Great Legends: Robin Hood in the Crusades

The original Great Legends: Robin Hood title saw Nottingham’s most famous son returning from the crusades to find his beloved England in the grip of tyranny thanks to the wicked Prince John and the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham.

This sequel rolls the clock back even further and shows what our brave hero got up to before he started relieving the rich of their cash and distributing it to the weak and needy.

The action kicks off in a crusader camp located in the heart of the war-torn Holy Land. Richard the Lionheart is doing his best to oust Saladin’s hordes from Jerusalem and Robin is one of the thousands of plucky soldiers making up the Christian army.

However, as far as historical accuracy is concerned that’s about as far as it goes. Not only does Robin encounter deadly projectile-hurling mutant scorpions and massive, magically-animated stone golems, but he also bumps into noteworthy figures from the pages of myth and legend - Ali Baba (he of forty thieves fame) being one of the more recognisable.

Great Legends: Robin Hood 2 has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek; the game has a playful sense of humour which helps keep the action fresh.

One of our favourite bits was during a conversation with the aforementioned Ali Baba. He comments to Robin that they should work together as there is “honour among thieves”. Noble Robin replies that he is no thief, to which Ali Baba playfully responds: “Not yet”.

However, by far the most appealing aspect of the entire game is the graphics. Much improved from those seen in the previous title, Great Legends: Robin Hood 2 is an incredibly good-looking slice of mobile gaming. All of the sprites animate well and the numerous little embellishments - such as clouds of sand being gently blown across the desert landscape - really add to the package.

Thankfully, excellent aesthetics are reinforced by rock-solid gameplay. Robin controls like a dream and displays an agility that is usually lacking from mobile phone game protagonists.

Although his double-tap roll and dash manoeuvre takes some getting used to, after playing the game for a few moments you’ll be gleefully running rings around your foes.

Combat is based on the use of sword and Robin’s trademark bow. The default control set-up automatically switches between the two as enemies come within attacking distance but we’d recommend you switch to the ‘Advanced’ setting, which allows you to toggle your weaponry using the ‘0’ key. This way, you’re less likely to waste your precious arrows.

Not only does it play well, but Great Legends: Robin Hood 2 is structured perfectly, with save locations cropping up at regular intervals and respawn points scattered liberally throughout.

It’s perfect for short-burst adventuring, and that’s probably the best way to approach the game because if there’s one problem it’s the brevity of Robin’s quest. It won’t take long to fight your way through the rat-infested dungeons, grand palaces and shifting sand dunes.

However, while it lasts Great Legends: Robin Hood 2 is incredibly enjoyable and is about as close to The Legend of Zelda that mobile phone gamers are likely to get.

Great Legends: Robin Hood in the Crusades

A massively enjoyable fantasy adventure that makes up for its rather meagre length by showcasing some of the best hack and slash gameplay current available to mobile phone gamers
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Damien  McFerran
Damien McFerran
Damien's mum hoped he would grow out of playing silly video games and gain respectable employment. Perhaps become a teacher or a scientist, that kind of thing. Needless to say she now weeps openly whenever anyone asks how her son's getting on these days.