Ryse: Son of Rome may have been a bit of a disappointing launch title, but it's still a great cinematic experience. Following the tale of an ancient Roman soldier as he rebels against the emperor, Ryse is the video game equivalent of a big dumb Hollywood movie, with both the good and bad that the comparison brings. The combat is initially good fun, based almost solely on a combo-based system that relies on quick thinking and fast reactions, not dissimilar to God of War. It also looks rather lovely, and makes for a great showcase to see what your Xbox One can do. Unfortunately, it's very short, the gameplay is repetitive, and the narrative is derivative of better games. Still, Ryse: Son of Rome is a gory blast through the past, great to play through as a rental on a lazy Sunday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9mgUvtO7mo
