Benefiting from its mythological aura conducive to immersion, Rise of The Argonauts actually begins with a tragedy: the death of Alcemus. Promised to King Jason, the latter is attacked by an unknown deity, leading a dark group: the Black Tongues. Consumed by sadness, anger and despair, Jason decides to do everything to bring back his beauty from the kingdom of the dead as Orpheus had tried long before him. Having lost his faith in Zeus, protector of his beautiful island of Iolcos, it is with Hermes, Athena, Ares and Apollo that our hero with the beautiful goatee will find help and comfort. Driven by these Gods with a merciful appearance, Jason will have to find the Golden Fleece, a magical artifact supposed to allow him to resuscitate his dear and tender. It is in this motivating but at least different from the original story that evolves Rise of The Argonauts, which also tries to give scope to its subject with the means at hand.
The fleece sleeps
The first impressions when one embarks on Jason's frantic quest remain particularly negative, as the impression of being in front of a title dating from 5 or 6 years is obvious. Displaying poor textures, staggeringly stiff animation and graphic effects that are to video games what the plastic rocks of Z-series films are to the cinema, Rise of The Argonauts struggles to convince at first glance. The problem being that this impression turns into certainty over the places crossed and completely undermines the atmosphere, transforming an epic with deep symbolic force into a journey without contemplation or real emotion. And yet, by going through the preparatory drawings and quite simply by taking good care of the environment of the various islands visited, it is easy to realize the quality of the artistic direction. It also gives a fair image and conforms in many points to the images that the imagination can create, when places like Delphi or Mycenae are mentioned. Similarly, the architecture of the buildings – and in particular the temples – has benefited from very precise care and it is more than pleasant to stroll through monumental places, exhaling an atmosphere that is both magical and "archaeological". The latter survived only a short time against the onslaught of a dull and horribly smooth rendering.
Displaying poor textures, staggeringly stiff animation and graphical effects that are to video games what the plastic boulders of Z movies are to the cinema, Rise of The Argonauts struggles to convince at first sight.
This goodwill, veiled by an accumulation of disappointments and design errors that are hard to believe today, is found in the game system itself. Based on the hackneyed concept of the right weapon against the right type of enemy, Rise of The Argonauts still offers the choice between three offensive tools, exchangeable at any time with a simple press of RB or R1, bringing an interesting dynamism and quite enjoyable attack combinations. The spear, the sword and the club will therefore be your most faithful allies, your friends the Argonauts being quite “relatively” effective. In the same vein, you can benefit from increases in statistics or special powers by offering certain achievements to the Gods who have granted you their trust. These special attacks, most often based on elemental additions (fire, lightning, etc.) to your assaults, can also take the form of a greater propensity to break shields, or to overthrow your opponents, among other small modifications. A principle of evolution worthy of interest, embellished with the possibility of managing your character's equipment, unfortunately only available in his boat: the Argos. A somewhat visible task which is all the more noticeable in the light of the impressive softness of the fighting. Imprecise and ultimately redundant in their development, the latter are the fault of a lack of diversified attacks. The clashes are also very damaging to a fertile ground. Jason may not be cut out for the fight.
speech is golden
More comfortable in front of an interlocutor than on the battlefield, Jason adopts the dialogue system of Mass Effect in an anachronism of good quality, as the exchanges proved natural and fluid in the title of Bioware. Like the latter, the discussions of Rise of The Argonauts can modify, not directly the scenario, but the psychology of Jason and especially his affinities with such or such God according to the answers given. Obviously the divine direction you take is final and you cannot talk to the same person again in the hope of currying favor with another God. While knowing at the same time that each of them will reward you with specific abilities (different from powers or status increases) in the long term, such as better shield defense in the case of Apollo, associated with general resistance increased, or to an unparalleled handling of the spear with Athena for example. It is therefore important to pay close attention to your answers, if at least you want to evolve in a particular direction. The real test is once again to bear the worst to see the best in the distance. Indeed, the dialogue phases are as animated as a log of wood on a windless day and it will take the best will in the world to agree to listen to the long litanies – however relevant – of the different NPCs encountered throughout the game. It is during these types of events that we realize the true potential of the game.
More at ease in front of an interlocutor than on the battlefield, Jason adopts the dialogue system of Mass Effect in a good quality anachronism, as the exchanges proved to be natural and fluid in the title of Bioware.
A sort of draft with an incomprehensible quality of finish (especially since the title had to be postponed initially in early 2009, which would have done it the greatest good), Rise of The Argonauts is the very definition of an endearing title. Underlined by a quality soundtrack, full of good ideas and a gripping story, it could have easily imposed itself with its hints of KOTOR or Mass Effect as an alternative to all the raw action games released in recent years. month. We would like to believe in it every minute, we would like to let ourselves be invaded by the epic aspirations of the quest for the Golden Fleece, but everything stops the player. From the dated graphic aspect to the slowdowns, through the long loading times to the totally soporific level-design (based on long corridors in which it is easy to get lost because of an illegible and not very ergonomic map) , nothing can allow immersion to really take off. Jason wants the Golden Fleece but Rise of The Argonauts wants his skin.
