Viking: Battle for Asgard is the type of game we can't help but shake our heads at because of the wasted potential. Here's an attractive hack-and-slash fantasy adventure with landfills of gore, fire-breathing dragons and a humongous, open world, yet its pathetic story and a few bizarre gameplay decisions make it at times a snooze-fest. Yet, despite its issues, we chipped away at the campaign because we sort of admire what its publisher, Sega, got right.

At first glance, Viking looks amazing, set in an ancient fantasy world where Skarin, the supposed savior of Asgard, sets off on a dangerous journey to rid the land of demon warriors led by Hel, the goddess of death. What ensues is a decent hack-and-slash adventure, with you chopping monsters to bits with your axe and sword, lopping off heads, limbs and slicing torsos in half, watching entrails and blood explode from torn bodies. Meanwhile, you have this sprawling, open world to explore, so you're free to go wherever you please and pick fights with enemies, busting up small camps and freeing your fellow soldiers. Viking's biggest feature, however, are its immense battles. Raising an army enables you to lead hundreds of soldiers into battle Braveheart-style, and the game runs decently enough, proudly displaying these grand skirmishes. You can even summon dragons to your cause, which gracefully swoop down and torch your opponents.
Adding the ability to use magic throw axes and hunt for gold, and you have a recipe for an awesome game.

We soon discovered, however, that Viking lacks a soul. Sega and the game's developer, The Creative Assembly (Total War), do a lackluster job telling the story, failing to instill Skarin with personality. Instead of looking at him as a revenge hungry warrior, he's just some guy that attacks monsters for kicks. And don't expect to care about the people you liberate, because the cut scenes and wooden voice acting add meaning to the cause. Because of this, Viking quickly degenerates into a bland action adventure that pales in comparison to the narrative rich God of War franchise, which succeeds not only for its exquisite gameplay, but also for its excellent storytelling.

Furthermore, certain things about Viking bother us, such as repeatedly pausing the game to check the map for objectives. Sega lets you mark your next location and follow icons on the in-game mini map, but we still found ourselves interrupting the action more than we wanted to.

In addition, we grew tired of the excessive button mashing to open treasure chests, unlock doors and free our comrades. You press the same button every time, and as you frantically mash it, the game displays a big icon reminding you what to press. Simply pressing and holding it seems like the better decision. Of course, it would help if the game recognized us trying to untie people. More often than not, it fails to display the option to free them, forcing us to shift Skarin around until the game realizes what we need to do. Too bad this time-wasting glitch results in players taking an axe to the back.

Then there's your soldiers, whom you have no control over. Freeing them has its advantages, since Sega programmed them to engage enemies in the area. Most times, however, they just run to the nearest Leystone, a giant obelisk that teleports Skarin around the map, and disappear. So, you're left fighting solo in a game that promotes group combat. You can't even hop online and slaughter monsters with a friend.

Even worse, the game hints at excitement and then fails to deliver. Early on, we were told that our men were afraid to explore a cave and we eagerly delved into its depths, hoping to discover new monsters and challenges. Instead, we came across the same creatures we slaughtered 10 minutes prior and easily completed the challenge. What a waste of time.

Despite these issues, we appreciate Viking for what it is, a semi-mindless and bloody adventure. Sega missed a grand opportunity to make it epic, but the sweet decapitations are a decent way to pass the time. Just don't expect to form a deep connection with Skarin or care that you saved anyone meaningful. Viking: Battle for Asgard has its moments, but it fails to stand out amongst its competition, making it an ideal weekend rental.

Related Links

Viking: Battle for Asgard Xbox 360 Game Guide

Viking: Battle for Asgard PS3 Game Guide