Sabre Wulf GBA

Calm your fears, GBA adventure seekers and Ultimate enthusiasts: Sabreman is back after almost two decades in the wilderness. Released by THQ in 2004, this Sabre Wulf for a new generation sees the return of one of gaming's veteran heroes in a legendary quest which blends together action, puzzles, exploration and some good old-fashioned quality platforming.

It's been a long time since Sabreman's last big adventure, and to be honest he's beginning to suspect he's past his prime. He gave up wielding his namesake sabre years ago in favour of taming and raising wild animals. However, none of this puts off the Mayor of Blackwyche Village, who is determined that only Sabreman has what it takes to save the land from a rising menace - and he may well be right, for this menace is none other than his ancient arch-enemy, the Sabrewulf itself.

In thrall to the mysterious master who released it from imprisonment, the 'Wulf is waging a campaign of terror and theft across the land. Armed only with an affinity for the creatures that he finds along the way, Sabreman must follow in his adversary's wake and put things right, reclaiming the stolen treasure as he hunts the 'Wulf to a final showdown.

Thankfully the creatures native to the land are often highly specialised, offering everything from stickiness to glue an enemy to the spot to a trampoline-like stomach providing access to those higher ledges. It's by careful use of his personal menagerie that Sabreman will be able to navigate the 2D platform levels that comprise the 'Wulf's various lairs. Only when he reaches the end can he take back the stolen treasure or crucial item from the sleeping 'Wulf, followed by a bracing sprint back to the safety of his tent as his enemy proves less sleepy than he'd hoped!

Back in the overworld outside these lairs, the action comes in the form of free-roaming 3D exploration, complete with a host of quirky characters to meet, tasks to perform and vastly different surroundings for each of the eight main areas. A rich and varied quest awaits Sabreman as he makes his way across the land, from the disrupted tranquility of Blackwyche Village to the cloying heat of Karnath Jungle, the archaic mystery of the Temple of Imhotep and beyond.

On the whole, this is a game that offers an inventive pot-pourri of gaming styles that should hold something for everyone from the action aficionado to the die-hard RPG enthusiast. Whether you're a previous follower of Sabreman's adventures or an eager new recruit, join him in this all-new outing and see for yourself how well it lives up to the legendary Sabre Wulf name...

Last updated on 10 December 2007