Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood Demo

Perspective is everything in some cases, which is why it is possible to put almost anything in a positive light. Historians are praising Genghis Khan for spreading culture around the world, even if he executed entire cities and burned them to the ground without a hint of remorse. The same thing applies to Robin Hood, who is actually a thief and a charlatan, but everyone adores him for stealing only from the rich and giving it away to the poor.

Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood is a strategy game with an emphasis on stealth and tactics, which allows you to play the role of the famous thief and visit England back when arrows and swords were cutting edge technology. In essence, you control a team of characters through a variety of missions, and you have to take advantage of their unique skills in order to get out alive and accomplish your goals.

The story revolves around Richard the Lionheart, who is taken prisoner by his brother. Given the fact that his brother is not exactly kind hearted with the people he rules over, Robin Hood and the Merry Men decide he needs to retire early, which is why they come up with a plan to bring him down. Over the course of over two dozen missions, you’ll have to do just that.

Just like in Commandos or other similar titles, you are in charge of a few characters at the same time, each with his particular skill set. The missions generally take place on open maps, which means that you are free to choose your path and do as you please in order to reach the objective. Whether you have to infiltrate a castle or plan and execute a robbery, there’s always something exciting happening, not to mention the fact that you can complete the tasks in a variety of ways.

The freedom is what sets the game apart really, because you feel compelled to replay some of the levels just to try out new strategies. The stealth mechanics are nicely implemented, and you can easily take advantage of shadows and regular guard patrols to sneak in undetected. Moreover, the isometric perspective is helpful as well, because you always have a clear view of your surroundings.

In the end, Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood may not look like much today, but it’s definitely a gem of the genre, if you have the patience for it. Thus, you can really have a lot of fun alongside Robin Hood and his comrades, as long as you are prepared to make some concessions when it comes to visual quality.