Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax
| Industry | Video game development and publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980s |
| Founder | Steve Brown, Richard Leinfellner |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax, Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior |
Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax is a 1988 action game released across multiple home computer platforms, known in North America as Axe of Rage. It serves as the follow-up to Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior (titled Death Sword in North America), which debuted in 1987. Players assume the role of either a princess or a barbarian on a mission to vanquish the malevolent wizard Drax. Departing from the original’s two-player fighting focus, Barbarian II offers a single-player beat 'em up experience that combines exploration with combat within a flip-screen layout.
Created by Palace Software, the sequel employed a marketing approach similar to its predecessor, prominently featuring model Maria Whittaker on its packaging and promotional campaigns to capitalize on controversy and drive sales. Critical reception was mixed, with opinions split regarding its gameplay mechanics and overall ambiance.
Gameplay
In Barbarian II, players select between Princess Mariana, equipped with a sword, or the barbarian wielding a battleaxe. The journey unfolds across four distinct environments—wasteland, caves, dungeon, and inner sanctum—each consisting of interconnected chambers populated by monsters, traps, and collectible items. The game utilizes a flip-screen technique where each room is presented individually, with exits that may lead to unexpected locations. Navigation is aided by a compass that consistently points north.
Throughout the adventure, players encounter twenty enemy varieties. Combat offers four attack moves—low slash, high chop, kick, and spinning neck chop—activated via joystick or keyboard inputs. Health bars for both the player and adversaries are displayed at the top corners of the screen; depleting an enemy’s health bar results in their defeat. Certain strikes can instantly behead opponents, terminating combat immediately. Enemies defeated in a room will eventually respawn after a delay.
Player lives are limited and indicated by globes positioned at the screen’s upper center. Collecting skulls scattered throughout the levels increases the number of available lives. Upon losing all health, characters respawn fully healed but with one fewer life remaining.
Development
The original title, Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior, launched in 1987 to both critical acclaim and commercial success. Reviewers lauded its thrilling swordplay, while developer Palace Software, part of Palace Group, enhanced visibility through strategic marketing. The inclusion of model Maria Whittaker on box art and advertising—depicted in revealing attire—sparked considerable attention and debate over sexual objectification.
This promotional tactic was repeated for the sequel with a poster showcasing Whittaker as Princess Mariana clad in metal bikini armor alongside Michael Van Wijk portraying the barbarian. Steve Brown, designer of the Barbarian series, recalled that Whittaker’s chain bikini broke multiple times during the photoshoot. Brown originated the concept for this artwork, which commercial artist Lee Gibbons executed over four weeks. The final image was a photomontage combining three separate photographs—of Whittaker, Van Wijk, and a Plasticine monster model—with painted backgrounds and effects.
For character animations in the original game, Brown filmed staged sword fights; for Barbarian II, he referenced photographer Eadweard Muybridge’s 1901 publication Human in Motion. This method resulted in highly lifelike and finely detailed animations that received praise from critics.
Launched in August 1988 on platforms including Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64/128, and ZX Spectrum, Barbarian II exhibited platform-specific variations. The Amiga edition featured digitized voice samples, richer graphics with increased color depth and detail, as well as redesigned intro and loading sequences with animated speaking skeletons. Conversely, the ZX Spectrum version utilized monochrome visuals composed of black-outlined sprites set against pink backgrounds.
For its North American release under license to Epyx, the game was renamed Axe of Rage and packaged with a tattoo as part of its merchandise. The North American cover art depicted an extreme close-up of a screaming berserker’s face. This design was criticized by reviewers from Dragon magazine for its unattractiveness and deemed offensive by some retailers; notably, a Canadian wholesaler refused to distribute it due to concerns about customer reactions. Similarly, UK pharmacy chain Boots prohibited displays featuring Whittaker’s image within their stores.
Reception
Barbarian II was widely commended for its sound quality, particularly on more advanced hardware. The Games Machine praised the Atari ST edition for its "exceptionally clear sampled sounds." Critics from Zzap!64 and Computer and Video Games highlighted the Commodore 64 version’s digital audio effects, especially the eerie laughter of a monster. Mike Pattenden of CU Amiga singled out the "frantic clucking of the mutant chicken" as a standout audio moment. While both the Amiga and Atari ST versions delivered similar audiovisual experiences, the Amiga's vibrant intro was notably superior; Tony Horgan from Amiga User International regarded it as the finest introduction seen in Amiga titles.
Although the ZX Spectrum's color palette received some criticism, more powerful systems impressed with their intricate sprite work and fluid animation. Tommy Nash of Your Sinclair described the animation quality as "top-notch," while Paul Glancey from Zzap!64 referred to the sprites as "exquisitely detailed" and "lifelike in motion." The team at The Games Machine also expressed admiration for the design of the various monsters.
A frequent point of dissatisfaction concerned joystick responsiveness: pressing the action button occasionally triggered unintended directional changes instead of attacks, frustrating players when their characters sustained damage due to these control errors. Nevertheless, Chris Jenkins of Sinclair User lauded the controls for their responsiveness. Paul Lakin from Zero pointed out that the flick-screen format sometimes led to confusing combat scenarios. Horgan regretted that combat had become more complex compared to the original Barbarian, requiring extensive practice to overcome enemies.
The transition from a two-player versus mode to a single-player adventure divided opinions among critics. Jim Douglas of Sinclair User and Marcus Berkmann of Your Sinclair felt that maze exploration detracted from the fast-paced action, describing the hybrid gameplay as mismatched. In contrast, reviewers at Crash found this genre combination engaging, and James Price of Amiga Force viewed the adventuring aspect and increased enemy variety as enhancements over the predecessor. The Games Machine acknowledged that while combat moves were fewer, the broader array of adversaries provided balance.
In a review for Dragon, the Lessers characterized Axe of Rage as "a captivating slash-and-hack game" appealing primarily to arcade enthusiasts. Initial assessments by Zzap!64 were favorable; however, a re-evaluation two years later criticized it as crude with limited longevity. Martyn Carroll, writing for Retro Gamer 17 years after release, described it as "greatly disappointing," attributing this to its departure from elements that made the original successful. Both Steve Brown and Palace Software co-founder Richard Leinfellner expressed ambivalence, suggesting that an excess of features compromised its straightforward enjoyment.
In 1993, Commodore Force placed Barbarian II at number 29 in their ranking of top Commodore 64 titles.
Legacy
After launching Barbarian II, Palace Software announced plans for a sequel titled Barbarian III, promoting it over two years through various gaming publications. The magazine Your Sinclair even organized a contest inviting readers to submit monster designs for this upcoming title. However, in 1991, Palace Group divested its software division to finance expansion into filmmaking. Following this acquisition by Titus Software, several projects—including Barbarian III—were cancelled after a portfolio review.