NTSC (North American) cover for Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is a video game for the Sony Playstation. It's a simple, hack 'n' slash, with twenty-one levels. It's basic plot follows Xena trying to rescue Gabrielle from an evil god, Kalabrax, who is trying to sacrifice her for a ceremony that will bring about a new world order.
It was released on October 5th, 1999 in North America and Europe.
Story
Pirates in Oeablus
Xena and Gabrielle walk down a road, discussing Gabrielle's newset story. Xena then sees a sign to a villiage called Oeablus. Xena says that she wants to go and see an old friend, Sirus. Gabrielle and Xena then go seperate, when Xena sees that there is black smoke rising from the villiage. She rushes in to find that the place is swarming with pirates. As she ventures closer towards the towns gate, she finds Sirus, who has been left for dead by the pirates. He utters his dying words to her: "They are looking for her."
Xena sees Sirus before he dies
A distraught Xena battles her way through the town, rescuing hostages as she goes. When she finallly comes face to face with Pactolus, the pirate king, he tells her that a King named Valerian had paid him and his pirates to distract Xena, whilst he kidnaps Gabrielle. He tells her that he has taken her to his castle on the Island of Kronos.
Desperatly Seeking Valerian
Xena commands a boat to take her their immeadiatly, unaware of what awaits her. When she arrives, she is greeted by a one eyed Cyclops, who isn't welcome to visitors. She manages to bring him down by throwing her Chakram at his eye and then slashing at his fingers until he lets go of the cliff.
After defeating the Cyclops, she finds a path to Valerian's castle. It is gaurded by his army, and she is forced to fight her way in. When she reaches the castle itself, she finds that the drawbridge is incapable of lowering and has to force her way in. She uses her Chakram to break the chains that bind the drawbridge and it falls to the ground.
As she enters, she is shut in and ambushed by archers and common soldiers. After battling wave after wave of enemy, she is finally greted by Valerian and two centurians, who look as if they are wearing the Metal of Hephestus. she is then shocked when Valerian reveals his true form - a Minotaur. He jumps into a sewer that leads to a long, winding Labyrinth.
She follows with haste, and realises that she is going to have to play Valerian's game to reach Gabrielle. As she travels deeper into the maze, she can hear the faint cry of Gabrielle, which reasures her that she is on the right path. She finally reaches the room where Gabrielle is being held and come face to face with Valerian in his Minotaur form. After a grueling battle, she is reunited with Gabrielle who says that he kept mentioning a renegade Amazon villiage, that was envolved with recent events. This prompts Xena and Gabrielle to "pay them a visit".
Discovery in an Amazon Land
When they arrive, they are ambushed by the Amazons, and are forced to fight thier way through them. Halfway through thier trek, Gabreille is (Again) captured by the Amazons and seperated from Xena, as the door swings shut behind her. Xena is forced to go on without her and must find her quickly, as she learns that Gabrielle is going to be sacrificed. The Queen of the Amazons explains that they need an Amazon Queen to advance into the New World Order, and Gabrielle, being an Amazon Queen herself, is going to take her place. Xena defeats the Queen and eventually comes face-to-face with the main antogonist of the game - Kalabrax, the rogue Goddess who wants to take over and rule the World.
A Heated Operation
To get Xena out of the way completely, she opens a fissure in the Earth and casts her down into the Underworld. She arrives at the foot of a fearful dragon named Dyzan.
Xena on Charon's boat
Xena uses her Chakram to make the spike above Dyzan fall on him and kill him. Xena knows of only one way to escape from the Underworld - Go to Hades' castle and ask his permission. But, this means that she will have to venture through the traps of Charon, the undead boatman, and the wrath of the Zombies and other undead creatures. She makes it to Charon's boat, battling her way through hordes of undead, and escaping merciless falls into boiling lava. She is faced with her final challenge - The Lost Well of Souls. She must distinguish the green flames to suck the Dead Souls into the well. But, she musn't get touched by any of them or she will die instantly. She uses her Chakram to do so, staying out of range of the Souls. She confronts Hades, who is more than greatful to send her back and stop Kalabrax.
Lyres, Druids and Snow - Oh My!
