Broken Frontier

Know, O Prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles under the stars. Hither came Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet…

And know also that the Cimmerian has now come to the Xbox360 and Playstation 3 in THQ’s action adventure game, Conan, an adaptation of the classic Robert E. Howard fantasy hero. With the 75th anniversary of the original books, the Dark Horse Comics series still going strong, and rumblings of a possible film revival, this truly seems to be a new age of Conan. How then does the video game fare?

Starting on the coast in the pirate-ridden Barachan Isles, the game follows Conan as he seeks pieces of his own lost armor, now enchanted by an ancient and malevolent power that threatens to consume the world. On the whole, Conan is a visually impressive game, with a beautiful graphics style and elaborate environments that truly bring the world of Hyboria to life. Lush jungles, ruined temples, aged exotic city-states, and foreboding deserts are each rendered with care and style, immersing the player in the lands of Howard’s imagination. The story remains true to the books and comics and the voice acting is strong throughout, particularly Ron Perlman as Conan, an inspired choice to portray the barbarian.

The game is not without its drawbacks however, the first and most obvious being the similarities to the recent hit God of War. The controls are practically identical and many of the enemies and monsters behave and even look remarkably familiar. It seems a shame that Conan, the archetypal sword-and-sorcery hero, should be in the shadow of Kratos and his adventure.

Though similar, certain aspects of the gameplay are not as strong as the game it attempts to emulate. Conan’s heavier attacks are a bit slow and clunky (though appropriately devastating if the player can survive long enough to carry them out). There are also no camera controls, which can often lead to rather awkward angles or potential threats being obscured by tree branches or a pesky wall if the player is not standing in just the right spot. The enemy AI could stand to be improved a little as well. Groups of foes frequently just stand there rather than initiating an immediate attack and stepping slightly to the side is a surprisingly effective strategy for outwitting an adversary.

Similar mixed results are produced by some of the game’s full-motion video sequences, the primary problem being that not all are full-motion. Certain characters and elements move while others remain static like an elaborate painting. This does create an interesting artistic effect, like an ancient tapestry or a comic illustration, though some players may be disappointed.

Despite these shortcomings, playing as Conan definitely has its advantages. Special attacks can be learned along the way as the player builds up experience points and these are frequently both darkly amusing and shockingly savage. "Crom’s Curse," for example, allows Conan to rip out an opponent’s heart. "Gwahlur’s Leap" achieves a visually striking jump onto an enemy’s shoulders followed by a skillful backflip. And "Cleave in Twain" is exactly as gory as it sounds. These special moves are a lot of fun to perform and wonderfully over-the-top to watch. In true Conan fashion, players can leave a trail of blood and severed body parts behind them wherever they go, a nice cathartic way to indulge one’s inner barbarian.

Gameplay is also given some variety by levels in which the player must solve puzzles, fire catapults at enemy ships, or leap across ledges while dodging obstacles. While these sequences are not anything groundbreaking, they do help to break up the monotony of eviscerating countless pirates, monsters, and Stygian soldiers.

Overall, Conan is a fairly enjoyable game though there is definite room for improvement. If this becomes a series, THQ may want to tinker with some of the game mechanics for future releases. As it stands, Conan will likely appeal more to the diehard fans who want to immerse themselves in the Hyborian Age than to hardcore gamers looking for something new.