Shadow of Rome

It's been called a circus. It's been compared to the so-called "reality" TV craze. It's been outlawed for its promotion of barbaric behavior.

Despite these frequent criticisms, millions of people lined up to see Russell Crowe slaughter a few dozen gladiators on the big screen. The History Channel has aired countless specials on the ferocious coliseum battles. Hundreds, if not thousands of books have been written about what went on before, during and after Caesar's reign.

People are fascinated by the brutality of our ancestors. It certainly makes for some good, non-interactive entertainment. But does this premise make for a good game? Capcom hopes the answer is yes with their latest fighting game-infused offspring, Shadow of Rome.

Taking place after the assassination of Caesar and the abolishment of family honor, Shadow of Rome is destined to attract two separate audiences: (A) those who love the movie Gladiator, and (B) those who love Capcom's third-person action games. Although I enjoyed Gladiator, it's Capcom's track record that made want to play this game so badly, a game that plays like Onimusha with clunky controls and a free-roaming camera.

 
Can I get a mop on aisle five?

Shadow of Rome's engine is powered with polygons, some of which are beautiful, but the majority of the backgrounds are somewhat bland. The overall look and feel brings back memories of the too-soon-forgotten Rygar remake.

However, this game isn't about platform jumping, environment smashing, or repetitive item collecting. Shadow of Rome is akin to the Dynasty Warriors series in that it's a continuous run of battles from the opening sequence to the ending credits. The path rarely deviates, and when it does it's only to reveal more about the plot or to switch gameplay perspectives (chariot racing/battling, anyone?).

I love Capcom games, the Mortal Kombat series, and the fighting genre in general, so I couldn't help but enjoy the freedom this game offers during coliseum battles. Any sword is yours for the taking. Any shield can be stolen, just as armor and weapons can. Weapons can be wrestled away, or you can hit the enemy with a hard blow, either with or without a weapon in hand, to make them drop their slicing apparatus. Human flesh isn't sword resistant, raising health-care costs with the loss of appendages. As with most things in life, one man's loss is another man's gain. See a body part lying around? Pick it up for some man-a-mano arm-hitting action.

All weapons are perishable, including body parts. Body parts tend to diminish the quickest; two-handed weapons last the longest. The one-handed swords and spiked club-type weapons will get you through a few of enemies, though the longevity shrinks if the enemy blocks with a shield. Shields are perishable, too.

Winning is a matter of quick fighting game-style skills (something anyone who's played Devil May Cry already has). Since weapons do not last forever as they do in Onimusha and Devil May Cry, the acquisition of new weapons is one of the primary goals. Sometimes having the wrong weapon (or no weapon) will be the only thing that can stand in your way to victory.

 
More pain. Who saw this coming?

Once you've made a few kills, staining the arena until the rain washes away your sins, the audience will beg you to appeal to them. Hold up your arms – let them cheer you on. If they like what you've done thus far, they'll toss over a powerful weapon. If your health is low they might toss over a large piece of meat, which you can pick up and eat to replenish a portion of your energy meter. Eating leaves you open to attack, but you can eat really fast by tapping the square button. It might cause indigestion, but I'm sure you can live with the stomach pains if it means saving a hand. After all, how can you go mano-a-mano without a mano?

These elements are lost when fighting outside the coliseum, but there's always a way to obtain what you need, even if it means fighting an oversized mini-boss with bare hands to get it.

Third-person action games always face the same problem: repetition (the Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid series are two of the rare exceptions). Onimusha dealt with repetition by having polished controls, an addictive combo scheme, and a great weapon upgrade system (which encourages you to keep playing). Devil May Cry had similar ways of dealing with it. Chaos Legion, the monster-summoning kill-fest, didn't deal with it so well. It had the ailment that hurts good games more than anything else: problematic controls.

Shadow of Rome's controls aren't problematic, but they're far from perfect. There are few times in this game when the experience feels seamless. The camera is easy to control but awkward in its positioning. It'll snap into place when locking on to an enemy, but there are times when you need to attack multiple enemies. It's usually easier to do that when you're not targeting a specific foe. This means that while the gladiator might be facing his enemies, the camera may not, creating a bit of frustration during the more challenging parts of the game.

 
It's a rare moment when someone isn't being slaughtered.

Imperfectly designed and repetitively played as so many games are, Shadow of Rome doesn't do what it could have done for the genre. But – and this is a bigger but than any that could have been used when talking about Chaos Legion – this is not a bad game. It might sound strange to say that the buckets of blood, the slicing of arms, and the usage of body parts in battle is rewarding, but it actually is. Violence is fun when it's fictional, and there are few games available that are as bloody as Shadow of Rome. Consider it an homage to the Mortal Kombat series.

Gameplay: 7.5
If this were a golf simulator, all the players would shout GORE! Grab your favorite deadly weapon (or whichever one isn't currently in the hands of the enemy), put on some shiny armor, and go on a journey of hack-'n'-slash and slash-'n'-hacking. Shadow of Rome has its share of repetition, clunky controls, and a boring palette of polygons, but its high points - gory battles and an open-ended weapon system - make it a must-rent for anyone who desires such entertainment.

Graphics: 6.9
Although cinematic times (and features gorgeous computer-generated movies), Shadow of Rome's graphics are extremely disappointing. I know PlayStation2 is quickly reaching the end of its lifespan, but the lighting and shadow effects, detailed characters, smooth animation, and lifelike environments featured in other Capcom games prove that Shadow of Rome could have looked two to three times better.

Sound: 8.0
Shadow of Rome’s sound is far more epic than the game itself. The courageous music, the roaring audience, the removal of body parts – more games should be so entertaining to the ears.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Not one of Capcom's most challenging adventures. If you've gotten through Dynasty Warriors or Devil May Cry, Shadow of Rome will pose no threat to your skills.

Concept: 7.0
I like the idea of coliseum battles. I like that you can venture beyond the coliseum and battle in ways that you don't see in the movies like Gladiator.

Redeeming as those things are, Shadow of Rome is yet another take on the Onimusha series, which was originally a spin-off of the Resident Evil series.

Overall: 7.5
Red is the color of love and Valentine's Day, according to most candy/diamond advertisements. Here it's the color of a fun and brief-but-moderately-rewarding relationship. You might not remember this game's name in the morning. But when a decent hack-'n'-slasher invites you over for some fun, how can you possibly say no?