She ends up in a snow covered town, that has been run down by Kalabrax and taken over by her minions. Xena fights her way through the town and rescues the town's Seer, who guides her to the Druid Soldier, a mythical enemy that puts up quite a fight with Xena. Xena, of course, wins and she is confronted by the Seer, who gives her the Lyre of Orpheus - The key to accessing the Temple of Pinnacles, Kalabrax's residence and base of operations.
On The Trail
Xena then finds herself in a mountanious range, nearing the temple. She is faced with defeating three Serpant sisters, that must be killed to access the portal to the Ogre Protecteors, the next step to the temple. She does so, battling her way through the annoying Harpies, that like to knock people of the edge of the mountains.
She is then transported to the Ogre Protectors. She must defeat the Ogres and raise the mysterious chimes. She must take note of what order they raise up in, as she must then hit them with her sword in this same order. after working her way through each of the five Ogre's and the odd Harpy, she manages to strike the chimes in the correct order, play the lyre and open the portal to her final challenge - Kalabrax herself.
Xena vs. Kalabrax
As she leaps through the portal, she finds herself in the bewildering Temple of Pinnacles. Kalabrax has finally assembled the ultimate power and Gabrielle is moments away from sacrifice. Xena quickly takes out Kalabrax's two personal gaurds and must then face Kalabrax herself. After a long, grueling battle, she is defeated and it is all over. She
Xena fights Kalabrax in her monster form
thinks.
She walks over to Gabrielle to realese her from the altar, only to find that Kalabrax has been revived and transformed into a fearsome beast (the same one seen in the opening cinematic). Xena dodges it's brutal attacks whilst trying to conjur up a plan that will defeat this monster. She realises that the only thing holding the ceiling up is the supports surrounding her. She enrages the monster and he runs after her. She directs him into the supports one after the other and, low and behold, the ceiling begins to tumble. She rushes over to the only dafe haven on the place - Gabrielle's altar. The monster is defeated and Gabrielle and Xena are reunited again.
Levels
- The Road to Oeablus
- Trouble in Oeablus
- The Pirate King, Pactolus
- Isle of Kronos
- On the Trail of Gabrielle
- Valerian's Castle
- Valerian's Secret
- The Labyrinth
- The Renegade Amazon Village
- River's of Blood
- The Lost Temple of the Titans
- Dyzan's Lair
- Road to Hades
- Traps of Charon
- Hades' Castle
- Villiage of Tir' Nia
- Rescue the Seer, Fei
- The Lyre of Oprheus
- The Three Sisters
- The Challenge
- The Temple of Pinnacles
Characters
Xena: The main protagonist, a brave and strong warrior, who is willing to sacrifice her life in order to rescue her friend Gabrielle. Xena is very strong and powerful warrior she can kill easily everyone who is against her, and she is also a caring and protective over her friend Gabrielle and every teammate like the Seer Fei. In the end of the game she defeated Kalabrax and reunited with Gabrielle.
Gabrielle : Xena's friend , an innocent and sweetheart woman , who has been choosen as the subject of a dark sacrifice. Gabrielle appeared in the game three times. In the opening scene , in the middle of the game and in the end. She doesn't seems to have special abilities but is a good companion in the land of amazons. In the end of the game she was rescued from Xena and she suggested her to make a game with their whole adventure. She was appeared in four levels. (8. The Labyrinth , 9. The renegade Amazons Village, 10. Rivers of Blood and 21. The Temple of Pinnacles.)
Kalabrax: The main antagonist , a villainous Goddess , who has been imprisonment for centuries and after her released , wished revenge from Gods and humans. Her evil plan was to sacrificed Gabrielle and take order and ruled the world. She was appeared in the opening scene(monster form) in the middle of the game(human form) and in the ending. She was appeared in two levels 11.The Lost temple of the titans (Cinematic) and 21 The Temple of Pinnacles.
