Unfortunately, I found the storyline quite difficult to follow; one could attribute the often-confusing plot to the questionable translation job and its cheesy dialogue. The game basically throws weird facts and prophecies at you, telling you multiple times about things related to blood, all the while having Rygar say weird things. Why is Rygar swearing to a feather (as evidenced here)? Why does he repeatedly refer to a "fang of rage" in one particular scene? The basic premise, however, is that Rygar has sworn to protect the people of Argus, a small island kingdom, and its ruler, Princess Harmonia, though he knows not exactly why... or even who he really is. When the princess is kidnapped by a leader of the Titans, those who praise darkness and oppose humanity, it's up to Rygar to save her, learning more about his own history and that of his beloved land in the process. Though some parts of the story are delivered directly via cutscenes, purists and completists will only find solace by reading the inscriptions on tablets and parchments picked up throughout the game -- that's the only way to learn much of the backstory. It's also interesting how extensively historical Greek characters were used here; actual individuals of Greek lore, such as the philosopher, Aristotle, and his pupil, Alexander (later known as Alexander the Great), along with Cleopatra, are mixed well with mythological beings, including Icarus and Cronus, leader of the Titans. Even Rygar himself has a real historical figure as a true identity (which I shall not spoil here).

Rygar is your standard action game. He has the walk, the run, the jump... the whole Magilla Gorilla. Half Bionic Commando, half Castlevania, but with a single twist: the Diskarmor, the same weapon used in the original Rygar games of the 1980s. This is the Belmont's legendary whip on acid. Basically a spiked disc on a chain, this will be your weapon for the entire game, and you'd best learn to love it. Over the course of the game, you'll get not one, but three Diskarmors, each easily switchable with one another but boasting their own unique traits. The Sea Diskarmor, for example, is excellent in close-quarters battle; the Heavenly Diskarmor, by contrast, boasts a wide range for when you are surrounded. The Hades Diskarmor, which you initially receive before even taking your first step, is the "best of both worlds" weapon, and the one I used the most. You can also power them up by collecting Sfaira points (I have no idea...) and spending them on "leveling up" your Diskarmors; attaching found jewels can also improve the Diskarmor's ability. And let me tell you: the Diskarmor has a feel on its own. It's not quite the same as the Castlevania whip; it feels heavier, and alas, it is. But it's quite suitable for attacking the very limited enemies in this game (mostly caterpillar-type creatures), but it's also good for breaking the many aspects of your surroundings to reveal useful items. That's right: Rygar may love his country dearly, but he has no qualms with destroying it for the sake of saving it.

Now I'd better put this out there: Rygar looks gorgeous. Not just the character Rygar, but the entire game of the same name, although he is a handsome fellow! Even as an earlier-generation PlayStation 2 title, Rygar's many environments are absolutely breathtaking. The developers actually visited old Greek landscapes and monuments to take notes and photographs in order to accurately depict these historical regions. Their efforts were not in vain; from the rockiest cliffs to the ruins of an ancient civilization's colosseum, the world in which Rygar travels is truly pristine. The characters themselves are not too difficult on the eyes as well, even if they are not heavily detailed. And, for some reason, Princess Harmonia bears an uncanny resemblance to Britney Spears. And, aside from the opening introduction and one other cutscene, all plot points are rendered in real-time, helping the transition between gameplay and the storyline. My one concern? There's no animation for doors opening; he just walks into one, the screen fades to black, then Rygar appears in the next room. I don't mind the fading, but really, doors are too difficult?

These are some of the most pleasant landscapes ever seen in gaming. Seriously!

There has also been near-universal acclaim for the game's soundtrack, as performed by the Moscow International Symphony Orchestra. The music is never too in-your-face or shoved into the forefront of the action. It serves more as an underlay for the action, but its purpose is not forgotten. The symphonic tones are constantly heard and simply add to the game's heavenly feel. Also included is a vocal track by Izzy Cooper, played partially at one point during the game, and then again in full during the ending sequence. It's nice to have, but considering most people wouldn't recognize her by name, I don't believe making her name a key point on the back side of the game's casing helped to sell too many additional copies. I wish I could give similar praise to the voice acting, but I can't. It's just... not good. I don't think any of the voice actors actually wanted to be there, and just read their lines quickly before going to Arby's to drown their sorrows in roast beef. Also available upon the game's completion are sound check, gallery, and theater features if you want to get to know your Rygar game even more. Certain items in the game you pick up will be

But here's where the game falters: the camera. (And what PS2-era game DOESN'T fail here?) This thing is, without a doubt, evil. It's fixed instead of dynamic; normally, that sounds like a decent thing to do, but the developers clearly had a mean streak about them. As you move from scene to scene, the camera will automatically shift to a completely different point of view; when doing so, I often was entering a room from a different angle than I was holding my analog stick. As a natural reaction, I pushed the stick in the new direction Rygar is facing, but that only resulted in him moving in a completely unrequested manner, usually causing me to go back to the previous room. That was a bit too disorienting, especially when the camera shifts mid-leap. As well, the exact points when the camera decides to shift are inconveniently placed, though never more annoying than early in the game when you have to duck into multiple recesses to avoid falling spike ceiling traps, when the camera shifts every time to enter one of those nooks, potentially causing me to want to run backwards. Luckily, it's no major issue during boss battles when you need to focus the most!

The only other qualm I had about Rygar, aside from its relatively short length and sometimes morbid difficulty (aside from on Easy mode, where pretty much anyone can finish it), was the swinging ability. At a certain point, Rygar somehow "learns" how to swing across crevasses and also pull himself upward by standing in certain spots near floating coloured orbs and, when they glow, whip out your Diskarmor and you'll go soaring wherever the orb may take you. It's fine if there's only one, but crossing larger divides, requiring quickly grasping onto a sequence of those orbs can be frustrating if your timing is slightly off. For some, it is a big deal, though I didn't find it too difficult to handle. Oh, that, and the fact that Rygar can walk through lava (and take damage, of course) without his character even flinching. Those were some powerful sandals they had back then.