Wrath Unleashed is a strategy game for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox created by The Collective and published by LucasArts in 2004.
| Wrath Unleashed | |
|---|---|
 North American PlayStation 2 cover art | |
| Developer(s) | The Collective |
| Publisher(s) | LucasArts |
| Director(s) | Gary Priest |
| Producer(s) | Douglas Hare Cordy Rierson |
| Designer(s) | James Farley Garrett Smith |
| Programmer(s) | Nathan Hunt William Feng Chen Mike Singleton |
| Artist(s) | Daniel Mycka Brian Horton |
| Composer(s) | Jack Wall |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2, Xbox |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
editWrath Unleashed is a chess-like game that combines strategy with combat. In the game, the player chooses a god and attempts to claim the territory of another god with their army of mythical creatures, which move over a "board" of hexagonal spaces (each space representing a type of terrain). When two opposing troops occupy the same hexagonal space, gameplay shifts to an arena, where the troops must battle to the death for the right to occupy the space. The goal of the game is to position troops over spaces which contain the enemy's temples.
The characters in Wrath Unleashed are divided into Light (good) and Darkness (evil), as well as Order (intelligence, thought) and Chaos (combat, battle). Each faction of characters has the power of a specific element. All playable characters are able to heal their troops, teleport troops across the board, and destroy nearby enemies.
- Water Demigoddess Aenna (voiced by Vanessa Marshall) - Aenna is the goddess of Water, and is as "pure as crashing waves and waterfalls". Aenna wields power over the Elements of Water and Ice. As a goddess of the Light Order, she represents enlightenment and wisdom. Through her teachings, feral ogres are able to focus their rage into powerful magic. Aenna is in love with the god Epothos. Her color is blue.
- Fire Demigod Epothos (voiced by Ron Yuan) - Epothos is the god of Fire, and is "a volcanic warrior with the fury of the Sun". Epothos wields power over the Elements of Fire and Magma. As a god of the Light Chaos, he represents courage and valor in combat. Epothos forged his warriors, the Fire Giants, in the core of a volcano. His color is red.
- Earth Demigod Durlock (voiced by Rafael Ferrer) - Durlock is the god of Earth, and is as "cold as he is calculating". Durlock wields power over the Elements of Earth and Metal. He forged his warriors from iron. As a god of the Dark Order, he represents treachery and deception. Durlock is in love with the goddess Aenna. His color is green.
- Wind Demigoddess Helamis (voiced by Jennifer Hale) - Helamis is the goddess of Wind, and is as "merciless as her hurricanes". Helamis wields power over the Elements of Wind and Lightning. As a goddess of the Dark Chaos, she represents the cruelty and horrors of war. She released the demonic Cyclops from its underworld prison. She believes that she can lure Epothos to her side with her seductive charms. Her color is purple.
Plot
editA nameless narrator (voiced by Mako Iwamatsu) introduces the conflict: "In the beginning, there was only darkness. Then light shown in the void, and a new world was born. A realm forged from the elemental forces of earth, wind, water, and fire. The nexus of an eternal war waged between the forces of light and darkness, between chaos and order, which destroyed the world in a mighty cataclysm. Unto this broken realm came the overlords: Beautiful Aenna, Goddess of the Waters. Steadfast purity of crashing waves and thundering waterfalls. Fiery Epothos, Warrior of the Rising Sun. Volatile guardian of the sacred flame. Devious Durlock, Master of Metals, and Lord of Stone! Keeper of the secrets of the earth! And Wicked Helamis! Queen of Storms and Chaos, mother of hurricanes, leaving havoc and destruction in her wake. Now the mightiest of the overlords prepare for the ultimate confrontation, the time has come for the Wrath of the Gods to be UNLEASHED!"
The game features campaigns for each of the four characters, at varying difficulties, following their story of achieving domination of the realm.
Development
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2019) |
LucasArts acquired the publishing rights to Wrath Unleashed (known then as Wrath) in 2002.[1]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PS2 | Xbox | |
| Metacritic | 64/100[2] | 69/100[3] |
| Publication | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PS2 | Xbox | |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 5.17/10[4][a] | 5.17/10[4] |
| Game Informer | 6/10[5] | 7.5/10[6] |
| GameRevolution | C−[7] | C−[7] |
| GameSpot | 7.3/10[8] | 7.3/10[8] |
| GameSpy |   [9] | [10] |
| GameZone | 7.4/10[11] | 7.5/10[12] |
| IGN | 7.6/10[13] | 7.8/10[14] |
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |  [15] | N/A |
| Official Xbox Magazine (US) | N/A | 7/10[16] |
| X-Play | N/A | [17] |
| Playboy | 50%[18] | 50%[18] |
Wrath Unleashed received "mixed or average reviews" on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2][3] Star Dingo of GamePro said of the Xbox version, "If either half of Wrath Unleashed had been more fully formed, the game would have been easy to recommend, but as it stands, half a fighting game and half a strategy game does not make a whole game. Seek out Magic: The Gathering – Battlegrounds for a much more well-blended mix of brainpower and reflex."[19][b]
Notes
edit- ^ Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave both console versions each a score of 4/10, 7/10, and 4.5/10.
- ^ GamePro gave the Xbox version 3.5/5 for graphics, and three 3/5 scores for sound, control, and fun factor.
References
edit- ^ "LucasArts Nabs Publishing Rights to Wrath, the Highly Coveted Action/strategy Game by the Collective". Yahoo! Finance. Yahoo! Inc. April 15, 2002. Archived from the original on June 11, 2002. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ a b "Wrath Unleashed critic reviews (PS2)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ a b "Wrath Unleashed critic reviews (Xbox)". Metacritic. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Byrnes, Paul; Hsu, Dan "Shoe"; Elliott, Shawn (March 2004). "Wrath: Unleashed [sic]" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 176. Ziff Davis. p. 114. Archived from the original on March 27, 2004. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Zoss, Jeremy (March 2004). "Wrath Unleashed (PS2)". Game Informer. No. 131. GameStop. p. 107. Archived from the original on April 14, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
- ^ Juba, Joe (February 2004). "Wrath Unleashed (Xbox)". Game Informer. No. 130. GameStop. p. 108. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
- ^ a b Silverman, Ben (March 10, 2004). "Wrath Unleashed Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Shoemaker, Brad (February 10, 2004). "Wrath Unleashed Review". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ Levesque, Paul (February 16, 2004). "GameSpy: Wrath Unleashed (PS2)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 30, 2005. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- ^ Levesque, Paul (February 16, 2004). "GameSpy: Wrath Unleashed (Xbox)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ Tha Wiz (February 19, 2004). "Wrath Unleashed - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 10, 2008. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- ^ Zacarias, Eduardo (February 18, 2004). "Wrath Unleashed - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- ^ Hwang, Kaiser (February 10, 2004). "Wrath Unleashed (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 8, 2007. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- ^ Hwang, Kaiser (February 9, 2004). "Wrath Unleashed (Xbox)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ Rybicki, Joe (March 2004). "Wrath Unleashed". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 78. Ziff Davis. p. 103. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ "Wrath Unleashed". Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. February 2004. p. 74.
- ^ D'Aprile, Jason (March 2, 2004). "'Wrath Unleashed' (Xbox) Review". X-Play. TechTV. Archived from the original on March 13, 2004. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ a b "Wrath Unleashed". Playboy. Playboy Enterprises. March 2004. p. 39.
- ^ Star Dingo (March 2004). "Wrath Unleashed (Xbox)" (PDF). GamePro. No. 186. IDG. p. 64. Archived from the original on February 14, 2005. Retrieved June 9, 2024.