An underdog classic!
On first play Golden Axe II appears to be nothing more than Golden Axe I with diffrent levels and.........yes you'd be right. There are no new Characters the moves are pretty much the same and the game plays almost identically. But, this is no bad thing since the original was amazing.
The action is a little racier than the original Megadrive game and a little more frantic. The Graphics are all respectable and very well drawn with some lovely magical locations, backgrounds and crisp sprites (Although they are a little small!) The music is probably the best thing about the game, tune after tune of rousing battle music with a mystical edge. Great stuff and really sets the mood. unfortunatly the same cannot be said for the sound effects. They are some of the worst ever in a beat em up, with papary slashed and muffled thumps. Compared to the originals, crisp slick samples it's a major let down .
Overall it really is just the Emperors new clothes, but then again there is something about this game which makes it stand on it's own two feet against it's older brother