Age of Barbarian Extended Cut

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 419 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
Age of Barbarian Extended Cut Game Cover
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"Age of Barbarian Extended Cut" is an action-packed hack 'n' slash game inspired by 80s fantasy and sword-and-sorcery genre. The game, set in a world where reality blends with dreams, features digitized sprites and an epic soundtrack. Players will control big muscular barbarians, fight bloodthirsty monsters, explore zones, avoid traps and solve small riddles.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 419 reviews
graphics48 positive mentions
stability49 negative mentions
  • Captures the essence of 80s sword and sorcery films with its art style and themes.
  • Combat is visceral and satisfying, with a variety of gruesome finishing moves.
  • Frequent updates and patches from the developers show commitment to improving the game.
  • Controls can be clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Numerous bugs and glitches can disrupt progress, including game crashes and issues with enemy AI.
  • Boss fights can be unbalanced, with some being overly difficult while others are trivial.
  • graphics123 mentions

    The graphics of the game are a polarizing aspect, with many praising its unique hand-drawn art style and nostalgic 80s fantasy aesthetic reminiscent of classic pulp comics and films, particularly the works of Frank Frazetta. While some players appreciate the vibrant visuals and thematic coherence, others criticize the graphics as dated or low-budget, with occasional technical issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's visuals evoke a strong sense of nostalgia and charm, appealing primarily to fans of the genre despite some shortcomings.

    • “The art style is a standout, with hand-drawn animations that ooze nostalgia and charm.”
    • “The overall art style aims to bring the iconic style of 80s fantasy art to life (heavily inspired by Frank Frazetta's work) and it does a great job, while also evoking the memories of fantasy B-movies from that era.”
    • “The graphics are not state-of-the-art, but they superbly evoke the look and feel of a savage and primal world.”
    • “The graphics are pretty poor and blurred, and the gameplay is very bad.”
    • “The controls are clunky, the story is slow, and the graphics options are limited to windowed or full screen; neither option gets rid of the toolbar at the bottom.”
    • “The graphics and animation are as bad as 1990s Super Nintendo.”
  • gameplay82 mentions

    The gameplay of "Age of Barbarian" is characterized by clunky controls and frustrating mechanics, often leading to a challenging experience that some players find charming while others deem it unplayable. Despite its retro-inspired visuals and simplistic combat system, many reviewers note significant bugs and poor hit detection that detract from the overall enjoyment. While the game offers a nostalgic appeal for fans of classic sword-and-sorcery titles, its execution leaves much to be desired, making it a mixed bag for potential players.

    • “While on the surface Age of the Barbarian looks simplistic and dumb, that's because it is, but it backs itself up with simplistic but fun and very rewarding gameplay.”
    • “The main gameplay is a combination of brutal combat, platforming, exploration, and avoiding deadly traps.”
    • “It seamlessly merges cinematic 2D platforming with combo-based beat-'em-up gameplay, and lets you replay previous levels at any time to search for treasure, hidden paths, and damsels in distress that you might have missed the first time through.”
    • “Could have been better if the game allowed easy gameplay to have unlimited restart from checkpoint rather than restart from beginning after 2 or 3 attempts.”
    • “I tried, multiple times, uninstalled, reinstalled, was hoping for a patch to improve it, but in the end, my verdict is that this is among the crappiest gameplay I've experienced in a gaming career that spans 3 decades now.”
    • “The controls and gameplay are clunky as hell, the translation work is poor, but it's all very, very funny.”
  • story55 mentions

    The game's story is generally viewed as simplistic and often cringeworthy, with a basic revenge plot that lacks depth but is still entertaining in a campy way. Players appreciate the individual story arcs of the two main characters, Rahaan and Sheyna, though the overall narrative is described as slow and poorly executed. Despite its flaws, the game's atmosphere, humor, and engaging combat mechanics contribute to a fun experience, especially for fans of the genre.

    • “The story is simple, yet surprisingly compelling, and the gameplay is extremely fun, despite the clunky controls, which are far from great, but aren't as horrific as many reviewers would have you believe.”
    • “The main two characters have a good story and the gameplay is fluid and good fun to play with an overall good story tied into the game.”
    • “I'd highly recommend this game to anyone who would like something a bit different from the normal games of nowadays, has a good story; they don't make them like this anymore, which makes this one all the better for it.”
    • “The story is badly written and poorly narrated, although I'll give it a pass for content as, while pretty bad, it's the kind of thing you'd find in a Conan novel.”
    • “The story is weak.”
    • “The story is mega generic, just like back in the day if you watch low-budget rated-R fantasy movies and play games like Golden Axe.”
  • stability49 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly impact gameplay, including unresponsive controls and freezing issues. However, many players still find it enjoyable and commend the developers for their frequent patches that address these problems. Overall, while the game is considered fun and nostalgic, its stability issues prevent it from being fully recommended.

    • “This game is so full of glitches it is unplayable.”
    • “Unfortunately the unresponsive controls and glitches totally ruin the game.”
    • “The amount of content is nice for an indie game, but it is buggy as hell and some bosses are broken.”
  • humor27 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as crass, campy, and reminiscent of low-budget B-movies, often eliciting genuine laughter through its over-the-top scenarios and absurd situations. Players appreciate the combination of dark, politically incorrect humor and entertainingly bad voice acting, which contribute to a charmingly janky experience. Despite its flaws, the game is celebrated for its ability to provide laugh-out-loud moments and a fun, albeit chaotic, gameplay experience.

