Developer Appeal Studios and publisher Nacon showed off their Robin Hood-inspired multi-player adventure Gangs of Sherwood as part of Bigben Week and let me tell you, it is full of high-octane action that would make your foxes, bears, and men in tights blush. In this science fiction version of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood, Little John, Maid Marian, and Friar Tuck are taking on the Sherrif of Nottingham in all of their mutually mechanized and brutal glory.
You’ll still feel somewhat at home in the forests of 1100s England, just with massive fire-spitting, explosive arrows, and giant lion mechs. The setting begins in a decidedly quaint England of yore with the central value as true as ever: rob from the rich to give to the poor. And assuredly, you’ll be taking plenty of coin from the Sherrif and his goons to reinvest in your countryfolk and over the course of the game, benefit from your generosity by way of upgraded gear. And yet, despite world-rending energy cannons and metallic fortresses, the settings and tone all blend together perfectly.
This is largely thanks to the perfectly stylized characters. I got to spend my time playing as Little John, who serves as a heavy hitter, damage sponge, and shield sponge for the team. His massive mace could pulverize enemies up close but also allowed me to step back and take big swings from a distance, sending a shockwave of sorts at a row of enemies at a time while Robin Hood distracted them with his greater agility and faster attacks. Air combos, grappling hooks, and various light-heavy combo attacks kept the pace of combat swift.
But the best part was also using a finisher to completely pulverize an enemy in a QTE cutscene that can help you generate some extra coinage. You have to use these sparingly though, because they cost the same meter as your Rebel Instinct special move. For Little John, this meant a period where you could strike faster and heal allies who stood close enough to you. Playing on a medium difficulty didn’t warrant too much deliberation between style and tactics, but we still had some hairy situations here and there.
Gangs of Sherwood is designed to be equally playable with between one and four players. The enemy’s power and number scales with you, but the chaos is still high even with fewer party members. A load of enemies challenge you at once and a score system keeps track of how well you combo, how well you mix things up, and how much damage you deal versus how much you take. Higher ranks can mean a number of things, but truly, the biggest deal is out-scoring your teammates.
Gangs of Sherwood offers a fun multiplayer take on a familiar tale through chaotic gameplay and stark situational contrast to the typical tale of Robin Hood. Look forward to finding all sorts of ways to use your teammates’ skills in concert as you remind the Sherrif that the people have greater power in numbers than he has in riches.
Gangs of Sherwood is set to arrive on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC soon.
