Apotheon

This game is definitely one of the first GotY candidates! The artstyle is very unique and it fits perfectly to the setting. The gameplay mechanics are accessible, but not too dull to be boring. Many people compare it to Legend of Zelda or Dark Souls. The world feels alive with a lot of things to do besides the quite unlinear main quest. The story is not that complex, but does it really have to? It's a typical "greek heroic type" of story which gives enough to keep you going. Too bad this game fell a little bit under the radar. The marketing for this game was non existent literally. I fear that many people will miss out on this gem. So spread the word!!!

This is a side-scrolling combat-based platformer in the tradition of Abuse, where you guide your character's movement on the 2d plane with the WASD keys, while controlling the direction of your character's weapon with the mouse. The control system, like Abuse, allows you to run in one direction while aiming blows at a foe behind you. The game is set in ancient Greece, and it is clear the developers have taken care to get everything right. You begin the game defending a city state, and interacting with its characters. The equipment your character acquires is all period-friendly, and you go on, during the story, to confront and consort with various members of the Olympian pantheon. The most outstanding feature of the game is its art direction. Ingeniously, the developers chose to use the black figure style of ancient Greek pottery painting. Greek pottery paintings use no perspective, depicting everything on a flat plane - which is perfect for the graphical conventions of a 2D platformer. The art style is well executed, beautiful, with excellent attention to detail, and it succeeds in evoking the setting and mystery of ancient Greece. The control scheme is sophisticated enough to allow for the learning of a considerable amount of skill. The game mechanics are well done, and each of the weapons adds an excellent and intuitive new layer of complexity to the game. The game is a joy to play. Sound design is fine. The music is good, although not outstanding. The story is less special - at least as far as I've played, and follows an apparently generic "hero rises, confronts the gods, who have forsaken mankind" narrative. It is, however, quite authentic, and executed with a good understanding and respect for Greek myth. The aspect that most jarred with me - and for which I docked a star - is the voice acting. It is uneven, and goes between generic fake gravitas and somewhat amateurish overemphatic character acting. Still tolerable though. Overall a great game.

When I found this gem on gog, I was immediately drawn to it due to its graphics. I couldn't help but treat myself to a buy. A couple of hours into the game, I find that my decision has been well rewarded. Not only to the graphics compel me, the sound, score and voice acting to their part to engulf me in a world of betrayal, bloodshed and inrigues (It's not GOT, tho!). The game is basically a 2D hack and slash with a fair amount of jump n run puzzles, tho I didn't find it as frustrating as this may sound. It's fun to read up on the mythologic background and you can tell those guys put some effort into bringing ancient Greece to life (for all we know about ancient Greece from graphic depictions, it might well have looked just like the game does! :P). You might think the simple controls and rather flat learning curve make this game boring, but they keep reinventing the game at every stage. The only thing I might compare its wits and innovativness, also some of the feeling to, is Paper Mario. As much as I used to love that, I really love this. If you're having any doubts, don't. Just buy it. It's awesome.

A well made game. +Competent combat +decent character and item progression +interesting and unique artstyle +decently large levels in the same vein as castlevania or metroid and fun to explore +interesting characters +puzzles are somewhat challenging and you can see they put some thought into it I'm surprised this game hasn't recieved much attention.