User Reviews (1 - 11 of 15)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Could have been better, but still fun with friends

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 18 / 21
Date: January 10, 2008
Author: Amazon User

If you are looking for some co-op fun with some friends over xbox live this is a pretty good game. If you are looking for a deep and involving rpg, or the old KOF action rts forumula this isn't the game. To me it feels like a mix between Gauntlet and Diablo.

Nice graphics and Co-Op, Poor Gameplay and Story

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 18 / 21
Date: January 19, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This review was written by my son, James Shea

A radical departure from the rest of the Kingdom Under Fire series, "Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom" changes the series from a RTS game with some hack-and-slash elements to a pure hack-and-slash.

First, some history: Kingdom Under Fire started as a PC game that was basically another Warcraft clone. Later, it moved to the Xbox with KUF: Crusaders and KUF: Heroes, which had a really unique system - most of the time it was strategy, used from a third-person perspective from your different platoons, but when you got into melee with your leader's group you would take control of your leader and hack-and-slash your way through the crowd. This helped you win battles that would otherwise find you outmatched.

In Circle of Doom, the series has moved entirely to that Hack-and-Slash mechanic. There are six characters, all of whom are from previous KUF games (4 from the Xbox titles, and 2 from the original PC one). These characters differ in their speed, their strength, and the types of weapons they can use. In the beginning, five characters are available, with one more being unlockable. Their storylines mostly revolve around their disappearances at the end of their respective games - now they are in a new realm, devoid of humans besides themselves. The only characters in the "real world" are the three idols that you encounter at rest points. These act as the game's merchants, selling you different gear depending on which idol is there (the bubbly Idol of Love, the dark and shrouded Idol of Death, and the Buddha-like Idol of Greed.) Furthermore, you can fall asleep at rest points, and in your dreams you will be transported to the Realm of Darkness, a subdimension that holds the dead spirits of the game's other characters. These spirits are also recognizable from previous games. They assign quests, teach abilities, and provide general story information. Other than those two minor sources, there is almost no story or interaction in the game.

The gameplay should be at least the redeeming part to the game, but for the most part it's not. Swinging a weapon requires "SP", or "Stamina Points", which recharge naturally. This means that most of your hack-and-slash actions will be punctuated by waiting for your stamina to recharge. This really takes you out of the game and is downright frustrating most of the time. There are lots of magical abilities to be learned, and this requires not just leveling up but also doing quests (most often "kill X number of this type of enemy"). For the most part, the gameplay lacks a lot of the combo attacks and excitement that the Xbox games held in their hack-and-slash sections. It's also possible to do a co-op mode with up to four people over Xbox Live, using head

The graphics are without a doubt the game's best part. The characters - friend and foe - are all really detailed and textured, and all the effects are really fantastic. The lighting, especially, looks fantastic. The environments - including a forest, a ruined city, and an underground area - are all rendered impressively, with lots of little details and side parts. Blood - which can be turned on or off - is shown as artistic sprays of color. The music is also very haunting and beautiful, conveying the sense of a dead, empty world. The voice acting isn't great, but it comes up so infrequently that it doesn't matter.

As a whole, this game has a lot going for it (the graphics and the co-op option being the main two) but also a lot more not going for it (the gameplay, the lack of story, the comparison of this game to other KUF games). Even as a hack-and-slash, it's not a whole lot of fun. It seems like a lot of wasted effort on the parts of the development team.

Rating: 6/10

Fun at first and then....

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: February 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

The games seem good for a while and then it just never changes. The spells are almost Impossible to get and if you do theres no needed the whole battel system is not needed, its just hack & slash. Overall the game just gets boring

Complete garbage

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: May 01, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I can't believe that this is the second game in a series. It seems that a group of incredibly lazy developers fished this out of their toilets to cash in on a popular first title. I played this on a friend's recommendation. He has played the first game, and was certain that the second would be great. I was angered by the waste of both time and money. My friend would not believe what I had to say, until I gave him the game to play himself. He is still apologizing. Now, I will never play the first game, or any other title in this rancid series.

Well...I'll never get that hour of my life back.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: February 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I've made fun of trendy hipster MAC using tree-huggers in previous reviews...but on this game I must agree with them.

For shame the amount of pollution that was released into the atmosphere because of this game. How horrible that it will all be in the landfill someday where it belongs.

I rented this Jewel of the Vile for free (thank God) from my little brother's game collection. He handed it to me and said, "Here...this one isn't...uh...it isn't really my thing."

"Thing?" He's only 16 so hasn't really mastered the use of the English language, so I can't blame him for being unable to eloquently describe the putrid nature of this game. Therefore, I will help him voice his opinion.

