I would say that video games don't come much simpler than this bore but the likes of Pong and Pac-Man, while less technically sophisticated are still better. Golden Axe 2 is such a chore to play with no fun or enjoyment injected into the proceedings whatsoever.
Again, you can choose from barbarian Ax Battler, amazonian Tyris Flare or dwarf Gillius Thunderhead as you slowly plod your way through a generic as hell fantasy kingdom, hacking and slashing at conveyor belt enemies (who sometimes kill themselves out of sheer stupidity) before you get to the big guy in a suit of armour who has taken over the land because of his evilness or whatever nonsense.
I often associate Golden Axe with Streets of Rage since the gameplay in the first games was very similar (I also bought them on the same day back in March 1993). But while the SOR series only got better and more sophisticated I am afraid that Golden Axe just got crapper. It tries to be the gaming equivalent of a big budget Conan movie but comes off as no more than a Roger Corman mini-series. You've never played a game so stripped down and bland as this.
Graphics D+ Sound D- Gameplay D- Lasting Appeal F
Pros:
It's a lot like Golden Axe
Cons:
It's a LOT like Golden Axe
Sound effects are no more than white noise.
Baddies all look the same.
No point system.
Very, very little in the way of power ups.
No combo moves.
Collision detection is poor.
Music is just ghastly.
