<s>
Barbarian	B-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
of	I-Application
Drax	I-Application
is	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
first	O
published	O
in	O
1988	O
for	O
various	O
home	O
computers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
Axe	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
Barbarian	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
Warrior	I-Application
(	O
Death	B-Application
Sword	I-Application
in	O
North	O
America	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
published	O
in	O
1987	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
a	O
princess	O
or	O
barbarian	B-Application
character	O
,	O
exploring	O
the	O
game	O
world	O
to	O
locate	O
and	O
defeat	O
an	O
evil	O
wizard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
offers	O
two	O
players	O
the	O
opportunity	O
for	O
virtual	O
head-to-head	O
combat	O
,	O
the	O
second	O
is	O
a	O
single-player	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
with	O
fewer	O
fighting	O
moves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Palace	O
Software	O
,	O
the	O
developer	O
of	O
the	O
two	O
Barbarian	B-Application
games	O
,	O
marketed	O
the	O
sequel	O
with	O
the	O
same	O
strategy	O
they	O
used	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
received	O
a	O
mixed	O
critical	O
reception	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
its	O
predecessor	O
which	O
offers	O
sword	O
fighting	O
action	O
to	O
one	O
or	O
two	O
players	O
,	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
of	I-Application
Drax	I-Application
features	O
only	O
a	O
single-player	O
mode	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
assumes	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
either	O
sword-wielding	O
Princess	O
Mariana	O
or	O
the	O
titular	O
savage	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
armed	O
with	O
a	O
battleaxe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Using	O
a	O
joystick	O
or	O
keyboard	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
moves	O
his	O
or	O
her	O
character	O
through	O
Barbarian	B-Application
IIs	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Barbarian	B-Application
IIs	O
predecessor	O
,	O
Barbarian	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
Warrior	I-Application
,	O
was	O
a	O
critical	O
and	O
commercial	O
success	O
on	O
its	O
release	O
in	O
1987	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
image	O
of	O
a	O
bikini-clad	O
Whittaker	O
created	O
a	O
hype	O
that	O
pushed	O
the	O
game	O
beyond	O
the	O
attention	O
of	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
industry	O
,	O
producing	O
a	O
controversy	O
in	O
which	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
public	O
criticised	O
the	O
industry	O
for	O
promoting	O
Barbarian	B-Application
in	O
a	O
sexist	O
manner	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Palace	O
Software	O
repeated	O
the	O
strategy	O
for	O
the	O
sequel	O
,	O
publishing	O
a	O
poster	O
of	O
Whittaker	O
as	O
Princess	O
Mariana	O
,	O
this	O
time	O
in	O
metal	O
bikini	O
armour	O
,	O
and	O
Michael	O
Van	O
Wijk	O
as	O
the	O
barbarian	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Steve	O
Brown	O
,	O
creator	O
of	O
the	O
Barbarian	B-Application
games	O
,	O
recalled	O
that	O
the	O
bikini	O
's	O
chain	O
"	O
snapped	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
times	O
"	O
in	O
a	O
comical	O
Carry	O
On	O
fashion	O
during	O
the	O
shoot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
image	O
of	O
the	O
barbarian	B-Application
and	O
princess	O
poised	O
over	O
the	O
fallen	O
body	O
of	O
a	O
large	O
,	O
scaly	O
monster	O
was	O
a	O
photomontage	O
,	O
created	O
by	O
superimposing	O
three	O
photographsone	O
of	O
each	O
subjecton	O
one	O
another	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brown	O
had	O
filmed	O
sword	O
fights	O
and	O
used	O
the	O
tracings	O
of	O
the	O
combatants	O
 '	O
movements	O
to	O
produce	O
the	O
animations	O
in	O
Barbarian	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
movements	O
of	O
Barbarian	B-Application
IIs	O
characters	O
were	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
pictures	O
in	O
Muybridge	O
's	O
book	O
Human	O
in	O
Motion	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
published	O
in	O
1901	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
August	O
1988	O
for	O
the	O
Amstrad	B-Device
CPC	I-Device
,	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
,	O
Amiga	B-Device
,	O
Commodore	O
64/128	O
and	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Amiga	B-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
given	O
several	O
improvements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
contrast	O
,	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
version	O
has	O
monochromatic	O
graphics	O
;	O
the	O
first	O
level	O
comprises	O
black-outlined	O
sprites	O
against	O
pink	O
backgrounds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
was	O
licensed	O
to	O
Epyx	O
for	O
its	O
release	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
published	O
there	O
under	O
the	O
title	O
Axe	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
and	O
included	O
a	O
tattoo	O
in	O
its	O
packaging	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dragon	O
magazine	O
's	O
reviewers	O
found	O
the	O
cover	O
ugly	O
,	O
and	O
according	O
to	O
Computer	O
Gaming	O
World	O
,	O
a	O
Canadian	O
wholesaler	O
refused	O
to	O
sell	O
Axe	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
because	O
it	O
considered	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
box	O
cover	O
art	O
crass	O
enough	O
