Mike McMahan (Star Trek: Lower Decks) has tackled Sega's arcade hack-and-slash Golden Axe in TV form, and it's fair to say that the initial trailer for the series divided fans.

While many could appreciate the humorous tone and deep knowledge of the lore, others took issue with the stylised characters and lack of reverence for the series, which started all the way back in 1989 and is perhaps most famous for its Sega Genesis / Mega Drive port and sequels.

Reviews have been going live over the past day, and the critical consensus is pretty positive. We've rounded up a selection of reviews below and will add more as and when they go live.

IGN

"If the very idea of turning Golden Axe into a goofy Star Trek: Lower Decks-style animated comedy angers you, then this show is likely not going to win you over. But if you’re open to this approach, Golden Axe is an entertaining and frequently funny series. The jokes are hit and miss, but the ones that hit often do so in a big way, including pointed but loving takes on how the Golden Axe games functioned and the specifics of their mechanics. Some characters stand out more than others, but the voice cast is strong across the board, with Matthew Rhys making for an especially amusing center to the madness as Gilius the dwarf."

Screen Rant

"Given the show primarily adapts the events and lore of the first game, Golden Axe is not only off to a great start with its 10-episode debut, but hopefully isn't going to end there. Unlike the Among Us series, Paramount+ has actually put some marketing thoughts into the series in lieu of a sudden release, and the sheer hilarity and worldbuilding McMahan, Chandler, and their writers have laid out feels rife for years of new stories. If it gets a season 2 renewal, one can hope that the creative team do at least find a way to maintain that level of humor while diving a bit deeper into its characters."

The TV Cave

"Matthew Rhys (The Americans) is unrecognizable as Thunderhead and carries the series. I am sure this show is meant to be an ensemble, but Thunderhead is the standout. His delivery and personality knocked it out of the park for me. I won’t touch on each voice actor, but the chemistry is there. There was not one character or voice that didn’t fit.

The animation gives old-school vibes with the character design, the colors and the action. Plus, the episodes are short and easy to get through. Now, not being a purist, I can’t speak too much on whether the lore is 100% accurate, but I enjoyed the series. It’s adult enough for us to get through but also fun enough for older kids. This is not for the little ones. There is foul language and innuendos meant for a viewer that has spun the block a bit. Not to mention the violence.

Also starring Lisa Gilroy as Tyris Flare and Carl Tart as Chronos ‘Evil’ Lait, the series definitely had me eating my bowl of Captain Crunch and hitting play on the next episode."

Jessie Gender After Dark

"The only reason that I gave this show a shot at all is the fact that it is being showrun and executive produced by Joe Chandler, who was a writer on American Dad as well as many other shows. But more importantly for me and my tastes, Mike McMahan, who was the showrunner of not only the show Solar Opposites that I really loved, but one of my favorite shows of the past 10 years, Star Trek Lower Decks. And it was on that alone that I was like, "Okay, I will give this show a shot." And having now seen all 10 episodes of the first season, I will say I think this show is really, really good and has all of the strengths of what I loved most about both Solar Opposites and Star Trek: Lower Decks. I don't think it hits as of this point the highs of either of those shows. But I do think that if you are starving for that kind of animated adult comedy that feels affirming and earnest and kind yet deeply deeply weird, this is the show for you."

Golden Axe launches on Paramount+ today.