Gangs of Sherwood

It was only a few months ago that Pinocchio was given a new adaptation in Lies of P and now another popular story has been turned into something quite far from what we are used to. In Gangs of Sherwood, Robin, Marian, Tuck and Little John are placed in a world that is some kind of combination of fantasy/tech. Places and characters are familiar, at least to the names, and it's an adventure that can be played both solo or with three other people, which is definitely preferable.

The adventure feels, at least at first, a bit cheap and stilted in its execution. It has quite a bit of brilliance in how it looks, works and feels, but offers ugly character models with half-baked lip syncing that don't immediately make a good first impression. When I'm let loose in Sherwood forest and get to throw myself into the cavalcade of action, it feels a little better, though. The environments are quite nice and prove to be varied throughout the course of the adventure. Everything flows well regarding the image update, even though there is a lot going on and it is also quite fun. The visuals often succeed in creating a good atmosphere that sometimes gives a bit of Fable vibes and even if the mix is quite broad, everything manages to fit in. I would have liked to have seen the game's areas offer a little more to explore though, as it would be nice to have something to want to wander off the beaten track for.

Chaos is above all something that this is largely about. There is a lot of horror going on from various heads in the city, and Nottingham and its surroundings seem to be constantly on fire and there is misery everywhere the heroes go. Lucky then that Robin and his gang move in to try and save the day like the cheerful rebel gang they are and have always been.

Each round starts with you choosing your character and the main difference here is the type of attacks they perform, so it's all about trying out what suits you best. If there are several of you, you can democratically decide who will shoulder what task. Of course, Robin has his trusty bow while Marian fights with a sword. brother Tuck wields a large staff that can also bring back life, and this not-so-little John is the powerhouse of the gang.

We are offered linear levels that are easy to progress through. A detour can lead to a treasure chest, but it's usually just a matter of finding a ledge or a hidden passage. Otherwise, you mostly run forward easily, but are also equipped with a rear hook to climb ledges. In a classic design way, you often rely on stealth when it's time to clear out enemies when a more open area presents itself, and there are also times when you can use the surroundings to cause damage to the foes in your path.

There are no immediate gameplay surprises, even if you try to create a bit of a sense of mission through nearby objects that must be destroyed or when you have to bring a cart with explosives to the target. There are also some optional things to collect in the environments if you want to hunt this down to extend the playing time a bit.

The flow of all battles is one of the absolute highlights. You smoothly alternate between different types of attacks, where you either dabble in melee or stay at a distance. There are also a number of special attacks here that can bring down the enemy's health quickly. For example, Marian has an attack where you throw daggers and then you can build up a combo and then let it loose and in that way take down a good part of the enemy's life. The heroes' attacks basically do the same thing, but it still feels fun to choose a new one and experience a level in a slightly different way than you did last time.

After each battle against a pile of bad-guys, one's efforts are evaluated in a small ranking system and rewards are given in the form of gold before it's time to move on to the end of the level. There awaits a slightly stronger boss that also offers the highlight when it comes to being skilled at dodging, looking for openings and using all of your abilities. Between all these missions you then end up at the headquarters; a cosy little church in Sherwood forest and here you can upgrade and buy new abilities before continuing the adventure. The pace is kept up all the time and it rarely gets boring for those who above all prefer a game where high tempo and action are the focus.

Even though Gangs of Sherwood looks a bit simple, or rather can't really be compared to the technical big games, I still think that this offers something that I think some players may miss and it's an opportunity to have fun together. Of course, in itself this does not offer much depth and the levels are run through quite quickly and it is not very extensive either. But I think the co-op aspect and all the action is good enough to make it entertaining to play. It's easy to jump into a party with others, although it's a shame that Gangs of Sherwood doesn't support crossplay between the different consoles.

I think the developers came up with a pretty good concept, even if the interpretation of Robin Hood is basically just a template for different names and places. The adventure could work just as well with something you designed yourself, although the dispute on what we know is a bit amusing. I also appreciate a lot of the environments. Above all, the outdoors feel significantly more visually enjoyable than the cities and mines you visit. But most of all, the possibility to play the adventure together with others should definitely be highlighted and this fact alone actually gives an extra point in the rating.

In conclusion, it is a game where the slightly rough-hewn surfaces had to be polished to a great extent in order for this to rise to a higher level. The foundation and the ideas you have here are absolutely good, but the execution is a little too simple. Above all, it fills a void regarding this type of cooperative game and if you feel that you have been looking for something like that, then Gangs of Sherwood can definitely be worth your time.