Gangs of Sherwood Review

Who had a Robin Hood action adventure video game on their 2023 bingo card? Well, Gangs of Sherwood brings the infamous outlaw and his band of merry allies to the medium, promising a barrel of action-packed combat and co-op good times. Unfortunately, the results are mixed to say the least and show that the delay in releasing the game was not enough to take it from mediocre to magical.

In Gangs of Sherwood, the Sheriff of Nottingham seizes the magical Lion's Heart stone, which holds immense power and explains the futuristic aesthetic of this world. It is therefore up to Robin de Locksley, Marianne, Petit Jean and Frère Tuck to team up to defeat this evil sheriff and his henchmen. Players choose between four main characters – each with their own unique fighting style and personality – and as the game progresses and players collect gold, they can unlock more customizable options for their character's combat system. In other words, it’s time to rise and grind, baby!

A new era for Robin Hood

Much like RoboCop: Rogue City, Nacon's other recent game, Gangs of Sherwood doesn't have high-end graphics or game-changing gameplay scenes. It doesn't rival Marvel's Spider-Man 2 for the title of best-looking game of the year, but it doesn't try to either. Considering that this is not an exorbitantly priced title, the character designs and settings are budget-friendly and do their job in absorbing players into this carefully crafted Robin Hood story. constructed and different. Football simulations still feel like they're stuck in 2014 and certainly have higher budgets than this game, so…

At the same time, the dialogue and voice acting must be commended, as there are some genuinely funny moments scattered throughout the game, while the conversations always remain relevant and move the narrative forward. The character of Alan-A-Dale, in particular, proves to be a lot of fun, and it's always welcome to see this minstrel show his many faces. Considering the fact that the story isn't exactly the most innovative or gripping there is – since it's all about action, of course! – it is important that the dialogues allow the player to be invested in the journey, and fortunately, this remains intact here.

Steal from the rich and give to the poor

At the start, Gangs of Sherwood starts off frantically, with button-mashing being the order of the day, especially as the waves of enemies keep arriving. Players can also use environmental attacks, such as trapdoors and poison, to deal damage to their enemies, which adds some nice variety to the gameplay. A character like Robin is a safe choice to get used to the controls and settings, as his long-range attacks give the player time to adjust to the dodging and blocking system, especially early in the mission. To be honest, there is not a very high barrier of entry for this game, as even players with little experience will pick it up in no time. This is a simple title, designed to be easy enough for everyone to play.

Yet this simplicity proves to be a double-edged sword, as the gameplay runs out of steam incredibly quickly. When all the elements start to blur together and the levels become familiar, Gangs of Sherwood quickly loses its charm. Add to that the fact that camera angles have a mind of their own at the worst times, i.e. when surrounded by enemies, and the game becomes more frustrating than fun.

Is Gangs of Sherwood worth it?

Gangs of Sherwood has potential and a good concept, but it struggles to bring it to fruition. In a year where so many incredible video games have emerged, it's hard to say this title is part of the conversation. Certainly, he does not reach the level of Morbin in The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, but he still lacks that little something special that would make players overlook his weaknesses.