Released in 2008, the videogame for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, “Legendary” is a flawed masterpiece created by Spark Unlimited, which follows the adventures of Charles Deckard, a career criminal who is hired to steal Pandora’s Box from a museum, but accidently opens it in the process.
This unleashes misfortune on the world in the form of the ancient creatures from Greek mythology, including but not limited to Golems, Minotaurs, Werewolves, and even the Kraken.
This unique premise is what makes “Legendary” so great. The inventive and fascinating ways in which these ancient creatures interact with the modern world is what sets this game apart from the repetitive processions of assembly line products that pass as today’s action games.
After the Box is unleashed Deckard spends his time in New York City, which treats the players to an awe-inspiring sight of massive Griffons, half eagle, half lion flying creatures, that pick up cars with their talons and hurling them at the desperate NYPD officers defending the city. It is a morbid yet gorgeous spectacle.
Golems also make an appearance, absorbing car and building debris until they become 30 story monsters that simply march through the city, destroying everything in their path. Their magnetic field sucks in friendly attack helicopters, while bullets and missiles simply get absorbed by the creature.
Later Deckard finds himself in London, where it was literally jaw dropping to watch the Kraken rip down Big Ben and attack the British Parliament.
It is moments like those that make the game truly memorable and unique. There are only so many times someone can watch a nuke detonate or a chopper spin out before it becomes old, and the modern shooter games have reached that point.
Of course atmosphere is not the only factor to consider when rating a videogame and it is saddening to say that “Legendary” fails in almost every other regard.
The shooting is boring and generic, the graphics are extremely dark and muddy, and the environments are tedious and repetitive. The weapons sound like airsoft guns and have almost no kick, the cut scenes are pre-rendered and therefore atrocious in quality, the PC options menu is severely lacking, and the game is only six hours long. Most of all, the story is just bad, with no character development, no plot twists, no mysteries, and nothing to engage the audience.
Yet despite all of these flaws the game is still one of my favorites for the sole reason that in a sea of generic “Call of Duty” rip-offs it seeks to defy the norm.
Gamers cannot expect something new and innovative to show perfection the first time and that is exactly what happened with “Legendary.” It was a solid attempt at something unique and innovative, boasting an astoundingly terrifying atmosphere unlike any ever attempted before.
Despite its gaping flaws, for five dollars, “Legendary” is a solid six hours of entertainment that will keep players on the edge of their seats right up to the bitter end. “Legendary” may not live up to its title, but it is certainly an experience of mythological proportions.
