A worthy experience despite the ugly box art? Only if it's cheap enough to buy. *long*
Despite the game's shortcomings in the story department, it's gameplay, graphics, and soundtrack carry most of its weight. The Legendary Adventure makes good use of the PS2's graphic horsepower through the game's environments and varying animations. The game has some very impressive models of the Coliseum and other areas straight from the pages from Greek mythology. As you progress deeper into the game, you'll realize how dependent Rygar is with his Diskarmor. The Diskarmor becomes a multi-faceted weapon which makes it more useful than breaking urns and cracked walls. Eventually it become's Rygar's best friend through upgrades via mystic stones and "points" from enemy kills. These upgrades result in creating multiple-hit combos and summons. Before you know it, Rygar will have over 25 moves and ways to get across large chasms and cliffs. With all this power on your special yo-yo, you really want to lay waste on a variety of enemies. Unforunately, that variety only comes in the form of bosses. The rest are just a few classes of enemies with some variation in color palettes. Puzzles and grammer also tend to take a backseat in Rygar's game design. The designers also seem to have to have run out of time to extend Rygar's adventure. Assuming you're not into getting bonus items or the like, the game can be completed in single session if you have a couple of hours to spare. At least the enemies attack in patterns which are best solved using different Diskarmors.
So what exactly compells anyone to play this game? A couple of things. The level designs are very impressive from a graphical standpoint. There are also areas in which you can revisit if you have the appropriate equipment and abilities. Just don't be suprised if you find yourself spending a majority of your time exploring your surroundings. The use of lighting on the tall architectures and various texturing make it a joy to behold and this happens all in 60 frames per second. The other saving grace of the game has also been its soundtrack. Like movies, soundtracks and music can easily change the mood of the player and Rygar does not skimp in this area. The music bodes well with the environments you fight/walk in and helps with the pacing of the game despite the crude and unprofessional CGI cutscenes.
In the end, Rygar is a game that is worth renting or buying if it's cheap enough. Look for this game in bargain bins, it's definitely worth its price. Some new copies can be found for less than ten dollars. I've found a few new copies that are five dollars. Take a look and give it a try.
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