Overview

Developer: Human Head
Publisher: G.O.D.
Rune official page: http://www.runegame.com

More Rune resources

Vikings you say? How fun can Vikings be? How much joy can be extracted from swords, axes, and other assorted poking sticks. Where are the umpteen-barreled shotguns and Gatling guns of superior carnage? My friends - Rune is a different sort of mayhem, think more in the pillaging and plundering sort of way.

Story

Once upon a time, there was a little Viking boy. He always wanted to go out and play with puppies and big huge battle-axes. (Ok…I'm lying about the puppies.) That little Viking grew up to be a strapping barrel-chested lad capable of eating puppies for little snacks - lizards most assuredly.

And we begin.

A wicked blade.

Playing as the all grown up Ragnar, you start the game as he passes into manhood. Able to wield a sword and behead many a creature with one fell swoop, Ragnar, the quick-witted youngin' that he is, is chosen to be one of the village's strongmen after a ceremony. Following in the footsteps of Evil Dead, Rune wastes no time in getting you into the thick of battle.

Just moments after the ceremony, you earn your stripes by defeating the town weapons master in combat. Expecting to get a bit of rest and lovin' from some awestruck village maiden, you are instead hastily tossed into a boat to swing your sword about in a slightly different way. And so begins the harrowing tale of Ragnar, the man of many twists and turns. You are thrown into a battle of mythic proportions where deities regularly intervene to meddle with the actions of manly men.

Even more wicked

Hammer of doom

Play?

Some of you might groan when the term "third-person" comes up. Maybe it's the bad memories of Tomb Raider, or maybe you just hate playing in that detached sort of way. When it comes to Rune, let's say you won't be disappointed with the use of a third person camera. Not only would it be exceedingly difficult to hack and slash in a variety of ways with a first person view, but also you wouldn't get to enjoy the rather vivid fruits of your work. With the amount of limb chopping and head decapitating that goes on, Lieberman and that Colonel Doohickey guy would probably end up calling this game a Jeffrey Dahmer simulator.

The camera view rarely drops into unplayable angles. As soon as quarters become too close, the camera drops into invisible butt mode or the game begins to act in the manner a first person shooter would. Fear not this interface, trust us, it is good.

Flame sword

Axe that seems to be fairy like

Multiplayer

Jakub and I sat down for some one on one dueling action last night. This all took place over the 'net with his computer in Canada as the server. The ping wasn't all that great, but distance is probably to blame for that. Even with the bad connection we managed to blow over forty minutes without even realizing it. Jakub mangled my sorry ass many times over, but I had the last laugh. My last kill was nothing short of decapitation. I then pranced about and paraded around with his noggin in my hand. I think it would be safe to say "fun" was the operative word during our bouts.

Hack hack

Some of you might be stunned to hear this, but Rune features no range-based weaponry whatsoever. You do, however, have the option of throwing your weapon. While hurling a two-handed broad sword can be good for laughs, don't expect to win big with this tactic unless you surprise some poor sap. Rune instead offers up numerous limb-wrenching devices. Everything from maces to a triple bladed axe is at your disposal. My personal favorite so far is the massive two-handed axe.

There are special runes that go along with this assortment of melee weapons. When a weapon is used in combination with a rune the result is a considerably more powerful weapon; some weapons end up spewing fire or lightning. Others create huge circles of fire, and yet more suck the life out of enemies.