Few companies are able to look back at the 16-bit era of console gaming with as much pride as Sega. The list of top-notch properties it nurtured in this period is staggering – numerous titles can be listed from the top of most gamers’ heads, including hits such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, OutRun, Phantasy Star, Virtua Fighter, Alex Kidd, Kid Chameleon, Shinobi… this could go on a while.
Sega’s Golden Axe can also claim to truly be one of the 16-bit era’s ‘golden’ properties, though despite four main outings and another three spin-offs it’s the 1989 Mega Drive original (or perhaps the arcade version) that most gamers will remember.
Golden Axe’s roots actually lie in another memorable title also designed by Makoto Uchida – Altered Beast. Though not necessarily remembered for its quality, the fact that Altered Beast was bundled with the Mega Drive in Europe means that it, perhaps more than any other Mega Drive title, has been played by nearly all those who owned the system.
Strangely, the sequel to Golden Axe, which was released in 1991, was a Mega Drive exclusive, whilst the third instalment, Golden Axe: Revenge of the Death Adder, was an arcade-only outing, and aside from Sega Saturn spin-off Golden Axe: The Duel, remains the only proper 32-bit outing for the franchise. A third instalment was released on the Mega Drive in 1993, and is still regarded by many as being the series’ pinnacle.
After a 14-year break, however, Sega has now seen fit to resurrect the series for the current generation of machines – this time with Iron Man developer Secret Level at the helm.
Unsurprisingly, the 2D approach of old has been ditched in favour of a modern 3D perspective. As the name of the game suggests, the thrust of this outing is not just barbarians, goblins and magic, but also beasts – all of which can be mounted and used against opponents. Beasts are often discovered, but can also be stolen from aggressors or even summoned in the heat of battle.
Impressive too is the range of creatures on display – be it the Lynth with its power to turn invisible, the dragon-like Abrax, the heavily armoured Krommath or the ape-like Mirigore. Much emphasis is also placed on the magic system, which is once again dictated by mana – and players will fondly remember the meteor crashing attacks of the first game.
Though Sega will obviously be targeting its retro fans with this release, it will also be hoping to draw in a new band of followers to its classic series.
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