Ryse: Son of Rome Reviews
Ryse is exactly what a launch title in 2013 should have been. It is gorgeous, it does not overstay its welcome, and as it is now on Game Pass it is easy to recommend to anyone who has Game Pass on console. It is also available on PC, but you need to buy it outright there. On the whole? If you have not played this game and you liked the HBO series Rome and seeing the same execution play out 1500 times? This is the game for you!
Looking back on this review, I'm actually a bit depressed that the highlight of the game (for me, at least) was simply how good Ryse looked. It's obvious that Crytek is capable of so much more, but Ryse simply borrows the best that a few franchises has to offer, and instead chooses to cobble them together quite lazily with a few superfluous mechanics thrown in for good measure, rather than refining and building upon the core game. Granted, Ryse could have been doomed from the start, having started out as a Kinect-only title with a fairly limited control scheme, but I can't help but feel that a brand new IP deserved a little bit more than what we ultimately got. But hey, at least it looks good, right?
Unfortunately, Ryse: Son of Rome is not a production that can exceed the average level, with its excellent graphics, moderate sounds, weakness of the combat system and the story. With a slightly longer gameplay time, more detailed story processing and a few adjustments to the combat system, Ryse, which can actually be quite successful, cannot go any further than resembling a true technology demo in this state.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Ryse: Son of Rome is a great tale set in the Roman period, with its visceral limb chopping and an authentic weight to its centurion credentials, but as a third-person action adventure it's something of a one shot deal with little to pull you back in once you've seen Marius' journey through. Its gorgeous visuals and in-your-face combat may wow, but their shine dulls with unfortunately little to be offered in their place to reignite that initial excitement.
Ryse is a little better than its reputation as a tech demo in search of a game. But not much beyond a mediocre combat system in want of something more than its predictable, opulent story.
Ryse: Son of Rome is a repetitive and tedious homage to the gruesome battles showcased in the film 300.
Ryse: Son of Rome's combat and incredible graphics are entertaining, but it's too narrow and repetitive, even for a short game.
Beautiful graphics and scenery, but Ryse's combat fails to reach the level expected of modern brawlers. Worth a playthrough for action fans, but little lasting appeal outside showing off your rig's technical chops.
If you played Ryse: Son of Rome on Xbox One, there's little reason to return on PC. It may contain higher resolutions and a more flexible frame rate, but otherwise it's substantially the same game.
I found myself admiring the work that had gone into it rather than the results. Man hits other men and those men fall down, and apart. It's a tale as old as time and there's nothing new to see except the "realtime physical dangling pieces".
Crytek brings its Xbox One launch exclusive over to the PC and it's not great. But PC graphics enthusiasts should probably check it out anyway.
Ryse is a decent game, given its length, but it's one that is certainly more fun to look at than it is to play. If you're looking for a game that will push your gaming hardware to the limit, then Ryse certainly fits, especially if you're itching to game on 4K hardware. Otherwise, there are better ways to pass the time.
A real super production, fun, repetitive in some aspects but with a spectacular technical invoice and something short.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Ryse is a bit of a marmite game, if you are looking for a great gaming experience that takes forever to perfect then Ryse is not for you. If you are interested in a Roman interactive movie with a solid story line then I'd say give it a shot.
Great graphics are not everything ... Ryse will offer you an intriguing (though trivial) story in a great climate! Damage to untapped potential...
Review in Polish | Read full review
Ryse is fun at points but is ultimately held back by its repetitious nature. Still the game is a great way to show off the graphical capability of the Xbox One.
Wait for a price drop if you're in no rush to get either this game or an Xbox One entirely. The story, acting, and visuals hold it up, but the gameplay weighs it down hard.
Ryse falls short in almost every area in which a game can. Pretty and polished though it may be, it is not an essential title.
Overall, Ryse is processed at a very high level, looks impressive, diverse and has depth, but the whole thing pulls one significant element and this problem with the fighting.
Review in Slovak | Read full review