Hail!

Behold! Vikings!

So, I recently picked up Viking: Battle for Asgard. I’ve had my eye on it for a while, and the price is finally low enough for a poor college student such as myself to afford. Hail discounts!

Anyways, I read plenty of reviews beforehand and most sites and mags gave it a solid 7.4 out of 10. Now, I’m a child of the Legend of Zelda worshiping tribe, so any time I can get my hands on a decent hacker/slasher adventure fantasy title I’m set for about a month or two. Then if you throw in a heavy dose of one of my favorite mythologies, this case being Norse, I’m as happy as a headcrab with a new host. The gameplay is pretty decent and has some of the best combat physics and character animations I have ever seen. Some bits of the game are ripped straight from God of War, but its hard to find a game these days that doesn’t adapt an idea from another. Its bloody good fun.

But of course, no game is absolutely perfect, and Viking is no exception. Skarin, our clean-shaven protagonist, runs (or rather lumbers) like he has cinder blocks tied to his toes. Considering how little armor he is wearing, he should be much more spry. The combat does get a bit repetitive, but when you engage in a full-scale battle and the hockey gloves come off, its just gets plain fun and brutal. Dynasty Warriors wishes it could pull of battles like this. But my main beef with this game is the soundtrack…or complete lack thereof. Seriously, this game doesn’t have music whatsoever during the actual gameplay. There is even an option in the menu to toggle the music. So unless “on” really means “off”, this game doesnt have a soundtrack at all except at the options screen.

So here’s where gamer ingenuity comes in. I also just got into the metal band Amon Amarth. For those of you of the non-nerd persuasion, “Amon Amarth” is Tolkein’s Elvish for “Mountain of Destiny” or as it is commonly known as “Mount-fucking- Doom”.

All together now: NEEEERRRDDSS!!

Now, I dare you to say that to their faces

They are in a special class of Metal known as Viking Metal. Its kind of a sub-group of Power Metal, but very specific. Their songs are all about viking mythology, warriors, battle, gods etc. Its pretty damn over the top, but its really awesome music. Whenever I listen to them, I dont know whether to laugh or pound my chest, grab the axe I have hidden under my desk and go pillage and burn something. Its a fun dilemma.

So, plugging my iPod into my 360 and uploading Amon Amarth’s newest album, “Twilight of the Thunder God” makes a perfect (and I mean perfect) soundtrack for “Viking”. The game doesnt get points for not having its own music, but it definitely earns a special place in my book for allowing me to combine a new favorite band and awesome combat gameplay. Seriously, there are few things more satisfying than cleaving an enemy into five pieces during a face-melting guitar solo.

Rock on

P.S. I really do have an axe hidden under my desk. Just in case.