameplay is a great part of this game. Gameplay rating – 10/10

Story – I would be willing to bet that you would like to know why you are going through different parts of this world hacking apart monsters. Well, in the beginning sequence you see this one idiot summoning a demon. He losses control and the demon, Skorn, goes on a rampage. First, he spreads a bunch of monster generators from the underworld to the world above. Then, he strips the chief wizard, Sumner, of his power and puts in an obelisk. As his final act he takes the 13 runestones (they open a portal to the underworld) and scatters them throughout the world and heads to a temple to rule all (always the story, isn’t it?). Now, Sumner needs your help since he is helpless to do anything. This story is very well put together and intrigues almost anyone interested in it. Story rating – 10/10

Sound – Out of all the good games out there, at least one aspect has to suck, the sound being Gauntlet’s. It really is not that bad, but it has problems. These problems are mainly when something is trying to talk to you, like if you get a runestone Sumner will say something that most the time you can not make out. Same thing goes for when a boss is defeated, but this time Skorn is yelling something almost completely inaudible. The rest of the sound is great. The fighting has great sound effects and if nothing is happening you can even hear the character walking. Sound rating – 6/10

Music – There is really not much to say about the music other than it was disappointing. The least they could do is make it loud enough to hear amidst the fighting. When you can hear the music it does capture the moment perfectly, but that is only if you can. Music rating – 7/10

Graphics – Now we are talking, the graphics is one of the best parts of the game. The fighters look like actual warriors and the enemies look like they actually came from the underworld. The levels look real enough that you get the impression that you are actually in the given area you are playing in. However, the best graphics go to the bosses. These guys are made to look so evil that you can not help to want to rip them apart. Graphics rating – 10/10

Replayability – When you beat the game after many hours labor there are still a few things to do. You do not get any special levels or anything, your basically left with the portals to levels you have beaten. But do not get disappointed, because with Sumner’s special gift you can have a little more laid back fun with the levels. If this is not your thing, than there really isn’t anything left to do. Oh well, hopefully you had fun. Replayability rating – 8/10

In conclusion, I give Gauntlet an 8/10, because it is really fun, but when you lose interesting it, even the slightest bit, it takes a lot to bring it back. I would recommend to anyone to at least try this game, see if you like it. If you like it, buy it. It is worth the money.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/24/02, Updated 02/24/02