3ERDC Berserk

Sometimes you need to play a game full of mindless violence. I mean,
there really is no better way to relieve the stresses of everyday life then
by decapitating diseased monsters with a seven foot sword. And that's
what Sword of the Berserk is all about---a hack and slash action game
packed full of more violence then most people care to see. And let me
tell you, this game has blood. A lot of blood. Bright red blood that floods
the screen with every swing of your sword.

Sword of the Berserk, which is based on a Japanese Anime, was brought
over to the States courtesy of Eidos---who, rumor has it, decided to add
even more blood for its domestic release. The result of Eidos' ambitious
localization effort is a very enjoyable action game that has even been
tagged "the bloodiest game ever." Obviously the game is rated mature
and if excessive violence is not your thing then you should probably stay
away from Sword of the Berserk; but if blood and massacre are right up
your ally then read on, because this game has even more to offer.

Gameplay

You control the ruthless warrior Gatsu (who is appropriately nicknamed
Guts) in his quest to find a cure for his delirious girlfriend, Casca. Guts'
search eventually leads him to a land that has been taken over by
parasitic plants called Mandragorans. These plants are infecting the
villagers and turning everyone into uncontrollable monsters.

Enter the hero Guts, who meets with the king of the land and accepts his
request to take out the Mandragorans under the stipulation that Casca
will be cured. Armed with his seven foot sword, the Dragon Slayer, as
well as a crossbow, daggers, grenades, and a canon, Guts gets right
down to business.

While you can probably get through the game by button mashing, the
battle system is actually well thought out and quite useful once
mastered. Guts has unlimited ammo in his crossbow and an unlimited
number of daggers to throw at enemies for long distance attacks, as well
as grenades to give him some breathing room. He can also sheath his
sword and fight in hand-to-hand combat, which becomes extremely
handy when fighting in tight spaces. The AI is quite impressive, as
enemies will try to attack in groups or use long-range attacks to nail you
from afar.

Unfortunately, camera angles can be extremely awkward at times and is
definitely an issue during the game. While the camera often pulls up for a
top view during tight corners, which works well, more often than not you
will find yourself getting a little frustrated. A button to rotate the camera
angle may have helped a little but, of course, there is no such feature in
this game.

I also have mixed feelings about the story and how it affects gameplay. If
you are into the story, which might be the case because it is very
adequate, be prepared to watch an unbelievable number of cutscenes.
I'm talking like two-thirds of the entire game here! There are points in
this game where you might as well just set the controller down because
of the lengthy cutscenes. The result is an action game that feels more
like a movie. While some people may enjoy this, others will want to get
back to the mindless killing as quickly as possible.

Fortunately you are given the option to skip these cutscenes and a few
of them are even a little interactive as they require you to push a button
at a certain time (think Quick Timer Events from Shenmue). The story
itself is acceptable for the type of game that Berserk is. While some may
find it intriguing, I found it to be just another variation of countless other
games---leading to a stale and dull experience for myself. But hey, the
killing is still a blast.

73%

Graphics

The graphics in Berserk are actually quite good. While the character
models are not quite as detailed as some of the Dreamcast's other
games, they are quite close. The frame-rate rarely suffers, even when
there are dozens of characters on screen and the textures and
environments are incredibly detailed.

Likewise, the character animation is very well done as is the violence---
enemies are sliced in half, beautifully detailed blood squirts
everywhere---it's all very pleasing to the eyes.

89%

Sound

Finally, a company that takes the time and effort to localize a game with
real voice-acting! Berserk features some of the best voice-acting on the
Dreamcast as most of the voices are spot on with their characters and
don't speak lines that make you laugh uncontrollably. Other companies
should take note and put as much into their voice-acting as Eidos has
with Berserk.

Furthermore, the in-game music is very appropriate---shifting flawlessly
to capture the changing environments (such as boss battles) and the
sound effects are very good as well (just wait till you hear your sword
clang off stone walls).

95%

Replay Value

Even though the game itself is incredibly short (especially if you skip the
cutscenes), the developers did everything they could to try and add
replay value. And while you probably won't come back for the story,
there are enough unlockable goodies to keep you interested.

Found under the "prize box" in the main menu, you are able to unlock
countless features depending on what difficulty level you beat the game
at. There are several new play modes that can be unlocked, including a
mini-game, a battle arena where you can fight all the bosses, and a stage
select mode that allows you to start at any point you wish. You can also
watch all the cutscenes from the game and read about individual
characters.

While nothing too spectacular (a multiplayer mode could have been
interesting), the prize box is a worthy attempt to make you want to come
back. Unfortunately, it's not always enough.

67%

Overall

Overall, Eidos has delivered an enjoyable beat-em-up slasher that boasts
superb graphics and sound. Even though the story is nothing too
spectacular and there are a few gameplay issues, Berserk can be
thought of as a successful upgrade from the once classic 2D genre into
that beloved third dimension. Not everyone is going to like it, but when
taken for what it is supposed to be, Berserk is one of the better games
out there. Definitely a sleeper hit.

79%