Viking: battle for good gameplay...alrighty let's get through this review before Ragnarok comes.
Your job as mighty Skarin, is basically, to hack up a lot of dudes who are terribly reminiscent of the Uruhkai (spelling) orcs from the lord of the rings films. No worries, i expect they paid Pete Jackson for the likeness rights. In any event there's a lot of hacking and slashing, and not so much blocking...which is a bummer. you get hurt a lot early on, but a strangely gta-like auto respawn is helpful. except the thing is works so fast, you kind of feel like you can't die, which hampers any feeling of tension, unfortunately.
A major bullet point of the game is epic combat. And this they do pretty well. Unfortunately any epic nature still oft times results in a healthy dollop of slow-down...and viking is no exception. it's too bad, it's awfully pretty, but on the bright side, with all the slowdown you have plenty of time to watch all the pretty evisceration.
The game has been touted as a nordic mercenaries...well it's not. the world is not so much open. it's relatively linear and directed in it's intent. you should go here, do this and come back. annnnd, now let's repeat that...a lot. way too much in fact.
The redeeming bright spot is that the combat doesn't wane is excitement. the enemies are pretty good at staying both scary and relevant throughout.
This one's a rental all said and done folks. no multiplayer, no online, no need to replay, but the achievement points are wicked easy, and very straightforward. Alas all told I won't be recommending this one. Hel's legion can keep Asgard. I'm not willing to fight for it.