Joystiq

The beasts are "disposable weapons of war" – you don't heal them and care for them; you use them and grab another. But they're also alive. If they get attacked, you'll have to deal with a feisty beastie. Your enemies can also ride beasts, so expect some hot beast-on-beast combat action.

The melee combat on display followed protagonist Tyris Flare from setup to setup, finishing off the baddies before progressing. This might require defeating a miniboss before lowering a gate, or throwing an enemy onto spikes, their blood triggering the gate's switch. The combat employs a parry and evade system to flesh out the melee – time your parry just right and you'll trigger a "cinematic brutal kill" which seems to be unique for most enemies. Some enemies are dismembered by attacks, while others may need to have layers of armor knocked off before you can deal damage to them. There's a captain / minion relationship with some enemies as well, recalling the arcade original. Defeat the minions first before trying on the captain, or they'll go into a frenzy when their leader gets whacked.

Like in the arcade original, you'll be able to kick (err, kill in this case) gnomes for colored power-ups. They've added additional power-ups, so it's not just health and magic this time. You'll be able to snag loot from them as well. The game has a reward system based on your efficacy and skill, allowing you to unlock additional weapons (up to 10, including the Golden Axe) and outfits (including the arcade's skimpy bikini).

We'll see more of Golden Axe: Beast Rider at E3 in July.