Review: Swords and Sandals 2

Swords and Sandals 2 is a flash game available on several gaming sites throughout the web. It's a fun, if gory game with a moderately addictive levelling element.

Character generation

For those of you who have played the first instalment in this series, you will notice some changes immediately. Swords and Sandals 2 has a wider range of character bodies from which to select, and these modifications are more than just changes to colour. For example, instead of just a red version of the a standard human form, the selection for red has horns, the one for green has big pointy ears, and so on. Like the first game, you have a choice of a range of hairstyles and colours and facial hair modifications.

Unlike the first game, in Swords and Sandals 2 you can name your character. Once your appearance and name are set, you can then distribute nine skill points in the attributes of strength, agility, attack, defence, vitality, charisma, stamina, and magicka (a new category for this second game). Different weapons and skills rely upon different statistics to master. For instance, swords are agility based, axes strength based, and skills like "taunt" are based on your character's charisma. It may take a few plays to come up with a successful combination that works for your playing style.

Gameplay

Your Swords and Sandals 2 character starts off as a slave in a dungeon that must fight for his freedom. After he succeeds at that (and he should, his opponent is an old dusty man who has been locked up for decades), he will begin his life as a gladiator, funded by a gift of gold by the emperor.

This is another point where Swords and Sandals 2 departs from the previous game. There are two types of fights on the ladder system in this game: duel and tournament. Your character won't die in duels, but he will lose money if he loses. Duels in Swords and Sandals 2 end when a character's armour runs out. So, after leaving the dungeon, you should have your character invest in some armour before going in to the arena to duel.

Once your character reaches level four, you will need to participate in a tournament. Tournaments are to the death, and if you lose, it is game over. By the time your character is ready for the tournament, he should be able to afford the equipment he will need to be successful.

Fun Factor

Swords and Sandals 2 is a good time waster. The underlying element of humour and the ladder advancement system makes it an oddly compelling way to waste a few hours. Although it is listed on several sites throughout the web, I found the full version (minus the save feature) at www.arcadeboredom.com