Untold Legends: The Warrior's Code

"A solid Action RPG that trumps its predecessor."

Untold Legends: The Warrior's Code is the sequel to Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade, and delivers in the sense that it improves on its predecessor in almost every way.

Gameplay 7/10
This is hack and slash gameplay through and through. If you've played the original Untold Legends or any of the games that it was based on, you will know what to expect. Enter room, kill monsters, pick up loot, rinse and repeat. Every once in awhile, you will learn new skills, and fight a "boss" monster that will look bigger, and have a bit more health.

Although the game was thrashed by many review sites, if you enjoyed the original Untold Legends I can assure you that you will enjoy this one. Almost every aspect of the original has been improved upon in some way, and those atrocious load times are now a whole lot more bearable.

The game sports 5 characters, each with its unique set of special moves, although they all do play somewhat similarly in the end. Nevertheless, you will likely play through the game at least twice.

New to the series are what they call "Attacks of Opportunity" and there are even "Charge-Up" attacks that add a thin yet enjoyable layer of depth to the game. Attacks of Opportunity arise every so often on certain monsters, and by using the Square button, you can score some extra damage. Charge-Up attacks can be used at any time, and you just have to hold X to perform them. Both melee and ranged attacks can be charged up.

Also new to the game are the "Beast" forms. You will obtain "Essence" when you kill monsters, and when your Essence bar fills up, you can turn into a more powerful beast form for a short duration of time. This isn't particularly useful, but a fun addition nevertheless.

Finally, the menus have been given a major overhaul. Although not perfect, moving items around has never been easier.

Controls 8/10
The controls are a good deal better than the original, allowing you to equip 6 skills simultaneously (D-pad, Triangle, Circle). The rest is very intuitive, and works very well.

Graphics 8/10
Untold Legends: TWC uses a rather comical art style and constitutes a nice upgrade from the original. The camera has 3 different zoom modes, and can be easily rotated. You no longer have to play around with the minimap either, and it sits nicely in the top right corner.

Probably my only gripe with the graphics are that the special effects do sometimes get in the way of the action. They may look nice, but it can get confusing when they obstruct your view of the action.

Sound 6/10
The sound effects get the job done, and though the voice acting is shaky, it's nice to have it at least. The terrible music from Untold Legends has certainly improved a bit, but I would still hardly call it any good.

Final Verdict 7/10
Fans of the original Untold Legends will like this game, and should give it a try at the very least. Although the game may not be much of a step up from past Action RPGs at its core and still contains an uninvolving story, the gameplay still works, and as long as you do not expect Diablo 3, you'll have a good time.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/24/06