Wulverblade is a great looking side-on beat ’em up, in the mould of Golden Axe or Final Fight, set in 120AD in what is now Scotland. You play one of three blue-painted Braveheart-ish Caledonians who are forcefully evicting the Romans from their lands, mostly by smacking them with swords.
Levels are dark and blood is frequent, and it’s far more violent than either of the games I likened it to, but it’s a great example of the genre. There are lots of different weapons you can pick up, plenty of attack moves, a berserker style special move powered up by attacks and mushrooms, and the ability to summon a pack of wolves once per level. There are Romans of increasing size and rage that act as bosses, and like every game of this type there’s floor chicken. There’s a lot to like.
Perhaps even more interesting than the game itself, is all the stuff that unlocks as you play. Research notes by the developers, drone flybys of ancient historical forts and standing stones, photos and history. It’s a great package.
The game is a little short, with just 8 levels (although each one is pretty large for a beat ’em up of this kind), but it’s enjoyable and certainly well polished.
