In 1999, two Xena games were released. The PlayStation got a hack-n-slash adventure, while the N64 got a fighting game. The plot of this game is easily what you’d expect: there’s a powerful object, and random characters have to compete for it. This means that Xena (or your character of choice) will have to slice her way through friends in order to win the object.

One small touch with the characters is that when Xena faces Gabrielle, Gabrielle is renamed as “Hope” (who is Gabrielle’s half-demon evil daughter that magically aged and looks exactly like Gabrielle), but none of Xena’s other friends get the same treatment. It’s also strange that this also happens when playing as Gabrielle – you’ll just be renamed when you fight Xena.

The Talisman of Fate is a fairly simple fighting game. This isn’t a bad thing, though, and manages to turn this game into something quite enjoyable. Instead of trying to be a deep fighting game, it instead focuses on speed and excitement, giving you jump and duck buttons for more movement options. It does mean that button mashing works quite well, but it works really well for a tie-in game that will likely have a more casual audience.

The game’s biggest weakness is lack of modes, although still not as lacking as some N64 fighting games. One thing that they did attempt to do was create a 4-player mode, but changing target (pressing A) is a bit clunky. It’s a nice try, even if it doesn’t fully work.

Xena is a decent fighting game, which makes it one of the better fighting games on N64.

Fun

Which leaves Xena in the hands of its multiplayer, which, thanks to the balanced firhing, finely-tuned controls and smooth graphics, works a treat. Human opponents are much tougher to beat than their CPU counterparts – mainly because a friend will immediately find ways to dodge your repertoire of computer-thrashing combos – and the limited moves make for fights where real skill is needed to find chinks in your opponent’s armour. The wealth of bass-heavy crunching sounds effect also helps to make bouts satisfyingly meaty.

Mark Green, N64 Magazine #36. Review Score: 81%

Remake or Remaster?

How about a collection of Xena (and Hercules) games? Nothing special, just a re-release of the games.

Official ways to get the game.

There is no official way to get Xena: Warrior Princess: The Talisman of Fate