Gangs of Sherwood review: Hood stretched a little thin

Surprisingly for my memory, the outlaw has also provided the hero for more than a dozen videogames, of which Gangs of Sherwood is the latest, if not the greatest. But this is not quite the medieval city of Nottingham as you might remember it depicted – that much is clear from the soldiers you meet with the glowing eyes and luminous weapons in the opening minutes. This action-adventure co-op hack’n’slash has been infused with steampunk elements, something that’s also evident from the off when given the choice of playing as one of four heroes – Robin, Maid Marian, Little John and Friar Tuck – each with a signature magical power.

Outside of that mystical twist, Gangs hues close to the Robin of Loxley legend, pitting him against the malignant forces of the Sheriff of Nottingham around the city, including nearby forests and mines. You can play solo or online with up to three others to cut a swathe through the clusters of rather dim enemies.

At first, the combat has a bit of zing to it – encouraging you to mix up combos of light and heavy attacks, which build up your special ability. This can be unleashed with a flourish to deal extra damage. Robin, for instance, has a quiver of deadly arrows can that be let loose en masse at one unfortunate victim. In Marian’s case, she lines up a series of daggers that hover above a target until you let fly.

For a time, then, the game does prove interesting to experiment with all the combos, along with some unlockable moves. But after the initial hour you’ve probably seen all the possible permutations in each character, especially given that the enemies themselves lack variety and personality. Playing in co-op offers little advantage over the solo slog, since collaboration extends to no more than a little bit of healing and nothing notable in the way of team moves that reward skilled timing.

As a mid-price title, Gangs of Sherwood would never have the budget to stand out against the top tier of studios but there are times when it reminds you of a last-generation title, from the visuals to the unsophisticated combat. On this evidence, the Robin Hood formula has been worn too thin to justify another chapter in his saga.