Developer : Crytek
Release date : November 22, 2013
Synopsis :
Ryse: Son of Rome is a third-person action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Crytek and published by Microsoft Studios. Set in an alternate version of Ancient Rome, Ryse follows the life of the Roman centurion Marius Titus as he becomes one of the leaders in the Roman Legion. Gameplay revolves around Marius using his sword to strike enemies and shield to deflect attacks. Execution sequences are featured in the game, which are quick-time events that serve as an extension to combat. The game features a cooperative multiplayer mode, which tasks players to fight against waves of enemies in maps that are changing dynamically.
The game’s development began in 2006. Originally it was set to be a first-person Kinect-only title for the Xbox 360. However, the developer gradually redesigned the game to become a third-person hack and slash game, with Kinect serving a diminished role. The development of the game was originally handled by Crytek Budapest, but was later transferred to Crytek’s headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. The game’s combat emphasizes on “flow”, a term referring to a player’s ability to move on to fight against another enemy upon defeating an enemy with few limitations in between. The team partnered with The Imaginarium Studios to develop the cinematic and motion-capture technology for the game. Competitive multiplayer modes developed by Ruffian Games was planned but it was ultimately cancelled.
Revealed as Codename: Kingdom at E3 2010, the game was reintroduced as Ryse: Son of Rome two years later. It was released in November 2013 as a launch title for the Xbox One, and was released on October 10, 2014 for Microsoft Windows by Crytek and Deep Silver. It received a mixed critical reaction from reviewers upon launch, being praised for its visuals, story and high production values but criticized for its repetitive and simple gameplay. Cevat Yerli, CEO of Crytek, added that he was not satisfied with the sales of the game. Upon launch, the game was supported with several multiplayer-focused downloadable content, but the originally planned Challenge Editor was cancelled.
The game begins in media res with Roman general Marius Titus leading the defence of Rome against a barbarian invasion. Marius leads the Roman emperor Nero into a safe room. At Nero’s behest, Marius begins to tell his life story to the emperor.
Marius begins his story as a Roman legionary serving in the II Legion who returns to the Titus family villa in Rome to visit them before he is deployed to Alexandria. His visit is cut short as a sudden barbarian invasion occurs, resulting in the death of his parents and sister. Commander Vitallion, who served alongside Marius’ father, transfers him to the XIV Legion, promising Marius vengeance for the death of his family. Vitallion leads the XIV Legion to the rebelling province of Britannia, where the fleet transporting them is almost destroyed by river chains. Marius’ ship is hit by a trebuchet shot, but he survives and leads an attack which destroys the towers holding the chains up, preventing the Roman fleet from being destroyed; an impressed Vitallion promoted him to the rank of centurion. The XIV Legion marches on York, fighting numerous battles with Briton rebels on the way. Upon arriving at York, Marius leads the XIV Legion in an attack against a rebel army, capturing British king Oswald and his daughter Boudica.
The XIV Legion brings Oswald and Boudica before Nero’s son Basilius, who forces Oswald to reveal where the Britons have sent Basilius’ brother Commodus to. After Oswald informs the Romans that Commodus was traded to the inhabitants beyond Hadrian’s Wall, Basilius orders the XIV Legion to march north and bring Commodus back. During the campaign there, a Roman scouting party led by Marius and Vitallion is ambushed by barbarians; Vitallion is captured, while Marius falls into a ravine but survives. Making his way to the main barbarian camp (where they are about to burn a wicker man with Vitallion inside), Marius kills the barbarian leader and rescues Vitallion and Commodus. Returning to York, Marius and Vitallion participate in a peace treaty between the Romans and Britons. However, Commodus murders Oswald, sparking a riot while Boudica escapes, and Marius realises that it was in fact the Emperor Nero himself who was responsible for causing the earlier invasion which resulted in the death of his family. Commodus flees York after tasking the XIV Legion to defend the city. Marius sacrifices himself so the last Roman ships can flee the city. However, Marius is resurrected by the Roman goddess Summer, and vows to avenge his family and kill Nero and his sons.
Returning to Rome, Marius enters the ludi in order to confront Nero and his sons directly. Dressed as legendary Roman general Damocles, Marius kills Basilius after participating in a private gladiator fight for him. In the aftermath, he sets a fortune teller free who prophesies that Marius will be killed by Damocles, but that he would kill Damocles as well; she also tells Marius that he cannot kill Nero, because the Emperor could only be killed by his own sword. Entering the Colosseum, he participates in a series of staged battles before engaging in a duel with Commodus. Despite Commodus’ attempts to rig the fight in his favour, including using a poisonous gas to try and incapacitate him, Marius defeats him as well, decapitating him and promising Nero: “You are next!”. Marius escapes the Colosseum and meets up with Vitallion, who informs him that an invading barbarian army led by Boudica is closing in on Rome, eager to seek revenge for Commodus murdering her father. During the ensuing battle, Vitallion is killed by Boudica and Marius assumes command; confronting her in single combat, he decapitates her. The narrative returns to the conversation between Nero and Marius; the Emperor, having long since deduced that Damocles was Marius, flees further into the palace. As Marius gives chase, he is temporarily impeded by god of the north wind Aquilo, who is revealed to have been aiding Nero and his sons for the entire story because he wants to see Rome destroyed. However, Summer intervenes, allowing Marius to confront Nero and launch both the Emperor and himself off a parapet. Marius falls to his death, whilst Nero is viciously impaled on a giant sword belonging to a huge statue of himself, thus fulfilling both prophecies that were made to Marius earlier in the story: that Marius and Damocles would kill each other, and that Nero would perish at the hand of his own sword.
The story ends with a voiceover from Summer revealing that due to Marius’ efforts, the invasion was repelled and Rome “would go on to stand for a thousand years”, and “endure… until the last days of man.”
Source : Wikipedia