    • “It's crass and gross in a funny B-movie way, and the combat is actually really fun and weighty once you get the hang of it.”
    • “It completely evokes the spirit of some Roger Corman genre film that you know is rubbish, but is such hilariously over-the-top sincere rubbish it's hard not to smile as a sexy, mostly naked barbarian woman guts a pig man as they scream in agony.”
    • “It's no game of the year, and its story is the quality that 80's porno directors could only dream of achieving, but damn if it ain't a hilarious way to spend the day playing.”
  • music23 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its epic and fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere and tension during gameplay, drawing strong comparisons to classic 80s sword and sorcery films. While many players appreciate the quality and thematic relevance of the music, some express a desire for a greater variety of tracks, as the repetition can detract from the experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's aesthetic and emotional impact.

    • “The soundtrack, too, is fittingly epic, amplifying the tension during battles and adding a sense of grandeur to your journey.”
    • “Vibes, setting, story, narrative, music, aesthetic: S tier, amazing, 10/10, need more like this.”
    • “A perfect tribute to the power metal fueled sword & sorcery films/books/music of a different era :)”
    • “Missing sound controls; sure there is an option to choose the volume for music, but it does absolutely nothing in the game menu.”
    • “The soundtrack is serviceable but average, and there are a few bugs that can be very annoying.”
    • “The music on the menu screen is way too loud, and every time I start a level, the game crashes.”
  • atmosphere18 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its nostalgic homage to 80s sword and sorcery films, effectively capturing a cheesy, barbaric vibe that resonates with fans of the genre. Reviewers appreciate the detailed world and immersive sound design, which enhance the overall experience despite some criticisms regarding controls and story depth. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making the game enjoyable for those who appreciate its unique aesthetic.

    • “The atmosphere and vibe of the game is perfect if you like the sword and sorcery genre.”
    • “All in all they have somehow just managed to capture perfectly the atmosphere in this game.”
    • “Has a very specific, cheesy barbaric atmosphere.”
    • “The cold atmosphere is all around you.”
    • “Completely captured the atmosphere and feel of all those 80's sword and sorcery films and the Conan world.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be largely tedious rather than challenging, with many feeling that it becomes unnecessary after reaching level 8, where all attacks are unlocked. While alternate paths encourage replayability, the need to grind for levels can lead to frustration, especially when bugs require players to redo entire levels. Overall, grinding is seen as a less rewarding experience that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “This means that grinding is useless because the boss must be 4 levels above you, which means that you only do 1 damage per hit.”
    • “So while you can reach as high as level 30, there really isn't a point to grinding once you reach level 8 since you've unlocked all the attacks.”
    • “Encountering a bug like this means redoing the whole level again, which can get extremely tedious.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game offers a moderate level of replayability, enhanced by multiple pathways, hidden items, and bonus objectives that encourage exploration. While some players find replaying with different characters or increasing difficulty adds value, others feel limited by game updates that affect their experience. Overall, the combination of engaging combat and varied scenarios contributes positively to its replay value.

    • “Levels with multiple pathways, hidden items, and bonus objectives give this game an extra degree of replayability. The developer, Crian Soft, has done a great job maintaining this ode to Howard.”
    • “There's some replayability in increasing the difficulty level; it actually forces you to play better as hacking mindlessly becomes too risky.”
    • “For me, the combat, the scenario, and the replay value are the best things about the game.”
    • “Overall rating: 80/100 for the first run through with each character; however, the replayability is only 5/100 considering their game update disabled my trainer.”
    • “In my second playthrough, I found some replayability in increasing the difficulty level, which actually forces you to play better as mindless hacking becomes too risky.”
    • “While there are fantastic sword-play mechanics and hidden items, the overall replayability value is quite limited.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviewers express a desire for a game that balances retro themes and style with modern polish, akin to titles like Hollow Knight or Ori, while questioning whether such enhancements would maintain the heartfelt essence of the genre. Overall, the emotional appeal is seen as rooted in nostalgia, offering a mix of unrefined yet enjoyable experiences.

    • “I like to imagine a game of this genre with the polish of Hollow Knight or Ori, but then I wonder if it would still end up true to its nature, or as heartfelt as a tribute to that era.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for causing frequent slowdowns, particularly during battles, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these performance issues, players still find enjoyment in the game, indicating that its appeal may outweigh the technical shortcomings. Additionally, the limitation of equipping only one weapon can impact character performance, further complicating gameplay.

    • “Even though my computer isn't up to snuff in terms of graphic performance, Age of Barbarian experiences frequent slowdowns, including during battles, which can make some things tedious. I still enjoy this game, and that says a lot.”
    • “I say, 'a weapon upgrade' because your character can only equip one weapon, which may affect your character's performance, sometimes not in the best way.”
    • “Even though my computer isn't up to snuff in terms of graphic performance, 'Age of Barbarian' experiences frequent slowdowns, including during battles, which makes some aspects tedious. I still enjoy this game, and that says a lot.”
    • “The optimization is lacking; I often encounter frame drops that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
    • “Despite having a decent gaming rig, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, making it frustrating to play.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for being overshadowed by suggestive character designs, while technical issues like a poor frame rate detract from the overall experience.

    • “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the story.”
    • “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that affect character growth throughout the game.”
    • “The characters are one-dimensional, making it hard to care about their journeys or struggles.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

10hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
3-13hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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