VIDEO GAME 'Shadow' proves winner on PSP2

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By CHRIS CAMPBELL
SCRIPPS HOWARD
"Shadow of Rome." Platform: PlayStation 2. Genre: Action. Publisher: Capcom. ESRB Rating: M, for Mature. Grade: ssss out of 5.
Hot off the heels of its GameCube release of "Resident Evil 4," Capcom continues its roll, releasing another smash hit (no pun intended) with "Shadow of Rome."
The game is brutal, with a plot centered around the murder of Caesar. It features a mix of fight sequences with stealth missions interspersed to add some needed breaks. As a whole, the game is a striking success.
For the fight sequences, you play as Agrippa, a Roman soldier who becomes a gladiator to free his father (who has been accused of killing Caesar). The Agrippa story line and the numerous fight scenes in the gladiator rings offer a very Russell Crowe/"Gladiator" movie feel, but it's not a bad thing.
Whether you are fighting King of the Hill formats or battling against bloodthirsty tigers, there is tons of action, and plenty of fascinating weapons to enjoy as you slash up your opponents.
Stealthy player
As Octavianus, a friend of Agrippa, you perform the stealth missions. These mainly involve avoiding being seen by guards or other characters, and gleaning bits of information from cut scenes. The stealth missions are not terribly exciting, and sometimes they can be downright childlike in the silliness (yeah, it gets bad when you have random people slipping on banana peels). Luckily, the stealth missions do not last long enough to make a dent in the overall value of "Shadow of Rome."
One aspect that makes this game so fantastic is its visual style. It has the look of old Rome, from the majestic building design to the interiors -- where even the reflections in the marble look real.
Then there is the violence. It can be turned off (for those parents wanting to limit the gore and turn this M-rated game into a tamer T-rated version), and those with a weak stomach may want to do that. Severed arms, profuse bleeding from bashed-in heads and more highlight the action, but it's solid -- not done for show. Capcom captures the brutality of what the old gladiator games must have been like without celebrating it.
"Shadow of Rome" does an amazing job of blending two gaming styles that often don't get along well -- marrying stealth scenes with knuckle-bleeding action -- without sacrificing the story or becoming overwhelming.
This game is a must-own for action lovers who want a great adaptation of the gladiator story that also features a plot worth paying attention to.