Review: 'Ryse: Son of Rome' gorgeous yet flawed epic

Brett Molina | USA TODAY

Judging by appearances alone, Ryse: Son of Rome is arguably the best looking video game for either next generation console.

Unfortunately for studio Crytek, looks aren't enough. The action game set in ancient Rome features surprisingly solid combat that grows tiresome the longer you play.

The game stars Marius Titus, a Roman soldier in search of revenge after his family is slaughtered by barbarians.

Let's start with the visuals, which are Ryse's strong suit. The game is beautiful, a clear statement of the next generation's early potential. Between incredible views, lifelike characters that show anger, fear and other emotions and chaotic battles featuring countless fighters on screen, Ryse is a stunner.

During early looks at the game, Ryse had been criticized for its devotion to the quick-time event, a sequence in video games where players press buttons when prompted quickly or suffer consequences.

While Ryse does feature a slice of that in combat, it's actually much better than demos might suggest. It's reminiscent of Batman, as players bounce between several barbarian foes with a series of sword strikes and shield bashes.

Players use a sword strike and shield attack, as well as a shield deflect to block and a roll move to evade heavier assaults. Players can tap for quick hits or hold down for a more powerful blow. When an enemy is near death, a skull pops up over his head, which allows the player to perform an execution. During this slow-motion sequence, the enemy turns shades of blue or yellow, matching the colors of the Xbox One's face buttons. So, when he turns blue, players tap the X button. When enemies use a heavy attack, they glow red to alert players to dodge. These attacks are contextual, so if an enemy is near a ledge, for example, he'll get pushed off.

When performed effectively, players earn bonuses such as health increases, extra experience points and damage bonuses. The better the timing, the higher the reward. Players can choose which stat to beef up by selecting them on the directional pad. Players can also fill a Focus meter, used to unleash a special move that slows time and allows them to quickly vanquish a group of foes.

The other key combat element involves leading your battalion in a march against barbarian hordes. During these moments, players move toward rows of enemy archers, bringing up shields to block their attacks and countering with a flurry of spears. It's a really cool thing to watch. Using Kinect, players can also bark out commands, such as issuing catapult strikes or attacks from archers.

Early on, Ryse is quite entertaining. When players get into a rhythm of deflecting attacks and countering with their own strikes, it's enjoyable.

The problem is this structure never changes. Players fight a group of enemies in standard combat, they advance their troops and battle archers, repeat, repeat, repeat. And with only a small selection of attack options to choose from, it can grow tedious.

Ryse also boasts an interesting cooperative multiplayer component, where players can either go solo or with a friend into the Colosseum to battle waves of enemies and entertain the crowd. Sometimes, players must complete specific challenges, like taking out catapults or slaying archers before clearing the wave. It's an intriguing idea, but remains hamstrung by the limited attack options.

Like Killzone for the PlayStation 4, Ryse: Son of Rome is the Xbox One's eye candy. It's breathtaking to watch, but its combat can't match the game's epic appearance.

Publisher: Microsoft

Developer: Crytek

Platform(s): Xbox One

Price: $59.99

Rating: M for Mature

Release Date: November 22

Score: 2.5 out of 4