"Ryse: Son of Rome" reviews are in, but the ancient Rome action game has failed to show game critics "substance," raking in mediocre reviews.
The Xbox One launch title graphics are beautiful without a question. However, when all of the next-gen console titles are being made at the same standard of quality, a "pretty" game isn't enough to impress gamers and critics alike.
Check out what tech sites had to say about "Ryse: Son of Rome" below.
The Good: IGN rates the game 6.8 out 10
"Ryse has an entertaining story and sky-high production values. The gameplay that's there isn't bad - it just stops in its tracks before it gets anywhere near close to demanding. The multiplayer mode has some neat ideas, like a deadly, shifting Colosseum, but it's hamstrung by the same combat issues that affect the main campaign. But if spectacle is what you want, Ryse: Son of Rome will keep you entertained."
The Bad: Polygon calls Ryse "beautiful but hollow," giving the game a 6 out of 10
"From its setting to its scope to its bloody tale of revenge, Ryse is every inch a calculated contender with the competition's God of War franchise. With the latest iteration of developer Crytek's powerful CryEngine technology, it seeks to be even more of a visual spectacle. While the end result is polished, entertaining to look at and even sometimes a little fun, Ryse doesn't embrace the endless possibility of the new hardware it's helping to debut. It drags you through the motions, and those motions get pretty mundane."
The Worse: Joystiq says the game is a "shallow bore," giving it 2.5 stars out of 5
"Ryse: Son of Rome falls into the trap of your typical launch game: it does well to show off the power of the system, but it's slim on substance. Production value aside, Ryse is short, easy and lacks the punch of other action games. For all of its pomp and flash, Ryse: Son of Rome is a shallow bore."
