Xena Warrior Princess: The Talisman of Rate Xena, the popular television series that aired from 1995 to 2001, captivated audiences with its strong female protagonist and action-packed adventures. One of the most memorable storylines in the series is "The Talisman of Rate." In this episode, Xena and her trusty sidekick Gabrielle stumble upon an ancient artifact known as the Talisman of Rate. The talisman is said to possess incredible power and has the ability to control the rate of time. Sensing the danger associated with such power, Xena and Gabrielle set out on a quest to find the talisman before it falls into the wrong hands. Their journey takes them through treacherous terrains, facing numerous obstacles and enemies along the way.
Almost everything in this game is done poorly, except the music - but twice while playing this title (the final, retail version, mind you) the sound effects and musical score cut out completely at the end of a match for no reason. Restarting the game is the only way to resurrect the audio. When you can actually hear the sound effects, you hear clangs of metal on metal, metal on wood, and metal and wood on flesh. Each character has his own theme (appropriately, Joxer's sounds like the entrance music for a dismal failure of a circus clown), and these are played over and over until the corresponding character is defeated.Audial effects aside, there is a discrepancy between the manual and the practice mode as to what the buttons are called. The manual divvies up the buttons as "left punch," "right punch," etc., while the game itself refers to them as "weak punch," "weak kick," etc. - and from there it gets worse. The game is three- dimensional, but jumping and crouching are handled by the R and Z buttons. The analog controller is used solely for moving the characters around the ring and unleashing special attacks, instead of the "block high/block low" convention. Why Saffire feels the need to strike out on its on in this regard is somewhat confusing. It's also possible to perform a Soul Calibur-style guard-impact technique, whereby you temporarily knock an opponent's weapons out of his hands. But this isn't covered in the manual and seems to happen more by accident than anything else. Throwing an opponent is next to impossible, and many of the characters' special moves (like Velasca's Tornado) take more than a full second to come out, making them easily interruptible and useless in actual combat.
All of the characters have combos that can be activated simply by jamming on a C button repeatedly, removing the need for skill when juggling an opponent. Multiplayer games are enjoyable, but if two or more characters team up on you, you have absolutely no chance of defending yourself successfully because your back is always exposed.
Their journey takes them through treacherous terrains, facing numerous obstacles and enemies along the way. Xena's combat skills and Gabrielle's wit and resourcefulness are put to the test as they navigate through a series of challenges. As Xena and Gabrielle get closer to their goal, they discover that they are not the only ones seeking the talisman.
Xena: Warrior Princess - The Talisman of Fate Review
This would probably make a decent party game for players who don't know how to do anything more than mash every button available, but fans of fighting games should stay far, far away.
By Doug Trueman on April 28, 2000 at 9:35PM PDT
Titus seems to be spending most of its money lately on licenses that will turn heads: Superman is no slouch of a name, and the company's new Xena title has come at a time when watching leather-clad women duke it out has never been bigger. But in both of these instances it seems that Titus is relying far too much on the reputations of its pop icons to sell copies when it should be focusing on creating solid gameplay, smooth animations, and responsive control schemes.
It seems that Xena and Despair (the Champion of Dahak) have both laid claim to the Talisman of Fate. Whoever controls it will have influence over all of mankind, so, naturally, Xena doesn't want it to fall into the wrong hands. A battle ensues, but the Fates themselves intervene, deciding that the only way to settle the dispute is to hold a tournament with earth's greatest heroes and villains as competitors (how Joxer managed to get himself invited is beyond me). Up to four gamers can play, and each player controls one of the many characters from the show (Xena, Gabrielle, Joxer, Ares, Hope, Callisto, Autolycus, etc.) and tries to beat everyone else's brains in with punches, kicks, and various special moves. Xena has her sword, the Chakram, and a torch that lets her breathe fire; Gabrielle has her staff, some extravagant kicks, and a Dhalsim-type meditation-into-projectile attack. The game is 3D, it supports four players, and it showcases a hot commodity. So why the bad score? It's hard to know where to begin.
Almost everything in this game is done poorly, except the music - but twice while playing this title (the final, retail version, mind you) the sound effects and musical score cut out completely at the end of a match for no reason. Restarting the game is the only way to resurrect the audio. When you can actually hear the sound effects, you hear clangs of metal on metal, metal on wood, and metal and wood on flesh. Each character has his own theme (appropriately, Joxer's sounds like the entrance music for a dismal failure of a circus clown), and these are played over and over until the corresponding character is defeated.Audial effects aside, there is a discrepancy between the manual and the practice mode as to what the buttons are called. The manual divvies up the buttons as "left punch," "right punch," etc., while the game itself refers to them as "weak punch," "weak kick," etc. - and from there it gets worse. The game is three- dimensional, but jumping and crouching are handled by the R and Z buttons. The analog controller is used solely for moving the characters around the ring and unleashing special attacks, instead of the "block high/block low" convention. Why Saffire feels the need to strike out on its on in this regard is somewhat confusing. It's also possible to perform a Soul Calibur-style guard-impact technique, whereby you temporarily knock an opponent's weapons out of his hands. But this isn't covered in the manual and seems to happen more by accident than anything else. Throwing an opponent is next to impossible, and many of the characters' special moves (like Velasca's Tornado) take more than a full second to come out, making them easily interruptible and useless in actual combat.