to	O
offend	O
customers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similarly	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
pharmacy	O
chain	O
Boots	O
banned	O
displays	O
of	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
,	O
featuring	O
Whittaker	O
,	O
from	O
their	O
stores	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
received	O
praise	O
for	O
its	O
audio	O
,	O
mostly	O
for	O
the	O
versions	O
on	O
more	O
powerful	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mike	O
Pattenden	O
of	O
CU	O
Amiga	B-Device
claimed	O
the	O
"	O
manic	O
clucking	O
of	O
the	O
mutant	O
chicken	O
would	O
be	O
enough	O
to	O
send	O
[	O
the	O
player ]	O
running	O
in	O
the	O
opposite	O
direction	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
rating	O
the	O
audio-visual	O
components	O
of	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
version	O
on	O
par	O
with	O
that	O
for	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
,	O
Pattenden	O
and	O
reviewers	O
from	O
The	O
Game	O
Machine	O
felt	O
the	O
flashy	O
introductory	O
sequence	O
on	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
made	O
it	O
stand	O
out	O
;	O
Tony	O
Horgan	O
of	O
Amiga	B-Device
User	O
International	O
called	O
it	O
the	O
best	O
introduction	O
he	O
has	O
seen	O
in	O
Amiga	B-Device
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
some	O
reviewers	O
were	O
less	O
than	O
impressed	O
with	O
the	O
colour-scheme	O
on	O
systems	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
the	O
colours	O
and	O
large	O
detailed	O
sprites	O
on	O
the	O
higher-end	O
platforms	O
won	O
their	O
acclaim	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Horgan	O
had	O
another	O
grouse	O
with	O
the	O
combat	O
,	O
moaning	O
the	O
loss	O
of	O
simplicity	O
from	O
the	O
Barbarian	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
him	O
,	O
while	O
players	O
could	O
enjoy	O
the	O
first	O
Barbarian	B-Application
game	O
without	O
much	O
effort	O
,	O
intense	O
practise	O
was	O
needed	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
monsters	O
in	O
the	O
second	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
change	O
in	O
combat	O
systems	O
was	O
not	O
the	O
only	O
difference	O
between	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
and	O
its	O
predecessor	O
that	O
influenced	O
reviewers	O
 '	O
opinions	O
about	O
the	O
sequel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
Barbarian	B-Application
game	O
was	O
enjoyed	O
by	O
reviewers	O
for	O
providing	O
exciting	O
head-to-head	O
action	O
between	O
two	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
abandoned	O
this	O
,	O
setting	O
up	O
an	O
adventuring	O
experience	O
for	O
the	O
single	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
James	O
Price	O
wrote	O
in	O
Amiga	B-Device
Force	O
that	O
the	O
adventuring	O
element	O
and	O
unending	O
number	O
of	O
enemies	O
made	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
a	O
far	O
better	O
game	O
than	O
the	O
first	O
,	O
while	O
The	O
Games	O
Machines	O
staff	O
said	O
the	O
expanded	O
menagerie	O
of	O
foes	O
adequately	O
made	O
up	O
for	O
a	O
reduction	O
in	O
combat	O
moves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
their	O
review	O
for	O
Dragon	O
magazine	O
,	O
the	O
Lessers	O
called	O
Axe	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
"	O
an	O
engrossing	O
slash	O
'	O
n	O
hack	O
that	O
'll	O
please	O
most	O
arcaders.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Zzap	O
!	O
64s	O
reviewers	O
were	O
unanimous	O
in	O
recommending	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
to	O
their	O
readers	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
two	O
years	O
later	O
in	O
a	O
re-review	O
,	O
the	O
magazine	O
's	O
staff	O
said	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
aged	O
badly	O
,	O
finding	O
the	O
gameplay	O
"	O
lot	O
more	O
crude	O
and	O
clichéd	O
"	O
and	O
of	O
dubious	O
replay	O
value	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Martyn	O
Carroll	O
concurred	O
in	O
his	O
article	O
for	O
Retro	O
Gamer	O
,	O
17years	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
,	O
calling	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
"	O
hugely	O
disappointing	O
"	O
for	O
"[messing]	O
up	O
almost	O
everything	O
that	O
was	O
great	O
about	O
the	O
first	O
game.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Brown	O
and	O
Palace	O
Software	O
's	O
co-founder	O
Richard	O
Leinfellner	O
admitted	O
as	O
much	O
;	O
they	O
said	O
they	O
had	O
mixed	O
feelings	O
about	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
,	O
thinking	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
a	O
simple	O
fun	O
game	O
was	O
lost	O
by	O
stuffing	O
too	O
many	O
features	O
into	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Barbarian	B-Application
II	O
was	O
released	O
,	O
Palace	O
Software	O
went	O
ahead	O
with	O
plans	O
for	O
Barbarian	B-Application
III	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
winning	O
entry	O
would	O
be	O
implemented	O
in	O
Barbarian	B-Application
III	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Barbarian	B-Application
series	O
of	O
games	O
were	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
brought	O
to	O
a	O
halt	O
in	O
1991	O
when	O
Palace	O
Group	O
sold	O
its	O
software	O
subsidiary	O
to	O
fund	O
its	O
expansion	O
into	O
the	O
movie	O
industry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Titus	O
Software	O
bought	O
Palace	O
Software	O
and	O
after	O
reviewing	O
its	O
holdings	O
,	O
cancelled	O
several	O
of	O
its	O
new	O
acquisition	O
's	O
projects	O
,	O
including	O
Barbarian	B-Application
III	O
.	O
</s>
