Video Game Review: The Return of Heracles (1983)

In the halcyon days of the 1980s, there were few computer roleplaying games (CRPGs) that weren't derivative of Tolkien and/or Dungeons & Dragons.  Fewer still sought to provide any kind of educational value for their players.  One of few CRPGs that excelled in both areas was The Return of Heracles by Stuart Smith.

Set in Bronze Age Greece and based on some the most famous tales from Greek mythology, in The Return of Heracles the player(s) assume control of one or more legendary or historical heroes, including Achilles, Jason, and mighty Heracles! Tales of these mighty men and women (and animals) have thrilled audiences for millennia, including myself.  In grade school, I read the fantastic D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths many, many, many times at the local library.

In order to win the game, the player(s) must complete a dozen tasks which, as one might expect from the title, are drawn mostly from the Labors of Heracles, but also include other classics from Greek mythology, such as solving the Riddle of the Sphinx and retrieving the Golden Fleece.  Upon completion, the player receives points (with bonus for speed) and usually gets an in-game treasure, buff or other reward as well.

The game mechanic is simple but straightforward and adds to the breezy fun.  The soundtrack, though technologically an artifact of its day, is apt and evocative.  And, the open sandbox design of the game world avoids railroading, a common problem for many CRPGs even to the present day.

Messr Smith's humor and cleverness are evident throughout The Return of Heracles.  There are 250 NPCs with individual stats, factions and motivations, such as Inebriated Thief and Not-very-smart Thief.   And just walking through a door can be hazardous!

Original, colorful and full of obvious admiration of the source material, this game is a masterwork.  If you're a lover of Sword & Sandal or Greek mythology, The Return of Heracles is perhaps the best CRPG of the era and even if you only have a passing interest, it's worth a look.  So strap on your greaves and hark back to a time when gods and monsters roamed the land.

But do avoid giving an obolus to Charon.

SC's Parting Shot: 10 of 10

Meta Review: Heir's Battle Basics

Merry Christmas!

Let's celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace with another helping of Total War: Rome II goodness:

In terms of beginnings, Heir of Carthage has a couple of good videos specifically aimed toward newcomers to Total War: Rome II that I wanted to discuss. Of course, you can pick up a significant amount of knowledge en passant by simply watching his online battles and such, but these videos approach the subject in a more systematic manner.  The first covers Army Selection Tips:

This video is designed for people who are beginners in the truest sense of the word, but Messr Heir does his typical excellent job of clearly and comprehensively explaining how to put together an army in Total War: Rome II.  He also prefaces the video by stating, "There is no one good army and there is no one good faction."  Messr Heir breaks down the various unit types, their different statistics, and comparative strengths.  He also briefly discusses how you might use certain units to your advantage in different situations.  Included is a quick battle where he attempts to illustrate these points.


As a companion to the first video, Heir of Carthage also put out another video covering Battle Basics, the basic mechanical issues for running a battle in Total War: Rome II:

In addition to expounding on some details from the first video (such as explaining various unit special abilities), here Messr Heir clearly explains the various screens, panels and buttons in the game interface, and also discusses information that might come up, and how to group, manage and maneuver your army in during battles.  Included once more is a quick battle where he illustrates these points.

So, for investing less than an hour, someone can watch these videos to pick up a basic overview of the mechanics Total War: Rome II.  These tutorials are an excellent springboard to better understanding how the game works and what you're actually seeing on screen.

Joyeux Noël!

SC's Parting Shot: 9 of 10

Movie Review: The Eagle (2011)

Another excellent but underrated Sword & Sandal film is director Kevin Macdonald's The Eagle:

Based on Rosemary Sutcliff's beloved historical adventure novel The Eagle of the Ninth (1954), which in turn is loosely based on the disappearance of the Legio IX Hispana (purportedly during a punitive expedition to Caledonia (modern day Scotland)), The Eagle takes place in 2nd century AD and follows Marcus Flavius Aquila, a young Roman officer who has come to Roman Britain to discover his father's fate (a senior officer with the Ninth Legion) and to restore his family's honor. Receiving an honorable discharge after successfully defending his fort, the appropriately named Aquila heads north with his slave Esca, son of the slain chief of the Brigantes, past Hadrian's Wall to search for the Aquila (the eagle-shaped military standard) of the Ninth Legion.

