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Hands on with Hero of Sparta II's visceral iPhone thrills

Counting down from 300

Hands on with Hero of Sparta II's visceral iPhone thrills

In the world of hack 'n' slash gaming, all roads seem to lead to Rome.

At least in the case of Hero of Sparta II, they lead to the general vicinity, which is covered in the blood and guts of countless mythical creatures.

We've travelled down this road before, yet it's a journey so exhilarating that it's worth taking over and over again.

For this sequel, Gameloft has opted for key enhancements - improved graphics, a new combat system, and new enemies - instead of a complete overhaul in the hopes of keeping what made the first game such a thrill.

Fresh off the boat

King Argos resumes his royal duty to protect the people of Sparta, this time venturing far away from home in an effort to quell the wrath of the gods. The game starts with a boat ride that departs for a mythical island filled with all kinds of nefarious creatures.

Step onto dry land and you're immediately confronted by a batch of Souls - human beings corrupted by demonic possession. Hacking at them with taps and swipes of the screen is the only way to survive their approaches, all of which is done via an inventive new attack stick.

Tapping the stick, which is situated on the right, opposite the virtual analogue stick, levels basic thrusts with King Argus's gladius. Alternately, you can slide the button up for a vertical slash or sideways for a horizontal cut. Varying your attacks obviously yields combos for added damage.

It's a clever system insomuch that allows you to mix things up easily. Better still, if you're content with button-mashing your way through the game, you're able to do that without penalty.

Finish him

New finishing moves have been introduced too, although they're triggered much the same way as in the first game.

Whenever an enemy has been whittled down to a sliver of life, a skull icon appears that can be tapped for a quick-time event. Hitting the icons that then appear executes a contextual kill that nets you extra orbs.

Basic enemies like Souls have you mash a single icon, while bigger baddies such a Minotaur involve more complex patterns.

In truth, finishing moves are new in the sense that the animations have been tightened up. Not only are they more visceral, but they're cleaner too. Attacks actually make convincing contact and clipping has been reduced.

Pulling off these moves is worthwhile if only for the extra orbs you receive when ripping off a head or gutting an enemy.

As in the first game, orbs enable you to enhance the King's abilities and attributes. Racking up consecutive kills nets you plenty of orbs and you can find hidden caches in statues and other breakable objects.

Crystal clear

There's also blue crystals to find throughout each of the game's 12 levels. These special artifacts boost your maximum health with every fifth crystal found.

Topping off your health will be a must given the massive boss battles.

At the end of the level was a fight with a giant Sea Serpent. The scene plays out atop a cliff overlooking the ocean, the serpent jabbing its head toward you. It's then that you can slash at its neck and eventually wear it down to trigger a quick-time event.

These sort of over-the-top scenarios are what will make Hero of Sparta II a satisfying play, even if it won't push the genre to its limits.

The clever new combat controls are sure to make for a worthy hack 'n' slash sequel, which is enough for me to look forward to its summer release.

Tracy Erickson
Tracy Erickson
Manning our editorial outpost in America, Tracy comes with years of expertise at mashing a keyboard. When he's not out painting the town red, he jets across the home of the brave, covering press events under the Pocket Gamer banner.