I am not sure what to make of the Conan demo. On one hand, I guess I should be thankful that we are getting demos. On the other hand, let’s just say that I need to withhold judgment on this one for a little while.
Conan is pure hack and slash carnage. I cannot recall a game that has this much blood, guts, beheadings, dismemberments, and then some. If you want to see an M rated game; here you go.
Supposedly the game is going to have nudity, which is another reason for the M rating, and I am sure that some well rendered breast will help push a few copies. If the opening scene in the demo is any indication, we are in for a treat. When the scantily clad vixen asks Conan if he would “serve” a woman, his reply is classic “Service” smiles “Aye” Good stuff.
I have read comparisons to the God of War titles and Heavenly Sword, but I have played neither, and it has been a while since I owned a true hack and slash game. The demo seems a little rough around the edges, the graphics, while stylistic (Dark Horse comic book like), and are not really top notch for a PS3 title. I am sure that the Xbox 360 version will look tons better, because that is pretty much how all the ports work these days. It is just a damn shame that the developers do not hold this one back for another 4-6 weeks to pretty things up, and still make the holiday season.
This is a game I want to like. I enjoy Conan – from the Robert E. Howard novels to the Conan the Barbarian movie (a staple of all males my age). I am just not so sure about this game. I know there are going to be combos and some strategy involved with the fighting action, but I also know that I just mashed buttons in the demo. I do not need a game to see boobs, so that novelty will wear thin quickly. It is also hard to justify “trying something out” for a $59.99 price point, which for this gamer, makes a huge difference over the PS2 days of $39.99-49.99 games.