I was only able to sit and play this for about an hour. I kept waiting for the game to improve...but it never did. What accent is that on the vampire character? I suppose when it came to the voice acting that they couldn't afford a guy that sounded Transylvanian...they had to go for an American guy who -Vas taulkinguh like he vas an eeeevil scienteest goinguh to blow up zee vorld!-. The best part was when he called the idol of greed "fatty".

Also...what is wrong with this world's populations' pelvises? Leonardo stood like he was in a permanant state of humping or was beginning to bloat. Do the undead bloat in this world? I kept waiting for him to spike one giant chunk of his hair and say, "It's time for a little demon cleansing, I MUST SAY!" (Old Saturday Night Live reference for those of you too young to remember Martin Short's character Ed Grimley.)

I have never played the other Kingdom of Fire games...but (if I've heard correctly) they were more strategy-based. The makers should really have stuck to strategy...because whatever style this is simply sucks.

You run around...trying to find monsters to train your skills...which never happened for me. I got one spell but after that single spell (Heal) it seemed impossible. The vampire character (Lenny...or Lactate...something) is trying to mutate to become as strong as Rufus(...or was it Randy...?). It was fun in an oldschool Gauntlet at the arcade kind of way. After pegging the upteen-thousandth little scorpion with my Kunai of Frost and Wounding and Shrieking and Making Toast, however, I simply lost interest.

Basically...if you can get the game for free then have at it! It will at least fill up a little bit more space on your shelf so that when people come over they look at your games and say, "Wow! You've got a lot of games!" Other than that...get something else.

Not so good

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 5 / 8
Date: January 13, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This game seemed like it would be hot stuff...but its not. there is almost no freeroaming aspect to it and no obvious story line. all that you do is walk around killing stuff inorder to get a quest you have to enter your dream and when you get a quest they are ridiculas. all and all i would sugest renting this game before you spend the 60.00 on it.

Not as bad that some might think

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 20
Date: January 14, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Ok first off i will be giving you my review of Kingdom Under Fire Circle Of Doom for the xbox 360 .

Ok first off the enemy ai what little is there is no major issue for most gamers . You will be at some point have alot of monsters around you to kill . So this is where you will be able to button smash big time to kill them all and still walk out alive . If you happen to die for some reason could have had a distraction and lost your focus . In most other battels it will seem like no way i can live . If you can keep getting your attacks off can walk out real easy with little damage done to you.

The controls for the most part of this game is not real bad at all . In the verry first area of the game you will be able to learn the control system . You can also read the info with the game first , but its better to learn first hand . So once you have learned the control system honestly things you got to do later on will be easy as pie .

The graphics seem to fit this game good , at some points reminded me of Two Worlds for the 360 . The zone details to me look real good and character detail seems great .

The audio is not all that bad at times but most anybody will want to adjust the music setting to low or off . The fighting sounds of you fighting the npcs in the game seems to fit with the game fine .

The game play for the most to me seemed good cause i went in thinking that all or some would be bad . So after a good while playing the game i was really shocked that i did enjoy playing it. Like i covered above the ai is not to hard at times and had to button smash alot . Your also able to boost your characters skills up to boost health and damage . If you have played other games where you have to do this wont be no problem here . If your new to this type of game take your time and watch where you place the points for your character .

The online part of the game can also add in some great action like most other games you can do on xbox live .

The fun factor for me with Kingdom Under Fire Circle Of Doom overall was really good . I came into this game looking at different things most other gamers seem to over look and was able to give you all a solid review for this game . The question that might pop in most of your minds is this game worth buying or would it fall under the renting mark . I would honestly say after playing the game for a good while its well worth getting if your into this type . Also far as renting goes it always helps out . If you was wanting to get this for a gift later on renting it first and seeing what its like will help out greatly . The replay value like in most other games is not all that bad . If you played the first time as one class you might want to try a different one later on .

Final thought i really had a fun time with Kingdom UnderFire Circle Of Doom . I would say it's a game worth buying or renting but the final choice is yours to do . I hope this review has helped you out in whatever way you decide to go . Happy Gaming !

No difficulty cause the game to get boring .....

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: January 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This game was cool until you spend more than two hours killing the same enemies without been kill. The graphics are beautiful but even Ninety Nine Nights campaings were more fun. Rent this before buy it, Or you maybe are going to want to throw the game to the fire like me.

A blast with four friends!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 10
Date: January 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This game is just average, or OK if you go it alone through campaign, but where the game shines is its CO-OP gameplay. This is similiar to what Oblivion could have been had you been able to unite with friends online. If Oblivion etc is not your bag, then not for you.

extreme difficulty is fun with 4 people, is quite challenging

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: January 16, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Yes normal mode is kind of boring with 4 people, but it gets more interesting once you unlock extreme mode..

the max level for your character is 120.
the starting level of the monsters on the first level in extreme mode is 120.

Review Page: 1 2 Next 

Actions