Rygar (PS2) - Cheap Games That Aren't Worthless

Rygar: The Legendary Adventure is a linear 3-D Action-Adventure game, inspired by the original Rygar arcade, by Tecmo for the PlayStation 2. It was well-liked upon its release in 2002, but now feels buried in the sixth console generation's massive 3-D action library and tainted by its Wii re-release.

It's a good, easily-attainable game that will spice up (and deserves to be in) most PlayStation 2 collections.








I believe games should be considered for their aesthetic appeal, gameplay and permanence. Oh, and price, of course.

👍 Aesthetic
The game is extremely appealing to the senses. It's visually detailed and attractive despite the greys-and-browns common to the system. The sound and music aren't outstanding, but fit the game in a seamlessly positive way. The story fits common Greco-Roman tropes, but is interesting. Everthing runs smoothly, and the levels are well-designed and -developed. It's not an immense environment, but you'll find yourself pressing on just to take in more of Rygar's mythical Mediterranean world.

👍 Gameplay
It suffers from some of the fixed camera issues that challenged 3-D developers of the era. However, it leverages the game's standout feature, the yo-yo-like diskarmor, wonderfully. The curve of both combat and control is excellent; you can pick the game up for a quick five minutes of simple platforming, shield-slinging action, or dig into the detail of the diskarmor combat, types and summons. The gameplay isn't deep, but it's all well-built with few detrimental issues.

👎 Permanence
It's one big setback, it lacks length, depth or breadth to give it unique replay value. It's neither part of a popular series, nor is it iconic. I expect it to hold up well aesthetically and functionally over time, but once you've beaten it, you'll only want to swing the shield again for a few minutes here and there. Its foundation in Tecmo and a solid arcade game will always keep it noteworthy, at least.

👍 Summary
As a strong game at minimal expense, this game belongs in nearly every PlayStation 2 collection. It offers a combination of quality and intrigue for both dedicated gamers and collectors alike.