Xena: Warrior Princess (1999). Play online

Summary

Xena: Warrior Princess on PlayStation lets fans step behind the TV icon’s boots in a slick, third‑person hack‑and‑slash adventure. Across 21 varied levels you run, jump, slash, and swing Xena’s signature sword and chakram, the latter acting as a throwable that cuts chains, flips switches, and can even be steered mid‑air. Collecting power‑ups upgrades both weapons and even refills health, while a hidden karma meter rewards restraint—avoiding a kill fills the meter and triggers brief invincibility. The game throws in quirky tasks like hostage rescues with long‑range attacks and boss fights that demand specific tactics since plain striking often won’t cut it. Universal built over a hundred unique animations and texture‑mapped Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor’s faces, adding fresh foes such as Kalabrax and Amazon Bird Women for extra flair.

Critically the title received mixed buzz: Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine gave it 3.5/5, GameSpot critiqued its chakram defenselessness and blocky graphics (4.6/10), while IGN praised the chakram’s novelty despite camera woes (6.5/10). Overall, it captures the series’ atmosphere in a fast‑paced but notably linear PlayStation package.

Storyline

The game opens with Xena and Gabrielle strolling down a road when Gabrielle cracks a joke, then Xena heads alone to the smoldering village of Oebalus. She discovers her friend dying, learns that King Valerian’s soldiers have captured Gabrielle, defeats the Pirate King Pactolus, and learns Valerian hired him as a distraction.

Xena sails to the Isle of Kronos, battles a Cyclops, trolls, and Valerian’s guards before confronting the king, who reveals Gabrielle is to be sacrificed in a dark ceremony. Valerian transforms into a Minotaur, retreats into his castle’s labyrinth, and Xena slays him and rescues Gabrielle, who mentions a band of Amazons.

In the Amazon village the pair are attacked; Xena is locked away while hidden Amazons kidnap Gabrielle. After finding the Amazon Queen, Xena learns the goddess Kalabrax plans to sacrifice Gabrielle to forge a new world. Kalabrax hurls Xena into Tartarus, where she must survive Charon’s traps, undead foes, and the Well of Lost Souls before bargaining with Hades for release.

Hades directs Xena to the Village of Tir’ Na to retrieve the Lyre of Orpheus, which she uses to open the portal to Kalabrax’s Temple. After defeating the Three Serpent Sisters, ogre protectors, and Kalabrax herself, Xena frees Gabrielle and the two embrace, ending their epic adventure in Xena: Warrior Princess on PlayStation.