1-Sep-2003 You, a giant sword and thousands of enemies. What could be simpler?
A big sword and lots of enemies to hack down: it doesn't sound like much of a game but, oh boy, it is. Chaos Legion is a return to traditional values. It may have fancy graphics and a bonkers plot but at its heart is a very simple game and as we soon found out, there's nothing wrong with that!
Capcom has described Chaos Legion as a 'gothic opera' and after sitting through the intro movie you can easily understand why. The environments and style, with vast castles and long flowing robes, are certainly gothic, while the incomprehensible plot and a hero named Sieg Warheit could definitely be described as operatic - it's positively Wagnerian by design.
Add hair crazier than Devil May Cry's Dante's and you have all the ingredients for a true gothic opera. Well, it certainly makes a change from survival horror.
Talking of Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion has clearly been inspired by the success of that series. The design is strikingly similar, but whereas DMC merged action with the best bits of Resident Evil and Castlevania, Chaos Legion has a groove of its own. There's no backtracking for items here, it's just clear a room of enemies and move on. Easy.
Summon Get It! The twist to the gameplay comes in the shape of 'legions'. These are powerful allies that can be summoned to join the battle whenever things get a little too much for a lone swordsman. With the vast number of enemies on screen you'll definitely want help and quick.
Your legions can be ordered to be aggressive or defensive: you can control them yourself to remove enemies or let their smart AI go and battle on their own accord. The cool thing is that these legions are far more than just a gimmick. They add a tactical component to the action, some being more effective than others at removing certain types of enemies.
Your legions are powered by the soul of Sieg, who does so by simply cutting down enemies. As they vanish their soul force is added to his. If Sieg is passive, letting the legions do all the work, the soul force will soon diminish, the legions unable to be summoned. The idea is to work cooperatively, using the legions to assist Sieg and vice versa.
Add a role-player element into the mix, in which Sieg and his legions' attributes increase as you progress through the levels, and you will soon be summoning or going it alone like it's second nature.
Legion Region The role-playing element makes you want to progress further as the rewards are very cool. As you complete each level new legions are unlocked. The catch is that you can only have two on call for each section. Do you pick swordsmen or archers? Through trial and error you'll discover which legions are most effective for each level and boss battle.
Experience points and power-ups allow you to upgrade each legion as you wish. For example, a legion may consist of a lone swordsman, but upgrade it and you'll be joined by a trio: upgrade again and you'll have a small army to aid you.
Chaos Legion scores big by daring to be so simple in an age where gameplay is often clouded by trivial extras. The legions, their enhancements and the role-player elements add depth and replay value to what is essentially repetitive hack 'n' slash action.
The closest comparison to Chaos Legion in terms of gameplay is Space Invaders - seriously! You're presented with wave after wave of enemies, which you have to clear before you can progress. And with combo multipliers and score grading at the end of each level this feels so much like a return to old-skool values you almost want to throw a reunion party. Maybe that's what they meant by gothic opera?
A huge sword, thousands upon thousands of enemies to slaughter - why hasn't anyone thought of doing this before? They did? Well it certainly wasn't this much fun.
The legions of the title are a vital component to completing the game. You collect a new legion as you complete each level. As each team offers unique skills and you can only enter a new level with two legions on call, you need to be tactical about whom you decide to take into battle. Ultimately you want to collect Thanatos, the most powerful legion. He's a bloomin' great monster that makes mincemeat of whatever lies in your path. Trouble is, the crest you need to collect him is broken into nine parts; at least he'll be handy on the final level, though.
Thanatos gets to strut his powerful stuff. Very impressive
Thanatos is the strongest legion at your command – looks cool too
// You're 'Avin' A Larf!
Did we mention that Chaos Legion had a rather incomprehensible plot? Well, see if you can make any sense of this little lot... "Two allies torn apart by tragedy... yet bound by fate. The three sacred glyphs, the mythic and forbidden symbols of an ancient world torn apart. Only these mystic relics have the power to open the Gateway of Chaos and lead the people to the Red Moon. Legend says that when the three glyphs meet, the three worlds will once again be reunited. Two men, once friends, now have their fates tied together by the tragic death of a young maiden. One, a brave young knight and summoner of the Chaos Legion. The other, a noble lord who has fallen to the dark side. Both hold the key to the sacred glyphs in their power. The legions shall be summoned in this dark gothic opera!" Who did they get to write this - Nostradamus? At least the cutscenes look pretty.
Aha! He’s wearing lipstick and eye make-up so he must be evil!
He’s angry because everyone’s been mocking the haircut his mum gave him
Our hero Sieg: hold a sword against his face and he doesn’t even flinch
Check out the beautifully drawn gothic architecture, turrets ’n’ all
// Perfect Power-ups
Each legion can be enhanced in five areas. Force is the number of soldiers within that legion. Assist is a unique move that the legion can be called to perform at any time. That move may consist of a quick burst and sword attack performed by the Guilt legion, or self-exploding like a smart bomb by the Blasphemy boys. Enchant is a power-up that aids Sieg by increasing his powers in the field, while Attack and Defence can both be increased by eight levels, upping the strength and effectiveness of your chosen legion.
When they glow red they’re in attack mode
The archers protect Sieg in defensive mode. We could do with a few of them when leaving CVG towers in the dead of night
Here the hero of the piece, the gothically named Sieg, is using the legion as a suitably effective shield
// Bossy Boots
With lots of hack 'n' slash action and plenty of shifty creatures to battle on your quest, you just know the designers will save something special for the end-of-level guardians. The bosses in Chaos Legion have their good qualities, but we have to admit, we've seen better elsewhere. Still, you can't win them all.
Sieg runs for cover from the attack of an almighty pair of legs
It’s sensible to heed the old adage: many swords make lighter work
He’s kind of funny-looking. Still, they say beauty’s in the eye of the beholder
Of course, every good boss worth his salt has his minions to call on
It’s not the size of the sword that’s important, it’s how you use it!
As you progress through the game, old bosses reappear in greater numbers
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