Wrath Unleashed

by LucasArts

Product Features

• Over 30 spectacular mythological creatures from four unique realms.
• Nine different terrain types representing the elements of earth, water, fire and ice.
• 15 multiplayer maps and over a dozen single player maps.
• Huge beautifully rendered interactive floating arenas.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000AOJFZ
• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: February 11, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,242 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Game Informer Review

The world is destroyed, the gods are bickering, and the only way to solve anything is to wage strategic wars over galactic wastelands. Welcome to Wrath Unleashed, a unique spin on a classic concept popularized by such favorites as Archon and Battle Chess. As an elemental god, you maneuver your armies across hexagonal tiles to control territory, and when an enemy moves into your domain, you defend it in one-on-one, fists blazing (literally) combat.

The strategy is what makes this game. Each tile on the grid is infused with the power of one of the traditional four elements that can give your units an advantage in combat. Victory depends on being aware of your surroundings and using the environment to your advantage. Or at least it would, if it weren't for poorly conceived one-on-one battles in need of some serious divine intervention.

Your godly minions are slow to respond to your commands, and their moves have about as much variety as a caulk sandwich. Maybe I'm asking too much here, but when I think of celestial wars, I think of scarred landscapes and widespread decimation on a cosmic scale! You'd think they could have come up with a combat system based on more than biting and fireballs.

The strategy is intricate, the creatures are totally awesome, but some sketchy execution on the combat side of things keeps Wrath Unleashed from attaining immortality.

Concept:
Take one chessboard and mix thoroughly. Apply punching liberally

Graphics:
The artists put a unique spin on many traditional monsters. They look simultaneously awe-inspiring and terrifying

Sound:
The orchestral and choral soundtrack lends a solid epic feel to the ethereal wars

Playability:
The turn-based elements play well, but beware of sore thumbs from button mashing in the battle arena

Entertainment:
The resurrection of a fun idea carries it a long way, but the limited multiplayer modes and no online capabilities make it lose steam quickly

Replay:
Moderate

Rated: 7.5 out of 10
Editor: Joe Juba
Issue: February 2004

2nd Opinion:
If unicorns always looked as cool as they do here, then it wouldn't be considered "girly" to like them. If only everything else about this game was as cool. I felt like I spent more time staring at loading screens than actually playing. But then again, the gameplay is only mediocre, so maybe that's not such a bad thing.

Rated: 6.25 out of 10
Editor: Jeremy Zoss


Subscribe to Game Informer

Product Description

Mythological creatures from the dawn of time. Epic contests between darkness and light. Battles for domination of giant floating arenas. Welcome to the fantastic, deadly world of Wrath Unleashed. Part intense fighting-action. Part thought-provoking strategy. Pure vicious head-to-head mayhem. This unique action-strategy game pits up to four players and an array of all-powerful fantasy creatures against each other. And you'll need to unleash every bit of your wrath upon the world to win. For the Microsoft XBOX Video Game Console

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun single, awesome multiplayer, February 17, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Wrath Unleashed (Video Game)

The single player game is pretty fun, the story line isnt the greatest but it gives you practice for the real reason this game is so great, the multiplayer aspect. Personally I played for hours on end not even realizing the time going by when a few of my buddies got together. The switching from strategic to straight up head to head fighting is awesome. Along with the incredible sound and beautiful graphics in the fighting mode this game is worth the money. The only complaint I can think of is the single player campaign story line. For those of you who enjoy getting together for bragging rights, this is for you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great game no one played!, December 29, 2006

A Kid's Review

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Wrath Unleashed (Video Game)

Not a kid, I played and loved Archon way back in the day. I got this for my kid for xmas and we love the multi-player. This game would probably have been better known if it would have had xbox live on-line play. I got it cheap,for like 7 bucks, brand new and it is well worth more. If you have friends or kids that like a little strategy with some fighting action then you have got to get this one!

5.0 out of 5 stars Review based on the xbox demo, December 16, 2003

By 

J. Leigh "jleigh7" (chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wrath Unleashed (Video Game)

I have played the original Archon since the Atari days (1980s) and have longed for a 2003 remake of this game. In fact I've played the sequel to the original (Adept) and the 1994 remake (Dark Legions). So I was hoping that Wrath Unleashed will not disappoint devoted fans. Well, I am happy to say, it does not!

But before I explain why, here is a bit of info for those who don't know the original Archon game. Archon is a combination strategy/action game. The game consists of a strategy portion that is played on a chessboard where creatures are moved on squares to try and capture the N key locations on the board. A number of options further enriches the strategy portion of the game (such as letting you teleport your creatures, heal them, invoke elementals). When 2 opposing creatures occupy the same square they must fight it out.

Ok, now on to the 2003 remake of the game: I recently played the demo version of WU on the Xbox. It is as you'd expect for a 2003 port of the original game. Everything is in 3D. Everything is beautifully rendered. When characters move across the chess board, they animate beautifully. The chessboard is drawn in 3D- but also provides you with a 2D map. Apart from moving pieces around you can also invoke magical abilities- such as heal characters, teleport them, invoke elementals to do your fighting (as in the original game).

In the fighting mode of the game, the motion capture is wonderful. The artwork is gorgeous- though a bit on the colorful side (the images on the Lucasart's web site is exactly as the demo appeared). The environment itself, as in the original game, plays a role in the combat as in the original game. You can get impaled by a bunch of spikes or struck by lightning if you stand in the wrong spot for too long. You can also break obstacles in the environment during combat.
Each creature gets 2 melee attacks and 2 magical attacks, and 1 blocking move. EAch creature also gets a health bar and a mana bar which replenishes over time (as in the original).

The multiplayer mode will be where this game shines, especially now that 4 players can play together.

This game will be an excellent addition to any nostalgic Archon fan's game collection. It will also appeal to gamers who like fighting games but want to also engage in a bit of strategy. Don't worry if you aren't into heavy strategy, the strategy elements in WU (and Archon) are simple yet provide incredible richness to the game.