This was one of the most hilarious games I've ever played, and I still look back on it fondly today.
In a strange fantasy land, the evil King Forge (Tony Jay- RIP) seeks to obtain the Book of Rule, a magical artifact of immense power to take over the world. Resisting him are a gang of rebels named the Lionhearts, consisting of their leader Rome (Brian George), Jonesy (Jeff Bennett) a Scottish mole, Q (Pat Fraley) a large robot who loves tea, and Rexus (John Mariano), a blind, senile old man and washed-up wizard. Together, they decide to steal the book before Forge does and thrwart the kings plans.
First of all, the game's cutscenes were full of top-notch, side-splitting humor and dialouge. There were plenty of enjoyable references, such as from Star Wars and Aliens that will catch any sci-fi fans interest. There was great voice acting from a very talented cast, such as Tony Jay, Jeff Bennett, Kath Soucie, and Brian George. Plus, the song at the ending was very catchy and fun.
The controls were pretty smooth and the features were standard for a third-person shooter at the time. While on foot, you'll control Roman and have a selection of cool weapons, such as the Fleming machine gun, Vindaloo rocket launcher, and Cyclops sniper rifle. Some of the weapons are simply hilarious, such as the Topsy Turvey bomb, which literally turns the world upside down, sending enemies falling offscreen into the air and then falling back down to their deaths once the world re-adjusts itself. And, my personal favorite, the landshark rifle, which launches a massive shark that 'swims' through the ground, and emerges beneath an unsuspecting enemy, devouring them.
You'll battle your way across more than 20 levels, all the while fighting Forges troops, such as German footsoldiers, beastmen called Grunts, evil monks, and golems. The missions were quite fun, consisting of rescuing peasants and returning them to their homes, defending towns and villages from invading armies with a huge battle turret, and destroying enemy vehicles and fortifications. About half-way through the game, Rome will even retrieve a jetpack that'll help him navigate the levels more easily.
However, the games main flaw is that the missions and objectives are quite repetitive and get dull after all while. Another serious flaw were the admittingly poor graphics and presentation, even for the time. There was clipping. Jerky and ungainly movements. The character models for the peasants all had the same ugly appearances with oversized teeth and disturbing wide-eyed gazes. All of the characters expressions never change at all no matter what their disposition was.
In the end, this was more enjoyable as a movie than a game if you only go by the cutscenes. So, by all means, give it a watch on YouTube if you're bored and looking for some laughs.