Aries : Aries is not a teammate at all , he was just appeared to bother Xena. He was appeared in three levels 4.Isle of Kronos , 14.Traps of Charon and 20.The Challenge
King Valerian: He paid Pactolus and his pirates to distract Xena in order to kidnap Gabrielle. He took her in the Labyrinth of his castle and when Xena arrived he transformed into his hideous minotaur form. He was appeared in two levels 7. Valarians Secret 8.The Labyrinth
Seer Fei: An old villager who helped Xena to find the way for the Druid Soldier. He was appeared in two levels 17. Rescue the Seer Fei and 18. The Lyre of Oprhreus(Cinematic).
Siras: Xena's friend who died in front of Xena when she arrived in the Oeabalus. He was appeared in the first level 1. The road to Oeabalus.
Hades: King of the underworld , a kind man towards Xena who helped her go in the surface world. He was appeared in one level 15. Hades Castle(Cinematic)
Features
Weapons
- Xena's Sword - The primary weapon used throughout the game. A combined attack with running can be deadly.
- Xena's Chakram - The Chakram is Xena's secondary weapon, that is the key to most of the puzzles in the game. It should also be noted that some enemies take two or more hits to be killed by the Chakram. It cannot be used on bosses, except for Kalabrax (Human form) and Valerian (Minotaur form).
- Staves - Only used in the Amazon trio of levels, they are the most effective weapons to use against them, taking only two to three hits to down them.
- Non-Lethal - Xena also has an array of attacks using her limbs, such as the infamous Bicycle Kick and the Windmill Punch. It should be noted that whenever an enemy is killed using a non-lethal method, the Chakram gauge (your karma) will light up. When this gauge is full, then Xena will be glow yellow and her attacks will inflict twice the amount of damage.
Pick-ups
- Scroll - Gives Xena information as to what to do next. There are two in each level and if they are all collected, then the player can unlock a secret ending.
- Potion - Restores Xena's health. Can carry more than one and are activated automatically, whn Xena's health is a quarter gone.
- Ressurection Jewel - If Xena is killed at any point, then she is ressurected completely at the last Jewel she collected.
- Strength Sword - Raises Xena's overall strength. Collect up to a maximum of four.
- Defense Shield - Raises Xena's overall defense. Collect up to a maximum of four.
- Super Chakram - The Chakram is thrown and homes in on all the enemies in the vicinity and takes them all out.
- Promethean Flame - Xena's sword is encumbered by flames. If she attacks someone with her sword, they are set on fire and thier health is drained over time.
- Hand of Zeus - Xena's sword has a lighting bolt sprouting from the top. If Xena swing's her sword near an enemy, it will strike them with lightning.
- Frost Bite - Xena's sword is encumbered by ice. If she attacks someone with her sword, their actions become slower and slower, until they freeze, leaving Xena able to smash them.
- Golden Shield - Make's Xena invulnerable to all attacks. She will still die if falling from a great hight.
Secrets
- Level 3: The Pirate King, Pactolus - If Xena hits the shark, items will fall out of its mouth.
- Level 8: The Labyrinth - Just before going into the Minotaur's room, go to the right. Follow the path until you reach a dead end with a potion. Xena can walk through the wall infront of her and reveal a room with a computer, that will make a dial-up connection tone if hit and soda cans which will make the noise a can makes when you open it. There are also posters of Xena scattered throughout the room.
- Secret ending clip - Collect all 42 scrolls, to see a cinematic at the end of the game, where Gabrielle says that it would be good to make this adventure into a game.
Similarities Between the Show
- In Level 7, Valerian's two centurians seem to be wearing the Metal of Hephestus, from "The Dirty Half Dozen"
- The final level sees Gabrielle tied to an altar in a large temple, that Xena later collapses, before defeating a monster-like creature. This reflects the ending scene from "The Deliverer", where Gabrielle is put on an altar in a temple and impregnated with Hope, whilst Xena defeats a monster-like creature. The temple is then collapsed.
- In "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", Xena uses the Lyre of Orpheus to get to Bacchus. The same concept occurs in the final two levels of the game, where Xena must use the Lyre to access Kalabrax. who later turns into a monster type creature that resembles Bacchus in looks.
- In level four, Xena defeats a Cyclops by hitting him in the eye and temporarily blinding him. The same occurs in the very first episode, when Xena runs into a Cyclops, whom she had blinded.