The story is part Heart of Darkness, journeying into the unknown to the edge of the Roman world, and part Mismatched Partners, with two very different people having to work together.  It works for the most part- I felt the ending was a bit contrived.  The film looks great, with beautiful shots of mountains, rivers, and the grime and grit of Iron Age living.  Also, combat is appropriately desperate and deadly:

Director MacDonald's commitment to realism pays off in ways that working with green screen and computer graphics never could, painting a reasonably authentic picture of 140 AD Roman Britain: Roman values are different from modern values and The Eagle doesn't shy away from the uglier side of the empire.  The film commitment to details also shines when it uses real Roman lingo and tactics like Testudo formation:

By comparison, the contemporary Centurion (2010) is very much a Hollywood action blockbuster.

A few things are still a bit off, though.  For example, Marcus Aquila's father was Primus Pilus Centurion, so it's odd that he'd shoulder the blame for the loss of the Ninth Legion, as opposed to, say, the Legate.

Still, I quite enjoyed this under appreciated gem.  If you like historical, thoughtful tales of honor and adventure into the unknown set in the Iron Age, The Eagle is well worth your time.

SC's Parting Shot: 8 of 10

Meta Review: Heir's Faction Focus

I'm calling this a "Meta Review," since it's my $0.02 on Heir of Carthage's review of the playable factions in Total War: Rome II.

In terms of Total War: Rome II itself, I think it's a fun and great looking game: actually, the visuals are one of the inspirations for my homebrew Olde School Dungeons & Dragons, and part of the reason that I shifted the campaign setting from medieval to iron age.  Another thing that I like about the game is the ability for players to use some real tactics, such as Hammer and Anvil strikes.

While there are many folks doing video commentaries of Total War: Rome II, I particularly like Heir of Carthage's body of work because he is quite humble (he freely admits that he's not the best player, though he is still quite skilled).    Here is a review, of the Nervii, where he does a good job of reacting quickly to a changing situation:

Though Heir's Nervii army build was intended to be defensive, when he sees an opportunity, he pushes his infantry forward.  Then, after getting his light cavalry around the flank to slow down the  retreating enemy infantry, Heir is able to destroy his opponent's center in detail.

Another big point is the learning aspect for the viewer: Messr Heir takes the time to explain what he's doing and why, and what he could have done better.  Moreover, he also freely points out where he makes other mistakes and he's not afraid to experiment with unconventional army builds for fun.

Another thing that I really like is how Heir is gracious in both victory and defeat, as you can see here where he plays as the Selecuids against Egypt:

In terms of Heir's review of the factions, Messr Heir has a pretty thorough knowledge of the stats, capabilities and relative economic costs of the various unit types and he goes through the ins-and-outs of each unit of each faction, doing a pretty comphrensive job for each faction.  After a quick battle where he attempts to illustrate these points, he also does a rundown of the faction's relative advantages and disadvantages vis-à-vis the other factions.

So, I think watching Heir's Faction Focus might be helpful to someone who already has a basic knowledge of Total War: Rome II and who wants some advanced knowledge and a quick but fairly comprehensive rundown of a  specific faction.

SC's Parting Shot: 10 of 10

Movie Review: Hercules (2014)

While it did reasonably well at the box office and it does have flaws, Hercules, in my humble opinion, still hasn't gotten quite the love I think it deserves.  

I'm not trying to suggest that Hercules belongs in the same category as a Gladiator (2000) or a Conan the Barbarian (1982), but as a popcorn action flick, it is more than serviceable.  Based on the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars, our story finds Hercules after he has completed his twelve legendary labors: Banished from Athens, he sells his sword (well, club actually, which is pretty neat since that's an underrepresented heroic weapon) for coin.  Lord Cotys of Thrace offers Hercules his weight in gold and hijinks ensue.

As you might expect, director Brett Ratner is workmanlike, and the work behind the camera is competent but not particularly noteworthy.  Set and costume design are better, and I particularly like that the film's use of CGI is more limited and subtle than it might otherwise be.  The action is solid and worth the price of admission, as is the writing, which never has any eye rolling or groan worthy moments.

Even better is the cast: Of note is Ian McShane chewing scenery with relish, but I particularly liked Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock), who apparently spent 6 months training for the movie and is absolutely jacked (selling the physicality of the titular role).  Additionally, Messr Johnson's acting has come light years from The Scorpion King, to the point where Hercules' pathos is reasonably believable.


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I know that some people were disappointed by the "twist" that Hercules is a mere mortal (though, some of his onscreen feats belie that point) and his "legendary labors" were actually military missions undertaken by he and his team and then embellished by his PR guy.  However, that didn't bother me: conversely, I thought it was an interesting and refreshing take on the character.

Plus, the movie, at its core, is a classic D&D adventure: a group of adventurers meet in a tavern, face trials and tribulations, and eventually defeat the evil king.

So, if you're looking for a ripping Sword & Sandal yarn, you could do worse than this movie.  In fact, you need go no further than the other Hercules film released this summer.

SC's Parting Shot: 7 of 10