Ryse: Son of Rome is an action game set at the height of the Roman Empire. Stepping into the Centurion boots of Marius Titus, you set out on a quest for vengeance, after your family are slain by a group of barbarian invaders. Yet this is no straightforward story of redemption - with plenty of twists and turns to keep you going, the story is one of Ryse's strong points. At least until its ending.
The gameplay here is very combat oriented, with few chances to stray off the path the game dictates for you. Effectively, you'll be funnelled from one group of enemies to the next, as you face off against a group of foes in up close and personal combat. X is your main attack button, while Y can be used to stagger your enemies, and A handles blocks, which, when performed at the right time, can leave an opponent stunned. While early enemies can be defeated by mashing buttons, to get the advantage of later foes, you'll need to master the rhythm and timing of the game's combat system, picking your moments to attack, and parrying your enemy's strikes.
While this isn't a game that's suitable for young children on the content side of things, there's a fair few things younger children may struggle with in the game, too - not least the fact that there's a very small window in which you can press a button to reverse your opponent's move, and nothing to tell you when. With no prompt, it can sometimes feel more like luck than anything - and the game's bosses are particularly fiendish. Able to brush off your every move, it's a case of finding the one weak link in their chain of moves, and exploiting it - but that's easier said than done, and something younger children particularly may struggle with.
With regular close ups of bloody Roman combat, Ryse: Son of Rome is an incredibly gory game. Attacking enemies will leave them with deep gashes across their chest where your sword's struck, while the game's executions - a special finishing move you can trigger by pressing a button - take the violence to another level. Slowing the game down and zooming in, it's up to you to press the right button at the right time, as indicated, to finish your enemy off, as your character slices throats, impales people on swords, and removes limbs, leaving what was once your foe's arm looking more like a cartoon ham. It's very, very strong violence, and something parents should be aware of.
In terms of sex, the game does contain moderate sexual references alongside topless frontal nudity, with female dancers in an adult club cavorting provocatively as they strut their stuff. On the plus side, there's surprisingly little in the way of swearing, although b**tard and f**k can be heard at times.
Age Ratings
Format Reviewed: Xbox One
