Gangs of Sherwood should have got my juices flowing. However, the more I studied the details, the less I wanted to play the game. Yet, once the code landed on my desk, I hoped that my initial concerns would fade to insignificance. Sadly, though, much of its action left me wanting, and some bizarre gameplay mechanics don’t make sense. Consequently, it was tough to get into and even harder to keep playing.
This third-person action-adventure title was developed by Appeal Studio and published by Nacon. Moreover, it can be played alone or with up to 3 other gamers. As such, you can laugh, plan, and fight with like-minded individuals. This is where Gangs of Sherwood excels. Though the gameplay doesn’t evolve, smashing through swathes of enemies with your mates was an enjoyable endeavour.
Gangs of Sherwood twists the narrative.
The tale of Robin Hood is much-loved. Yet, it rarely gets exposure in the gaming world. This surprises me as there is plenty of scope to create an immense open world that combines interesting characters, amazing quests, and a healthy dose of creative licence. Disappointingly, Gangs of Sherwood doesn’t fulfil its potential as it plays it safe and is often guilty of repetitive moments.
The plot revolves around Robin Hood, Marian, Little John, and Friar Tuck. This badass, moralistic fighting team must work together to stop the Sheriff of Nottingham. This insane villain uses the power of the Philosopher’s Stone to strengthen his army and oppress his citizens. Yet, Robin and his men will not allow this to happen! Instead, they will grab their weapons, learn new skills, and destroy every foe they encounter.
Though this plot seems straightforward, there is a strange twist that adjusts the familiar narrative. Instead of enjoying a medieval world, the Sheriff has somehow managed to bring forward the industrial revolution. Accordingly, this Steampunk-infused world is full of burly soldiers and crazy magic.
A simple gameplay loop.
Whether you tackle this alone or with others, you’ll face a straightforward and repetitive gameplay loop. Effectively, each mission begins in a hub world. Here, you can explore, buy abilities, or undertake some training. Once you’ve had enough of this, you must choose a mission to complete and decide whether you want to play alone or with others.
As the mission unfolds, you’ll encounter special areas that specific characters can access. Additionally, there are waves of enemies to kill and minor bosses to overcome. On top of this, there is loot to collect and a main boss to defeat at the end of each act.
This is the core loop in a nutshell. However, there are minor differences depending on the character you select. Each playable hero has a unique approach that alters your playstyle. Subsequently, the action improves vastly when you have a larger team. As you upgrade each character, there is more variety beyond the atypical light and heavy combat moves.
Gangs of Sherwood is strangely old-school.
Though Gangs of Sherwood has a modern polish, it has a strange old-school appearance. Furthermore, it was reminiscent of Fable because of its whimsy and magical ways. Alongside this, the earthy colour palette complemented the Robin Hood theme. Yet, each arena wasn’t expansive enough for my liking and the action was too linear. Where this excels, however, is its smooth animation. Though you’ll encounter plenty of enemies, the game never falters. This was impressive as plenty was going on especially when you teamed up with friends.
The audio occasionally missed the mark. The never-ending cheesy one-liners became tedious and unwanted. Yet, when the acting worked, it was interesting and well-delivered. Moreover, the sound effects were loud and aggressive, and the soundtrack complemented the strange Steampunk theme.
Responsive controls.
The gameplay relies heavily on a hack-and-slash approach. The controls needed to be responsive, accurate, and easy to understand. Thankfully, the developers got this element right. Additionally, the tutorial was simple to follow, and I rarely struggled even when things got out of hand.
If you have a great group of friends, you are likely to enjoy every mission. However, if you play this alone, you will soon tire of what you see. Subsequently, this approach will restrict longevity and replay value and will make it less appealing.
Gangs of Sherwood wasn’t good enough.
Gangs of Sherwood has some fleeting moments of success. Sadly, though, there isn’t enough to keep you playing. Alongside this, the odd gameplay mechanics and repetitive action undermine each small positive element. Accordingly, though you may find chinks of happiness in this title, I cannot recommend it. Yet, more information can be found here! Will Robin Hood and his men save the day? Pick your hero, destroy every foe, and thwart the wicked Sheriff.
