WeaponLord

"Weaponlord is victorious!!!"

Where to begin...I guess it all started back in '94 when the first Gamepro article about Weaponlord was published. I read and as I did I couldn't help but get more and more excited. An original weapons-based fighting game, using barbarians, amazons and witches? Around this point I pooped myself. And here's the kicker: A plot! now on to my review.

Story:10/10
In most fighting game reviews, this is the section that usually scores the lowest. Luckily, that has no consequences because fighting games don't really need a story. This game, however says ''NO!'' to fighting game stereotypes and has one. Not only does it have a story, it has a GOOD one at that. It goes a little something like this: In an ancient time the Demonlord Raith conquers many lands. A shaman tells the Demon that on the night of the Warrior's Moon, children will be born destined to face Raith and slay him. Unheeding of the shaman's advice, Raith allows the children born that night to live. Pretty snazzy if I do say so myself. Now as you complete the game in Arcade mode, you get to learn about your character's past. The harder the difficulty, the longer the ending. Secondly, in story mode you get to see the fate of you character as they defeat Raith. The best part about story mode is, the endings change according to who you kill/don't kill. I won't spoil anything for you, but trust me when I say that Korr's ending is a sad one.

Graphics:10/10
Let me say that these are without a doubt the best graphics on a SNES fighting game. You want large characters, you've got them. Bane is especially large. What's that? Detailed sprites you say? Weaponlord delivers! I often find myself pausing the game in the middle of a heated battle just so I can ogle over the graphics. Sometimes I find it a bit suspect, but I can't help but stare at Korr or Bane's sprites. They're so detailed down to the last vein that you can practically smell the sweat. As far as the animation goes, its sufficient. I wish I could say more, but I can't. The animation gets the job done, but there's nothing 'extraordinary' about it.Yes, yes, that's all well, but what about the backgrounds you ask? Well it's safe to say the the developers put as much TLC into the backgrounds as they did to the characters they belong to. Divada's stage the ''Evil Sands'', contains some awesome scrolling effects and an ominous tower bursting with magic in the back is a nice touch. Each stage does an excellent job relating to the characters you fight there. Bane's stage the ''Cursed Path'' is a barren, tundra like wasteland, with ravenous wolves in the back and a raging blizzard going on all around. Suffice to say, the character design is awesome, the background design complements the characters very well. But how's the gore? Not too much, not too little, that's how I see it. When you strike someone, a nice gush of blood squirts out, however it vanishes once it reaches the ground. The finishing moves are realistic enough to make you go ''WHOA'', but cartoonish enough for you to have fun. All in all, this game is an artistic achievement full of character and wonder.

Sound:10/10
The sound in this game is nothing short of awesome. Every sound fits the game well, especially the loud *CLANG* of weapons colliding. Also, there seems to be a constant reverb effect on the voice samples which adds an 'epic' touch. Something about Zarak yelling ''KILL!'' and having it echo really gets to me. The music is exactly what you would expect form a Barbarian fighting game. Lots of percussion and rhythmic sounds, as well as some more modern music. Zorn and Bane's stages come to mind, both feature riffalicious rock tunes that manage to fit with the environments. Imagine that, distortion guitar and barbarians mix. For the most part it's drums and horns though, Jen-tai's stage comes to mind. Her background has a particularly sweeping tune, that builds up end explodes rather nicely. All in all the sound does a good job to round out the package. Granted, there aren't exactly a lot of samples per character, but after a while you don't really notice or care. I should also say that the decapitations(more on them later) also contain that very pleasing *CLANG!* when you separate your opponents head from their body.

Gameplay:10/10
Surely something has to be wrong with this game, right? Wrong, every aspect of the game was made with a lot of TLC, and it shows. Gameplay is rather sluggish, but what do you expect, these are 2-400 pound people swinging 30-100 pound weapons, they aren't going to be fast. With that in mind, you still have a lot of options. Sick of that turtle over there who won't leave that corner, *BAM!* guard drop him and make his defenses useless. Guard drops, never before seen in a fighting game, done here first (KOF didn't get them until '96). But wait, there's more: sick of that guy constantly poking you from a distance with his sword?*SMASH!* Break his weapon, give him a little handicap, weapon breaks done here first. Don't like blocking because it's inefficient, *PARRY!* and counterattack. This game has 5(!) different parries per character, 1 in the air,3 standing, and 1 crouching. Parrying is awesome because it leaves your opponent open to attack/combo. Sometimes, after a parry, if you strike at your opponents knee you cause them to stumble, leaving them open for even more decimation. Utilizing all of these tactics get you one step closer to the rank WEAPONLORD, but first you need to combo. Combos are the bread and butter of this game, and of every game thereafter also. However, combos in this game aren't of the MK variety, you'll need some skills to pull them off, as well as 3 extra fingers. After a good amount of time spent with the game though, you'll be able to pull off anything from corny 4-hitters to jaw-dropping 13 hit combos that make your opponents cry. But you're all spoiled. You say to me ''Guard drops, weapon breaks, 5 different parries, stumbling, and crazy combos are all nice, but I want MORE!'' And dare I say there is more, in the form of finishing moves. Not to be confused with MKs 'fatalities' WL's finishing moves require skill and dexterity to pull off. Instead of being given the time to perform a specified button combination to see a specified move; you have to ''Take the Time''(Dream Theater rulZ!!), and skillfully combo in certain special moves at the end of the fight. Once you learn how to do that, disembowelments, decapitations, mutilations, and eviscerations are all at your fingertips. So much to learn, even more to master.

Summary
In the end Weaponlord turns into a butterfly and takes you off into a dark land of Swords, Sorcery, and Slicing. It never got the recognition it truly deserved, but I as well as those that still play it know of its greatness. I guess it makes it more of a personal experience that way. An innovative game that came to bring us the trademarks of most modern weapon-based fighting games, and even some non weapon ones. Perhaps one day the brilliant DJAMES will get the chance to unleash the beast once again. The day will come when those who shunned this game(EGM) will know of their folly. Until then, I wait.....

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/29/04