All of the characters have combos that can be activated simply by jamming on a C button repeatedly, removing the need for skill when juggling an opponent. In fact, it's possible to defeat the one-player game on its default setting just by pressing the down C button over and over. Collision detection is atrocious; characters miss each other by miles even though they're standing right next to each another one minute and then footsweeping airborne opponents the next. The animation is equally awful: When fighters perform handsprings to get back on their feet their hands aren't anywhere near the ground. Jumping animations are stilted and jerky, and almost all of the characters can perform attacks infinitely without any fear of reprisal.
Aside from the character animations, the visuals are moderately appealing. The camera zooms in and out gracefully as characters negotiate the distance between each other in the ring, and the close-up textures of combatants leave no doubt in your mind that you're looking at characters based on Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Conner, and Ted Raimi. The backgrounds are well-drawn collections of temples, town squares, and dungeons, and they feature plain touches such as plants, fallen stone pillars, marble floors, flickering torches, and Persian rugs.
Multiplayer games are enjoyable, but if two or more characters team up on you, you have absolutely no chance of defending yourself successfully because your back is always exposed. Defeating the computer on the hard setting is next to impossible because the two CPU characters will attack relentlessly until you're destroyed, leaving you no chance to launch a strategic assault of your own. This would probably make a decent party game for players who don't know how to do anything more than mash every button available, but fans of fighting games should stay far, far away.
Titus seems to be spending most of its money lately on licenses that will turn heads: Superman is no slouch of a name, and the company's new Xena title has come at a time when watching leather-clad women duke it out has never been bigger. But in both of these instances it seems that Titus is relying far too much on the reputations of its pop icons to sell copies when it should be focusing on creating solid gameplay, smooth animations, and responsive control schemes.
A group of ruthless warlords, led by a vengeful sorcerer, is also in pursuit of the artifact. With time running out, Xena and Gabrielle must outsmart their adversaries and protect the talisman from falling into the wrong hands. The climax of the episode occurs as Xena and Gabrielle engage in an epic battle with the warlords. The fate of the talisman hangs in the balance as Xena unleashes her formidable combat skills, while Gabrielle uses her quick thinking to devise clever strategies. In the end, Xena prevails, defeating the warlords and securing the talisman. "The Talisman of Rate" is a testament to Xena's strength, skill, and dedication to protecting the innocent. It showcases the power of friendship and showcases the dynamic duo's ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. Overall, "The Talisman of Rate" is a thrilling episode in the Xena series that highlights the show's action-packed nature and strong female characters. It is an exciting adventure that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end..
Reviews for "Xena: Warrior Princess and the Mystical Powers of the Talisman"
1. John - 1 star
I was really disappointed with "Xena Warrior Princess: The Talisman of Rate". The plot was weak and the dialogue felt cheesy and unnatural. The acting was subpar, with the main characters lacking chemistry. The fight scenes were poorly choreographed and lacked any excitement. Overall, it felt like a cheap knockoff of the original show. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
As a fan of the original "Xena Warrior Princess" series, I had high hopes for "The Talisman of Rate". Unfortunately, it fell short in many aspects. The storyline was convoluted and difficult to follow, leaving me confused at times. The special effects were poorly executed, making the fantasy elements laughable rather than immersive. The character development was lacking, and the new characters introduced were uninteresting. It's a shame that this film didn't live up to its potential.
3. Emma - 1 star
I found "Xena Warrior Princess: The Talisman of Rate" to be a complete disappointment. The acting was wooden, with the leads lacking the charisma and charm of the original cast. The dialogue was cringe-worthy, filled with cheesy one-liners that fell flat. The action sequences were poorly executed and lacked any excitement. The plot was incoherent and seemed to be a haphazard attempt to cash in on the popularity of the original series. Overall, it failed to capture the magic and charm of "Xena Warrior Princess" and left me wishing I hadn't wasted my time watching it.
4. Michael - 2 stars
"The Talisman of Rate" lacked the charm and wit that made the original "Xena Warrior Princess" series so enjoyable. The storyline was predictable and lacked any compelling twists. The new characters introduced were bland and uninteresting, failing to capture the essence of what made the original cast so memorable. The action scenes felt forced and lacked the excitement and energy of the original show. Overall, it was a forgettable attempt at reviving the franchise and didn't live up to my expectations.