"A hack and slash with gore but the graphics need a bit more"

This is a Hack and Slash where you as a character called Paul must cut your way through Monks, Knights and Bishops to stop an "evil rite" from happening and save the girl.

Using a sword, an axe, a staff and a bow, rid the world of evil. Granted there are upgrades and a few puzzles thrown in here and there, but that is the basic idea.

I will start by saying that as soon as you start this game you notice straight away that the graphics are, to be blunt, awful. It starts with a long cutscene with poor layering, the picture is grainy and you are given the impression that the Gamecube's power could have been used a lot more efficiently.

The actual game itself seems to have better graphics then the cutscenes, with blood spurting everywhere. The graphics however are the games big let down, with some N64 games looking better then these, for example Ocarina of Time and Wave Race 64's graphics far surpassing the graphics of this game.

Set in medieval times, you must stop the evil Bishop. As you get further into the game, you increase in rank and get combos and special moves. Whilst they aren't the be all and end all of this game, they do help to mix it up a little. There's nothing quite like knocking down 5 monks at once with a spin attack and then impaling them. There are some finishing moves which the game implements from time to time which look impressive as Paul puts his foot on an enemies shoulder and inserts his sword into the enemies body right down to th hilt before kicking it in the chest to get it off the end of the blade.

However, for most people, this game will get boring fast. It is really just cutting your way through enemies, picking up the key and moving on to the next room. There are few "spells" to be amazed at, all of them being regenerative spells of spells that make you stronger, not making you fight with fire or anything like that.

Surprisingly enough, while the story appears to be kill the bad guys and save the girl, there is a good plot. There are twists in the right places and cutscenes which make you curious as to what will happen next.

The controls for Knights of the Temple are quite responsive. There are times when you will get irritated because Paul pulled the wrong lever or turned the wrong crank but on the whole the controls are good. Also, the game has a targeting system that is useful and effective but unfortunately, tends to let you down when you are fighting many enemies at once.

The music in this game is by Within Temptation and is very good. It sets the scenes perfectly, making you feel in danger, or calm and at times sending a shiver down your spine. There are occasional spoken lines which get irritating after a while. By the end of the game, you will have heard the phrase "How interesting" far too many times as Paul says this every time he picks up a health potion. The other effects such as after you impale a monk on the end of your sword, he groans realistically, subtly adding to the atmosphere. The clash of swords sounds subtly different to when you attack someone with a mace. It all adds up and gives the game a well rounded off feel.

In conclusion, this is a well thought out game, but it's graphics let it down. It is a good game to play but would be better if it had a multiplayer aspect. The controls are simple and the story is quite good. I would recommend anyone to rent this game or to buy it if it can be found second hand. This is not a game you should spend more then £10 - £15 on.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/09/06