Dungeon Siege
The final verdict on Chris Taylor's epic RPG.
I bashed my last monster a few days ago. My party cracked the big bad meanie over the head in a spectacular demonstration of particle pyrotechnics, before settling down to their packed lunch to watch the final conclusion of the story. I have used the intervening days to allow my brain to dismantle and disseminate what I experienced whilst playing Dungeon Siege so I could write a better, more balanced review for our readers. There have been a lot of words written about Chris Taylor’s new game and now here are some more from that unique perspective of the British gamer just in time for the title’s release. The delay had nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with starting up a new game of Civilization III. No, really.
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Let me begin by bringing up the main criticisms that this game has been receiving; that the gameplay is simplistic and derivative, that your characters do too much for themselves, that the monsters just clump around you to attack and that it looks too damn nice for its own good. Well yes I say, the gameplay is simplistic, this is an action RPG after all. There are no real puzzles to speak of and very little interaction with the environments as a whole. From beggining to end the player will be engaged in nothing else but banging monsters on the head, picking up new gear and healing up the party. There are no stealthy bits to slow the pace down, no opportunities to split your party up to gain an advantage. The essence of the gameplay has not been changed from that laid down by the first dungeon crawls many, many years ago.
If that seems to be a real problem to you then you might as well leave now for this game isn’t going to be for you. I have one simple request to the early leavers - using the spare time you have from not playing this game could you please search out an action RPG which showed even the slightest hint of moving the gameplay into a new direction and bring it back here for me to see. For those of us keen to continue and who have passed their reality check let’s go on.
This is hack and slash, that’s what it set out to do and that is exactly what it has done. The enjoyment one gets from this game comes from building up your party with newer, bigger and badder equipment to take on greater numbers of fiercer and uglier monsters all the while exploring changing environments for hidden treasure and hidden dungeons. Just like Diablo 2, except with more then one guy. I personally have the suspicion that if this game had been released by any publisher other then M$ it would have suffered less under the typing skills of the pernickety. It differs very little from Blizzard’s big daddy in terms of the mechanics of the gameplay, giving the player the tools to run around endlessly smashing things with a minimum of fuss.
Comments
"Your characters do not need constant shepherding as they are able to look after themselves and are not afflicted with the curious immunity to pain that prevents them from having a swing at an enemy which is trying to cleave them in two, something common to many games of a similar nature."<br><br>Erm, Was that paragraph a great big typo or what??<br>They just stand there, silent, whacking away taking the pain with me clicking on the bloody H key till my finger falls off. Another thing the game is WAAY to tedious. The cute graphics and great <br>soundtrack should not make a game, the gameplay<br>is fun for about 5 hours untill you realise that all<br>youre seeing is more of the same. The hype about<br>this game made me go out and buy it, and now<br>Im regretting it, and Im a huge fan of Hack n Slash<br>RPG's too I play D2 exp online, got my bowazon with buriza and everything...:)<br>*sigh*<br>Dont buy this game unless youre a total moron<br>And dont trust any review that gives it more <br>than 75%<br><br><br>
I think it really depends on whether or not you like this kind of gameplay. I did not like the game too much personally, but the high score is justified IMO because the game is very well designed an implemented - in what it purports to be at least.<br><br>A review is always subjective, so subtract some from the the score if you don't like the game style, and take the score as read if you do. What isn't in dispute is the games good graphics and design. Loved the mule and the inventory automatic sort - just what diablo missed...just stop complaining that the game is rubbish because it's not what you expect it to be.<br>
But that is my point, with all the hype that was <br>around about this game, I expected a whole <br>different gaming experience. I guess my biggest gripe with the game is that it promissed a <br>wonderfull world with a diverse amount of creatures, And instead I got a one way road (however well disguised its still a road) with the <br>same old monster comming at me again and again<br>, yeah i know they look different but theyre basically the same pathetic AI over and over again just with more HP's. If only it were not so linear, if<br>only there was a bit more interaction, if only if only, if only... <br>I apologise for my tiny outburst I just cant help feeling being cheated. <br>Chris Taylor and co. If any of youre reading this, no hard feelings but you should have stuck with the RTS genre. :(<br>
My only gripe I have had so far about the game is the very small amount of storyline. The comment about a diverse landcape is maybe too much but you do want explore because it does look so good. I have only had a moderate time of gameplay but so far this is definately the way forward for RPGs.<br>The landscapes are particularly gorgeous (go back to Diablo2 and its certainly a world apart) and the animation of charcters and beaties alike are good.<br>
Great Review - when I read the part about the "plucky farmer defeating the evil menace" I actually did laugh out loud...
I love this game! Yes, some people say this game isn't so great, but I think it's who likes what, and I love this game. Many people compare this game with Diablo 2 and so on, but I don't think you should compare these games. Like I said, it's who likes what, and I love this game.<br><br>Get the Demo and decide for your self, if you don't like it, that's ok, and if you do like it, good for you.<br><br>I hate when people flame games that they didn't like and they think that no one should play it. That is just your decision, people have different tastes. Some may like this game, and some may not, it's like that with any game.
The plucky farmer comment made me chuckle quite loudly. I have not played this game yet but it does sound like something worth having a look at at least. I am not the greatest fan of RPG`s because they seem to me(at least) to be quite repetitive on the whole and the plot doesn`t seem to really matter cause all you need to do is hack and slash!!I think i will have a look at Dungeon Siege and reserve final judgement till then, but for now, i`d give it a go.
What I find puerile is the fact that some people refuse to believe that others are able to enjoy this game. They can, and they do. Live with it...
Oh dear. Are you okay Mr. Diablos? Would you like me to pick up your toys? It would appear that they were thrown out of your pram there... Max, by all means, make comments and show your feelings, but please do respect others. If people like a game, don't tell them that they are wrong. You just look like a fool. Yes you do. Just grow up. Oh, almost forgot! Nice review.
No gameplay. Very linear. If that's what people want that's not a problem. What is a problem are previews and reviews that pretend otherwise and defend the indefensible.
Linear ganeplay is the rule, not the exception. Always has been. RPG's divide into two camps - hack'n slash and the rest...Look Max - I'm even on your side, I didn't like the game. But I can acknowledge when a game is well designed, and give it praise accordingly. Read around, and admit the majority of reviewers liked the game...even if you didn't.
ARRAGORN WTF IS YOUR PROBLEM IF YOU THINK THAT THIS GAME IS BAD YOU MUST BE A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FRICKEN DUMBASS