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CIRCUS MAXIMUS: CHARIOT WARS (XBOX)
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Publisher: THQ.
Developer: Kodiak Interactive. Released: June 2002 (Europe). Genre: Vehicle Combat. Other versions: PS2. Posted 6th March 2024. By Shane Battams © 2024 |
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Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars proves a great concept does not automatically equate to a good game, as it squanders its unique concept. The idea of racing Roman chariots while trying to take out your foes could have made for anarchic fun, and extending that premise to a four-player mode sounds event better. Unfortunately, Kodiak Interactive failed to make good on this, making for an uneventful time that pales next to competing racers. Lifeless racing, a blandly assembled career mode and flat presentation results in a sleep-inducing time, and unless you can find three friends to join with you, its few positives are dwarfed by a noticeable lack of energy.
Like the title suggests, Circus Maximus sees you partaking in chariot racing across Roman stages. It proves a quirky system to become accustomed to, though a lengthy list of tutorial challenges helps. Rather than holding a button to move forward, you must get your horses up to speed and maintain that without dropping or overextending their stamina. You can also lean with your rear character, which can help with balance, as hard steering can risk overturning your chariot. Speaking of, the character in the back also serves as your warrior. You can perform several strikes, a block and a taunt, with a powerful strike which can wreck other drivers if they are stunned. It does create an extensive control list, and for some it might prove a touch awkward, but players can acclimatise with practice.
Rubberbanding ensures you're often in the company of opposition, though the racing is really dull
Unfortunately, the racing itself proves dreadfully dull. It’s sluggish, even taking into account the nature of the vehicle. Combat doesn’t really add much spice, with only drops of blood lending any impact to your attacks. Deathmatches see you trying to earn five kills first, but it’s somehow even more lacklustre. Track design feels mixed, with some just resembling a circle while larger courses lack much more complexity. Some also outstay their welcome, taking close to ten minutes to clear over three laps. Power-ups, ranging from speed boosts to damage buffs, add little spice. Shortcuts offer a chance to get ahead, but they often come with hazards that can cause your vehicle to crash. However, these shortcuts prove borderline essential, as the AI suffers from some serious rubber-banding issues. On the default setting, you’ll struggle to get a meaningful lead as opponents bounce back from crashes almost instantly, and never seem to fall far behind. Even if you take shortcuts, they pace back to you with alarming speed. It can make racing a deadly combination: dull and frustrating.
It doesn’t help that the content surrounding this racing isn’t much better. Arcade allows you to set up custom races, while Tournament serves as the main meat of the game. Taking you through multiple courses as you attempt to earn Dinari to unlock the next stage, this can be earned through victories, defeating foes and running over pedestrians. Frustratingly, you’ll end up repeating the course multiple times to progress, as the game swaps between forward and reverse variants of tracks until you earn the requisite Dinari. It grows tiresome quickly, but you could likely clear this mode in a couple of hours. Finishing on certain difficulties rewards more tracks, deathmatch arenas and characters, but it proves superficial. Multiplayer offers some potential, allowing four-players to race as one man at the front and the other can fight on the back. You can even play cooperatively against AI, and it can produce some short-lived appeal. However, the racing still suffers from the aforementioned problems, meaning you’ll likely have trouble convincing friends to join you.
It doesn’t help that the content surrounding this racing isn’t much better. Arcade allows you to set up custom races, while Tournament serves as the main meat of the game. Taking you through multiple courses as you attempt to earn Dinari to unlock the next stage, this can be earned through victories, defeating foes and running over pedestrians. Frustratingly, you’ll end up repeating the course multiple times to progress, as the game swaps between forward and reverse variants of tracks until you earn the requisite Dinari. It grows tiresome quickly, but you could likely clear this mode in a couple of hours. Finishing on certain difficulties rewards more tracks, deathmatch arenas and characters, but it proves superficial. Multiplayer offers some potential, allowing four-players to race as one man at the front and the other can fight on the back. You can even play cooperatively against AI, and it can produce some short-lived appeal. However, the racing still suffers from the aforementioned problems, meaning you’ll likely have trouble convincing friends to join you.
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Chariot Wars isn’t much of a looker, though it at least runs at a smooth clip. Characters and tracks look pretty basic, and the animations feel a touch stiff, especially the taunts. Crashes, at the very least, can offer some destructive appeal, only heightened by replay cams, but otherwise, nothing stands out visually. The sound is pretty bare too, with low-key music which fails to add drama to races. Voicework is lacklustre and taunt lines repeat often, which quickly becomes groan-inducing. The only bright spot is the tutorial voiceover, whose chastising lines and dry insults prove quite amusing. They even, casually, throw out that they are “much better looking” than our trainees. Sadly though, the trainer isn’t enough to recommend the game.
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Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars squanders its interesting ideas under lethargic racing, a lack of content and frustrating issues. If you’re not half asleep as you’re meandering through races, you’ll be frustrated as AI rubberbanding causes headaches. Boring presentation and lack of modes exacerbate these issues. If you can somehow recruit a trio of friends to join in, the multiplayer should keep you entertained for a few sessions. Otherwise, you can rest easy avoiding Kodiak’s flawed effort, which feels like anything but a Roman epic.
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VERDICT
"Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars squanders its interesting ideas under lethargic racing, suspect presentation and a lack of content." OVERALL: 4/10 |
OTHER GAMES WITH A HISTORICAL FANTASY SETTING REVIEWED
Spirit of Speed (2000, Dreamcast)
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My Memory of Us (2018, PlayStation 4)
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