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Shadow of Rome

Capcom, PS2, 39.99

IN A VERY WELCOME change of scenery, the Shadows of Rome sees your standard-issue khaki replaced by a toga, and your rifle by a sword.

The story bears more than a passing resemblance to Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator. Our hero, Agrippa, a highly respected centurion, returns to Rome to find all is not well. Caesar has been assassinated, and his father - being held as the prime suspect - awaits death by the winner of the upcoming gladiatorial games. Banished from the city after trying to prevent his mother’s execution, Agrippa is forced to start afresh as a lowly gladiator fighting his way through the ranks in an attempt to win the ultimate prize and hopefully save his father.

All the ingredients are here for a repetitive hack-and-slash affair as you fight your way to the top, but thankfully this is not the case. For starters, the action is neatly divided between playing as Agrippa, and his good friend Octavianus. Octavianus, of a more noble background, is not cut out for such antics and prefers to sneak around the corridors of the Senate in an attempt to prove the innocence of Agrippa’s father.

Both the stealth and action elements of the game are very good, and the two are expertly blended, allowing for moments of tense and patient thought, but giving you an outlet to unleash your aggression in the next stage. In stealth mode you rely on silently strangling your enemies or knocking guards out with pots.

When playing as Agrippa, however, the violence is ramped up, with an emphasis on entertaining the bloodthirsty crowds. In the Coliseum, limbs, heads and blood cover the arena as you slash your way to glory. By bringing off tightly executed combos or flogging your opponents with their own severed limbs you will delight the crowd, whose support will reward you with weapons and health-giving food.

The combat can feel a little disjointed, especially in terms of contact distance, which stops the game from hitting the heights it should. However, after a while this is overlooked as you become accustomed to the physics of the game.

While not likely to win any awards for innovation, Shadow of Rome does have an engaging storyline, nicely brought together by crisp graphics and an excellent music score. It brings that Roman empire ambience to the console as never before, with the stealth elements proving the perfect foil for the gladiatorial carnage. Capcom need not ask if you are entertained.