Ryse: Son of Rome (Video Game Review)

Ryse: Son of Rome originally released as an Xbox One launch exclusive title on November 22 of last year, and the game makes its highly anticipated release on PC this month. The new release looks better than ever on top of the line PCs that are capable of producing graphic quality that surpasses that seen on Xbox One and makes Ryse: Son of Rome quite possibly the best looking game of all-time. The release also packs all previously released DLC released for Xbox One for the low price of $39.99 on PC to make this the definitive version of the game. Ryse: Son of Rome still is not without some problems including combat that feels repetitive and a short campaign that doesn't hold much replay value, but Ryse: Son of Rome is still worth checking out for PC owners due to the game's sheer beauty.

Ryse: Son of Rome features a grand storyline that follows Roman soldier Marius Titus, who quickly rises through army ranks in pursuit of revenge against a barbarian group that murdered his family. There are plenty of interesting characters introduced throughout the game from the corrupt political family that play prominent roles later in the game to the gods that pull the strings behind the scenes. The narrative is full of betrayal and tragedy, and a great ending only sets up what could be a great series moving forward for developer and publisher Crytek.

Combat in Ryse: Son of Rome is simple and yet interesting enough to keep players interested throughout the game's brief campaign. Many enemies can be taken out by mashing on the attack buttons before hitting the correctly colored button to execute a damaged enemy. The game gets a bit more complex in later stages of the game with the introduction of new enemy types and special moves such as double executions, but some gamers will still feel unimpressed by what the game offers in terms of battling against enemies.

The world of Ryse: Son of Rome is beautiful but a bit too straightforward for many gamers' tastes. Most levels are incredibly linear and take the player down a single path and the same enemy encounters on consecutive playthroughs. The game does feature some hidden collectibles to find including scrolls and concept art that often lie just outside of the beaten path. A few levels feature a couple of forks in the road as well, though they all eventually lead to the same outcomes. The tedious nature of combat and lack of exploration limits replay value with the title and makes purchasing Ryse: Son of Rome a bit of a less worthwhile investment for gamers that want to get the most value out of their gaming budget.

Once the game's campaign has been enjoyed to its fullest, players can head to the Colosseum featured in Ryse: Son of Rome for some multipalyer action. All gold and experience points earned in the game's main campaign carries over to the multiplayer component of the game, and there are even more character customization options available for Colosseum characters. The multiplayer mode takes players to different arenas across 26 different maps to fight waves of enemies while fighting side by side with a second player online. Multiplayer in Ryse: Son of Rome does add a bit more depth to the game, but it's not nearly as exciting as playing through the game's cinematic and action packed campaign for the first time.

For the PC release of Ryse: Son of Rome, Crytek has included all previously released DLC for the game on Xbox One at no additional charge. This includes the Colosseum Pack, Mars' Chosen Pack, Duel of Fates Pack and Morituri Pack. In total, the additional content adds 5 character skins, 13 Arena maps and Survival Mode with three additional Survival maps. For players that enjoy Ryse: Son of Rome's horde like multiplayer, the added content is very welcome and gives a bevy of additional options when setting up for online matches.

Ryse: Son of Rome was already one of the most visually impressive video games of all-time, but the new PC release further pushes the boundaries of the graphical capabilities of video games on the highest end PC rigs. The game is fully playable on lesser PCs, but gamers that have invested heavily in their hardware will be rewarded greatly with the amazing capabilities of Ryse: Son of Rome on PC. The game's presentation is also noteworthy for including very strong sound design that matches the cinematic qualities of the game with fantastic voice acting, great sound effects and themes that will get any gladiator's blood pumping faster.

Ryse: Son of Rome was a fun release on Xbox One, and the game is even better on PC. The title includes all previously released DLC for the game, and gamers with powerful computers will finally realize the next generation of gaming with the new title. While Ryse: Son of Rome has its problems that aren't limited to the game's simplistic combat and brief campaign, the game is still very enjoyable and is a title every fan of the action genre should experience for themselves. Fight for the glory of Rome in Ryse: Son of Rome on PC today!

Ryse: Son of Rome is now available for Xbox One and PC and can be purchased for the MSRP of $39.99. Ryse: Son of Rome is rated M by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content & Strong Language. For more information on the game, check out the official Ryse: Son of Rome website.

Game Features:

• Online Multiplayer 1-2
• Unlockable Skills and Customizable Multiplayer Characters
• Earn Experience Points and Levels Across Campaign and Multiplayer
• Includes Post Launch DLC for Xbox One
• Achievement Support

Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Crytek
Platforms: Xbox One & PC (reviewed)
Release Date: October 10, 2014

Score: 8 out of 10