GB Feature: Rise of the Argonauts Review

Rise of the Argonauts quietly slipped its way into 2008 with a late holiday release and little fanfare. Is this low profile undeserved, or a mark of a bad game? Brother None answers that very question in our latest review:
Combat itself is enjoyable but doesn't really shine in any meaningful way. Interface issues tend to discourage you from experimenting too much, not to mention most of the standard fights are fairly easy, meaning there is nothing to stop you from just click-click-clicking your way through them. The use of executing moves (when you finish off a shield-less opponent with a powerful right-mouse button attack) and God Powers (special powers granted by character progression that can be used in intervals) do offer some respite. More importantly, the game features a handful of boss fights which are occasionally quite interesting, like the fight with Achilles or Isisyphus, but sometimes it's kind of unclear what the game wants you to do, or the fight is just plain boring, like the battle with Medusa or the game's final confrontation.

Inventory and character systems are simplified about as far as they can go. Inventory essentially doesn't exist, with the game only handing you new items when it feels like it. There is never any freedom to loot items from your dead foes or buy them from a merchant. You can switch your armor and your three types of weapons (spear, club, sword) aboard the Argo (your ship), but there is no inventory system outside of that point. Why an action RPG would be missing a core element like this is a head-scratcher.