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Golden Axe: Beast Rider for PlayStation 3
Golden Axe: Beast Rider for PlayStation 3 is a three-dimensional action adventure centred on Tyris Flare. After the attack on her people, she travels through a violent fantasy world to stop Death Adder and his troops. You control Tyris at close quarters during sword fights and use fire magic to increase the pressure on enemies. The name refers to an important part of combat: you can ride large beasts and use their powers against opponents.
On foot, you must account for attacks you can block and moments when it is better to move aside. The timing of your response determines whether you gain room for a counterattack. Riding a beast changes your options and how you approach a group. You therefore need to learn both Tyris' own moves and the attacks of her mounts. Alternating between these two forms of fighting gives the encounters their structure, with magic as an additional tool.
The adventure was made for one player. You do not play alongside a second warrior as in several older Golden Axe games. Nor is this a collection of the original arcade games, but a separate PS3 adventure with its own story and three-dimensional areas. Familiar names from the series form the backdrop to a campaign in which you continue following Tyris. Expect explicitly violent combat and a pace that demands attention to your defence.
Region and language
Our PlayStation 3 games are European editions and come with a Dutch or English box, unless stated otherwise. By default, you receive the version for the European market. We note it in the product details if the region is different or the box is in another language. In almost all cases, the game is playable at least in English, and often in the other five common European languages too.
Manual
Golden Axe: Beast Rider for PlayStation 3 includes the manual unless the product title states otherwise. If the booklet is missing, the title says “No Manual”. This lets you see before ordering whether the game comes with a manual.
The manuals included with our games usually contain at least English and often around six European languages. The exact languages vary by edition, so Dutch is not always included. The booklet explains the controls and the main rules. You can use it to check how to control the game, which actions are available and how its different features work.
The history of Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Sega announced a new Golden Axe for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2006. Secret Level developed the project, which appeared in 2008 as Golden Axe: Beast Rider. The old series was associated with sword fighting, magic and rideable creatures. Beast Rider used those elements for a new three-dimensional adventure. Tyris Flare took the lead role, focusing attention on one warrior and her struggle against Death Adder.
The original announcement still described a broader concept. In a later retrospective, producer Michael Boccieri explained how plans for cooperative play disappeared during development. Problems with scheduling, staffing and technology made that possibility increasingly difficult to implement. Secret Level was also working on Iron Man, further dividing the available attention. That development history explains why you cannot rely on early plans for multiple participants when looking at the final PS3 edition. The released campaign can only be played alone.
At the 2008 presentation, Sega emphasised Tyris, fire magic and the large animals she rides through the devastated land. The game thus retained recognisable elements from Golden Axe, while the camera and structure of combat changed. Beast Rider is therefore a separate interpretation of the series, not a replacement for the older games. For collectors of PS3 action games, it shows how Sega translated a familiar arcade name into a personal fantasy adventure, with beast riding as its central feature.
Similar games for PlayStation 3
Conan on PlayStation 3 also features bloody sword fighting, monsters and a fixed hero in a fantasy world. There you switch between captured weapons and develop different fighting styles. Golden Axe: Beast Rider keeps Tyris and her mounts at its centre. Switching from fighting on foot to the powers of a beast changes the course of encounters.
Viking: Battle for Asgard on PlayStation 3 also uses magic and direct weapon combat. Skarin frees warriors in larger areas and builds an army for battles. Beast Rider follows Tyris through a more focused adventure. Her own defence and the use of rideable animals receive more attention than assembling a fighting force.
God of War III on PlayStation 3 combines a mythological conflict with weapons, monsters and large confrontations. Kratos' moves revolve strongly around chained weapons and breaking through groups. Beast Rider uses Tyris' sword and fire magic, with separate attacks from beasts. You play both campaigns alone, but their combat tools call for a different approach.
Heavenly Sword on PlayStation 3 likewise follows a female warrior through a violent conflict. Nariko uses different stances of one special weapon, with considerable attention to scenes and characters. Beast Rider places rideable creatures and their powers firmly alongside sword fighting. The similarity lies in the fixed protagonist, while how you use your tools differs.
Darksiders on PlayStation 3 also lets you fight with a large sword and supernatural powers. It uses more extensive dungeons, puzzles and tools that let you reach previously blocked routes. Beast Rider places its emphasis on combat and switching between Tyris and her mounts. As a result, Darksiders has you investigate how an area fits together in a different way.
