Those about to die salute you.
Like a tragic Greek hero, Kroll falls short in its noble quest to bring epic, blockbuster action to the iPhone. While Kroll boasts one of the most ambitious and visually stunning game engines on the platform, its Achilles' Heel lies in a lack of exploration, limited range of motion, and a shallow combat system.
You guide Kroll, the game's hero who's equal parts Conan and Beowulf, through nine short areas including beaches, mines, and ruins. Despite these rich 3D environments, there's absolutely no exploration. In fact, Kroll's movement is limited to a single axis, only backward and forward. Kroll would have been a much better game if only you could move on two axes like any decent brawler. Heck, even a jump button would have sufficed. The combat drags, as well, as Kroll can either attack with quick jabs or lumbering swings using his bludgeon against enemies that simply line up to get swatted away.
The game is not without its charm, though. The narrative, in which our hero does battles with the gods, is told through an interactive tome that also serves as the game's main menu. The soundtrack, laden with warhorns, evokes The Lord of the Rings films. And the boss battles, which play like interactive cut-scenes, match the best Xbox games. The fun fantasy tropes will keep your attention for a single playthrough, but the short levels and shallow combat don't stave off boredom for long.
Even with some kick-ass aesthetics, Kroll misses true brawler gameplay.
Epic narrative. Fun boss-battle sequences. Lush environments. Fluid animation.
Shallow combat. Few levels and enemies. Single-axis movement.
