Developer: Yuke’s Publisher: Eidos Release: 03/15/00 Genre: Action
The Dreamcast was supposed to be the comeback story for Sega. For the most part they did everything right, from hardware and ease of development to repairing developer relations. And things looked promising at first. But we all know how it turned out unfortunately. Despite that during the brief time the system shined it shined bright and many publishers brought over titles that would normally stay in Japan. Sword of the Berserk was an unknown quantity in the US. But the rush to have something on store shelves to exploit the Dreamcast granted it a western release. Unlike other manga adaptations this one has input from its creator. While the game’s story is non-canon, Miura contributed to the script, making it feel authentic to the universe. The result is a unique, atmospheric adaptation, but one with some rough edges.
Berserk takes place between volumes 22 and 23 of the manga, in the blank period after the Conviction Story Arc. Since the manga does not specify how long Guts and Casca wandered before the full party forms it makes it perfect for this side story. To be honest I am surprised this game was localized. The manga had yet to see release in the US and the game does very little to get you up to speed with these characters. There is a lot of history prior to the start of this game and I imagine most will be lost, especially as this is a story heavy game.
Despite being an action game Berserk has a big focus on story. The game has many, many long cutscenes, some as long as ten minutes before gameplay. They put in the work to make this feel like an authentic part of the manga rather than a random diversion. The cutscenes, voice acting, and music elevate the otherwise rough gameplay into something atmospheric and memorable. So while the overall plot will remain a mystery to newcomers the story for this game is still enjoyable for what it is. I cannot say the same for the gameplay however.
At its core, it’s a 3D hack-and-slash. Guts wields his massive Dragonslayer sword, which feels satisfyingly heavy and cleaves through hordes of enemies. There is some nuance to combat: because of its size the Dragonslayer is near useless in tight corridors as it bounces off walls. For that you can sheathe the sword and use melee attacks or his secondary weapons. Guts is practically a walking militia in the manga and this game incorporates all of his arsenal. Throwing knives and crossbow bolts are infinite but weak. The spiked bombs are more for creating space than destruction while the cannon in his arm is your screen clearer. As you fight the berserk meter builds and once full you become stronger and near invincible for a brief time. The game is bloody as is, once you go berserk the red stuff flows as you hack monsters in half left and right.
Despite the developers best efforts however combat in Berserk is clumsy. Combat is stiff and repetitive, with limited move sets and clunky hit detection. They lean on forcing you in narrow passages to limit your sword slinging. But it feels more like a nuisance than a viable part of the game. The lack of any lock-on targeting makes it even worse as you flail around hoping to hit your target. To its credit your swings are so wide you will hit the enemy regardless. But it does not feel as satisfying and polished as it should. The camera is uncooperative and frequently hangs on walls or provides the worst view. The enemy AI is dumb and relies on numbers more than strategy.
Berserk has many similarities with Musou titles before that would become a thing. Each of the game’s levels is a series of small arenas as you kill waves of enemies before moving on. Occasionally there are quick time events but these are sparse. Mostly they determine the branching paths on a few of the levels. The pieces are there for a solid action game but the myriad flaws bring it down. The combat when it works feels good but is repetitive. It is too bad the AI is dumb so you do not get to enjoy it as much. If the level design were better, with puzzles or practically anything to break up the boring combat I would think higher of the game. Outside of its production values in nearly all respects this resembles a PS One game that was retrofitted for the Dreamcast.
In Closing
Sword of the Berserk: Guts’ Rage is an ambitious Dreamcast title that succeeds more as a Berserk experience than as a polished action game. The atmosphere, story, and music capture the grim spirit of Miura’s world, but the gameplay feels dated, repetitive, and occasionally frustrating. For fans of the manga or anime, it’s a fascinating relic and one of the earliest attempts to bring Berserk into 3D. For general hack-and-slash fans, it’s a flawed but interesting precursor to the genre’s evolution.
