Substract Stars: - 1 when you don't like old hardcore Dungeon Crawlers - 1 when you don't are a collector - 1 when you need acceptable graphics and sound - 1 when you not have much time - 1 when it's not on sale
To understand what this game is all about and why it is the cult apogee in it's own genre you have to look on the history of 2D-Fighting games and not of RPGs or Action-Adventures. In the 1980's on home computers like C64 and Amiga there where the two 2D fighting games: Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax The first had classic single screen arena stage fights and the second a 'story' mode with multi screen interconnected rooms filled with monsters, items etc. All this in an archaic fantasy Conan sword fight setting. And they where the first fighting games with GORE (blood/beheading). Severance - Blade of Darkness is basically Barbarian II with a 3d Engine. It is not so much a 'predecessor' for later games, it is much more a culmination of all what was good in a very special sub-genre! And it REALLY hit's "the ball out of the park" in this regard. We are talking about a gory Conan swordplay 3d fighting game! With single player 'story' mode! You want to run endlessly through spectacular Dungeons in a not so much medieval but more archaic megalithic/bronze/stone age setting, where men are brimmed with anabolic steroids and standard womens' clothing is the bikini? Only raison d'être should be to masterfully make sushi out of your opponents with cold steel, while avoiding to slip in the bloody mess? This is what you should expect and this is what you will get delivered. Welcome to Barbarian III.
