A Demonic Return to Arthurian Tactics
From NeocoreGames is another entry in the not noticeably sparse tactical genre.
Going by the name of King Arthur: Legion IX, it should come as no surprise to learn that the setting for the game is the Arthurian legend, and while we don’t play as ol’ Kingy himself, the characters we do play as are pretty interesting.
So, is there room for another turn based tactical game, which is crossed with a traditional RPG, or are we better off playing any of the other numerous other games in this vein? Well, strap on your armour, we’re about to find out!
Gaius Julius Mento’s Undead Quest
The story of the game is very interesting, so there is immediately a big tick being sent the way of King Arthur: Legion IX.
We play as Gaius Julius Mento, a Roman commander in the Ninth Legion. Oh, and just to add a little spice, Gaius is dead. Not lying down dead, but up and at ‘em, fighting mad dead. We command the Ninth Legion, with the aim of escaping from Tartarus, the Roman Underworld, and returning to the land of the living.
On the way, we end up in Avalon, King Arthur’s domain, happening upon a Roman settlement that is in need of help. From there, well, the rest is history. Can we save the settlement, rebuild it better than before, and defeat the various enemies lined up to stop us? That is down to you, good Legionary!
Of course, as you may suspect, the choices made do affect the way the game plays out, and with two different endings to aim at, bearing in mind what we want to achieve is vital.
Undead Legions and Infinite Views
Presentation of the game is pretty much as you would expect, to be fair. King Arthur: Legion IX is presented on large maps, and in between fights we can wander around to our hearts content, exploring and trying to find hidden items. The design of the enemies that we come across is very nice, and the design of the undead legions is even better, with a horrifying look to the Legion.
In fact, as a whole, the world is also well designed, and the camera is worthy of special praise, being able to zoom and pan almost infinitely, letting you always have the best view of the action. The animation in the battle screens is also very good, with a real wince inducing look to the attacks we unleash, and the hits we take as well.
Sound is all nice too, with fully voiced cutscenes featuring decent voice acting. The conversations with the various NPCs we meet can also have a bearing on how things turn out, so during your time with this legend, you’ll want to keep an eye on what you say. The battle sounds are all bang on as well, and all in all, there’s not much to moan about here.
A Cryptic Tutorial
However, a reviewer is never happy unless he has something to complain about, and so here we go – the tutorial found in King Arthur: Legion IX sucks.
You know it isn‘t going to go well when you get into your first battle, and while you can figure out how to hit an enemy, the game doesn’t give you any clues about how to move your characters. It turns out, and here I’ll tell you in case you decide to play, that you need to select where you are moving to, then press X. Why it is X, I have no idea, but that is the button to move. You’re welcome!
Strategic Combat and Special Abilities
Once you’ve figured out how to move, the rest of the gameplay is pretty familiar stuff. We can move, we can attack, and we also have various special abilities that can be called on. These are a varied bunch, but one of my personal favourites is from one of my secondary characters, which links two foes together – anything that then happens to one enemy happens to the other, which is a great way of whittling down some health. Of course, these powerful abilities have a cool down period before you can use them again, and so managing when to unleash the attacks is a big part of the strategy.
That strategy is needed when positioning your forces as well, as the enemies will try to flank you, looking to gain an advantage by attacking from behind. Of course, what is good for the goose is good for the gander, and so you too can flank and gain positional advantage. Using traps, working out how to utilise the terrain to your advantage is all a big part of the battles, so make sure you have a look at the various battlegrounds as the fights go on.
Apart from the fighting, there is a lot more to do in King Arthur: Legion IX, with settlement building, crafting, looting and more to have a crack at. And then, as progress is made, expect to be found recruiting new Romans, investing in skill trees and making your team ever more powerful. Only then will any run you take in become easier.
A Challenging but Rewarding Tactical RPG
So, all in all, King Arthur: Legion IX is an accomplished tactical turn based game that is hamstrung in the early days by keeping things secret. Get to grips with what is on offer though, and you’ll find a great narrative, some well worked action and an absolute host of content.
I do fear that the lacking tutorial may well put many off though.
Important Links
Rome Invades Avalon as King Arthur: Legion IX Marches onto Xbox Series X|S & PS5 – https://www.thexboxhub.com/rome-invades-avalon-as-king-arthur-legion-ix-marches-onto-xbox-series-xs-ps5/
Buy King Arthur: Legion IX on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/King-Arthur-Legion-IX/9N81Z8JDNB1Q
