Volgarr the Viking is exactly what it should be: an assault to the senses of those willing to take the plunge into this ultra-violent romp through a minion-drenched hell.

To many that have gotten their hands on it, Volgarr has chewed them up and spit them out. The difficulty seems to be too much. The hardest thing about Volgarr is understanding one main rule that was shared with me: there is nothing unfair about Volgarr.

So, now comes the hardest part-- putting what Volgarr is into words.



Volgarr is an old-school 16-bit side-scrolling beat-'em-up in the vein of Castlevania and Golden Axe. But what sets this game apart is the extreme difficulty when it comes to figuring out what every enemy's attack pattern is. Every enemy attacks in a certain manner, and Volgarr (while only using two buttons other than the movement keys) always has a way to dispatch them.

The other beautiful thing that this game adds is how Volgarr traverses the world that he is a part of. Volgarr is a viking, not an all-powerful god. He still has to climb ropes to get to higher places, and in some cases he has to throw his spears into walls to make new platforms. This becomes one of the most satisfying things about this game, especially when those spears double up as a weapon or a way to block projectiles from above.

To add to this already epic adventure, Volgarr the Viking has a decent soundtrack. It fits the action, and the Clash of the Titans-esque world. While it isn't the best music ever heard in a game, it totally matches the action and look of the game. Just don't go in thinking that there will be epic viking chants.