Once again the "critics" have little clue what makes a good game If you want a game with substance, here it is
The main problem the critics seem to have is, as the tag suggests, the game spends too much time "talking". Well, if you want a "hack and slash" quasi-RPG, then this is not the game for you. If, however, you would like an immersive adventure through fantasy inspired mythic Greece, then this might be right up your alley. Sure, the combat is limited to an extent, but it is still essentially balanced and provides a nice blend by offering sword, spear, and mace as three distinct fighting styles that you can seamlessly switch between. There are not a huge amount of weapons in the game, but enough to keep you interested and the powers offered by each are variable enough to make a distinct difference between choices.
As to the "too much talk", this game is great. Most dialogue options offer four distinct choices connected with the four principle Olympians that have chosen to aid in your quest, Ares, Athena, Apollo, and Hermes. By choosing responses that honor the basic philosophy of each god, you then gain favor which can be used to buy powers. Additionally, you are able to gain favor by fighting with their chosen weapons as well as dedicating "deeds" to them (which pop up from time to time after you complete certain challenges that are also linked to constellations that you build and in turn earn achievements for). The critic's issue with talking really urks me, as you might be able to tell, because I feel by and large the game market has been flooded by mindless repetitive shooters and slashers that lack any real intelligence or substance, yet these cloned drones seem to get higher critic scores, why is that guys? Are you afraid to be challenged intellectually as well as have the tips of your thumbs stimulated by endless button smashing? For me, the game really shone the clearest in the philosophical debate with a principle baddy during your adventures on the island of Kithra. First, you actually have to listen to the explanation of the origin of the golden fleece in order to answer his questions which challenge your right to debate him in the first place. Once you have passed these knowledge based responses, then you get into the argumentation, which not only includes a great use of vocabulary (aghast!) but also rather pointed argumentation that you have to respond to in short order (you are given about 5 seconds) as you plot counter points. Of course, the argumentation is limited to four choices for each point you make, but the responses are not created equal, and after each point you are given a response from the group of philosophers who are judging the battle of words. Of course, once the debate is over, you still get to hack up the bad guy, which feels great, but it would have been so much less enjoyable had you been allowed to just rush into combat without this stunning example of narration and philosophical argumentation.
All in all, I have never seen a game that has provided such a unique challenge. In the end, this game shines as an example of intelligent and innovative story telling coupled with an accessible combat system that leaves you feeling fulfilled even if you do spend more time talking than fighting in certain cases.
My only real problems with the game come in the form of nit-picky technical issues that make the frame rate dwindle and the camera angles hard to manipulate at times, but thankfully these issues never develop into a challenge for gameplay beyond reasonable allowances.
Ultimately, I would recommend this game to anyone that desires an intelligent and challenging adventure through the ancient Grecian myths that will stimulate your mind as much as your thumb pads.