When Gauntlet Legends first hit the arcades, I was filled with an exhilarating rush of nostalgia. The classic adventure game from the 80’s was upgraded into modern day form. It had the same play control as the original, but it had dazzling 3D graphics. Many tokens were spent in the efforts to defeat Skorne. Eventually, with the help of my friends, I found all 12 rune stones, defeated Skorne and won the free T-Shirt.
That is the essence of video games.
Gauntlet was one of the first multi-player games. Four people could get together for a common goal. Unlike the original, Gauntlet Legends has a definitive ending. Needless to say, I was really excited when I heard it was coming home to the Dreamcast.
Overall, I have been terribly disappointed with the selection of games for the Dreamcast. While I have played many, I only felt the need to buy two of them. After playing through the first two zones (12 levels), I can say it’s a worthy addition to my video game collection. I will be buying it.
For one, the home version is better than the Arcade. There are more characters to chose from. Not to mention, it’s a lot cheaper. I’d say I spent around $70 to beat Skorne in the arcades… the home version is around $45.
There’s something to be said about the Arcade experience, but I’d have to say I enjoyed Gauntlet Legends more at home. You just can’t appreciate the musical score in a noisy room. The background music is quite similar to the soundtrack of Conan The Barbarian. It’s perfect for setting the mood for a medieval battleground.
The Graphics are phenomenal. It’s light years ahead of the 80’s version, but it stays true to the original’s play-control. Finally, someone got a remake done right. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten excited about a video game, and it looks like the wait was worth it.
Then again, if you hated the original gauntlet, you’re not going to care too much for this one. Personally, I’d rather team up with my friends and fight against a common foe. The characters aren’t real and they don’t get mad when they lose. Street Fighter, Quake, Mortal Kombat, they’re all great games… but I do not believe they foster a sense of team play and comradery.
Are there flaws with Gauntlet Legends? I suppose if you nit-pick you could find a few, but to me Gauntlet Legends transcends typical video games. It’s a work of art.
The Bottom Line: If you’re looking for an excellent Role Playing game to enjoy with your friends, but don’t have a whole lot of time to spend leveling your characters, Gauntlet Legends may be just what you’re looking for.