A game which caught my eye in the bargain bin of Toys R'Us the other week was Dragons Blood. I had considered buying this game many times, at full price, but I was always led astray by classics such as Crazy Taxi etc. In fact, I remember juggling Dragons Blood and Sword of the Beserker one time, finally deciding on the gory anime slasher. However at £4.99, I could not resist, and the game finally had a home.
Booting it up, you are treated to a chunk of crimson FMV. You get to play a butch warrior type, or a svelte but magical lass. Both characters possess magical abilities as they level, but the lassy can use it more readily. The graphics are really special. They portray a detailed world and the characters are realistically medieval. The movement mechanism is simple enough, although it does take some getting used to. You character seems to sway and swoop around alot. I was expecting the "fixed perspective" of Tomb Raider, however, Dragons Blood uses a much more realistic perspective, where the landscape and character alter according to your position in the world.
The battling mechanism tries for realism too. As the swipe of your trusty sword connects with mob, they recoil and are often thrown quite a distance. Perform a series of slashes, chops, and thrusts in succession and you will pull off a combo strike which can be very satisfying indeed. Theres nothing quite like a flying chop from above. Different mobs require different fighting techniques and strategies. You will often require a well timed block using your shield, following it up swiftly with a counter-lunge. You can circle strafe around slow mobs and slash at their back. The beauty of the fighting is that it takes real skill and co-ordination to battle three fairly cunning enemies each try to get around behind you to deliver that fatal backstab. You'll have to use the landscape to corner yourself in and protect your rear, whilst blocking all attacks and getting a counter in. A side swipe can often lift the mob off the ground and hurl them away long enough for you to skewer the one left. The sword and shield play are varied enough to make a battle strategic enough and not degenerate into a mindless hack and slash.
After each kill, you can steal a small amount of health back from the deceased's heart. Not all mobs drop a heart - but since your health bar is incredibly important, you cherish each mobs lifeforce. In order to progress and level up the game adopts a mechanism by which you collect wisp blessings and trade them in at the end of the level for skill improvement. Offense affects the weapons you carry, Defense affects the armour you wear, while you can learn new magical abilities by spending points on the elemental skills. You can also invest in rank which is effectively levelling you up. There is a predefined tree which you will climb, as you are blessed and go through the levels. Although it seems to allow for some specialising, particularly in magic. One of the offensive power ups I gained was a morphing blade. It can morph between broadsword, axe and spiked club. Each having different rates of attack and damage abilities.
The one area the game falls down, is its lack of ability to save mid-level. This particular niggle is a problem that affects many games out on the market and some game designers argue against mid-level saves - because they use it as a tool to set game difficulty. For an aging gamer who sometimes only has a spare half hour, there are times when I cannot sit down and plough through a level for 2 hours just so I can save my progress. Anyway, Dragons Blood goes some way to alleviate the frustration - because it allows you to set a mark anywhere on the level, where you will restart if you die. This mark however, isn't written to the memory card, and if you turn the console off - you will have to start the level again next time you play. This mark has helped me get through the really long levels, because I just set it, pause the game, leave the console on and then return when I have some spare time to finish it. Obviously this is only going to work if you can keep the console on, and the poor little box got rather hot, awaiting my attentions again.
I am starting the sixth level I think, so still a way to go, but for a budget game - this really is worth it. In fact it is such a shame it has hit the bargain bin, and will no doubt be passed up as mere tat. This game deserves much better. Then again, perhaps the cheap price will give it more exposure than it would have got. If I'd have paid full price for this, I'd have been happy. Since I got it at a steal, I'm very happy.
Right, I'm off to kill something, I wonder what I should kill it with, sword, axe or club?
Tuesday 29 May 2001
Diablo 2: A buxom Lady
I got wind that playing a Paladin in Diablo II is great for the early Act's but later on, it becomes increasingly difficult to progress - now this in itself won't deter me from rolling out my stainless steel clergyman, but coupled with the fact that I really fancied playing with a buxom lady archer - I conjured up an Amazonian ranger.
This blonde haired big boned beauty is fast. Swifter than a kitten with kattitude. Early on she couldn't take the smacks and blows - but as she progressed she found the perfect weapon to have did cold damage. The ability to freeze and slow down enemies was invaluable. At first she found a spear with slight cold damage, which was ok, but in close combat she was bitch-slapped to the ground before she could get enough of them iced up. So she saved up and bought a socketed hunters bow. Two blue gems later and the thing did a fair amount of cold damage with the arrows it hurled. Suddenly she turned from a very poor warrior, into a speedy ranged attacker, who could outrun the evil horde, slow them down even further and pick most of them off before they got a single swipe in. I decided I'd prefer her to be a master archer than a spear women. Although I did put a few skill points into spear abilities - just for those caught-in-the-melee moments. One of her bow skills that proved most effective was the multi-shot - enabling her to unleash an array of arrows at the same time. If she is surrounded, when clicking close to her, they splay out in a circle - slowing the menace and maybe even killing one or two of them, opening a path for her to escape. If they are charging from a particular direction in a vicious group, when clicking a medium distance away from her, they will scatter in an arc - hopefully stopping all in frozen torment. If they are at the end of a corridor, when clicking a long distance away from her, they will group together and travel in a linear direction passing through the column of victims. Beefing this skill up adds more and more arrows to the shot. Last count she had 9 arrows in one shot. The mana used to perform this trick shot also increases with every arrow. So a fine balance is needed between arrows, mana, and usage of this skill. She was draining mana too quickly at one point, and her regeneration rate was too slow to keep using this skill effectively. So, she scoured the land high and low for some chipped skulls and I managed to buy a socketed helmet, and a couple of mana rings. By fusing the skulls in the helmet it now bestows a +20% mana regeneration ability on her. I can now use the multi-shot and I gain mana quickly enough not to worry about it. She is a demon.
This blonde haired big boned beauty is fast. Swifter than a kitten with kattitude. Early on she couldn't take the smacks and blows - but as she progressed she found the perfect weapon to have did cold damage. The ability to freeze and slow down enemies was invaluable. At first she found a spear with slight cold damage, which was ok, but in close combat she was bitch-slapped to the ground before she could get enough of them iced up. So she saved up and bought a socketed hunters bow. Two blue gems later and the thing did a fair amount of cold damage with the arrows it hurled. Suddenly she turned from a very poor warrior, into a speedy ranged attacker, who could outrun the evil horde, slow them down even further and pick most of them off before they got a single swipe in. I decided I'd prefer her to be a master archer than a spear women. Although I did put a few skill points into spear abilities - just for those caught-in-the-melee moments. One of her bow skills that proved most effective was the multi-shot - enabling her to unleash an array of arrows at the same time. If she is surrounded, when clicking close to her, they splay out in a circle - slowing the menace and maybe even killing one or two of them, opening a path for her to escape. If they are charging from a particular direction in a vicious group, when clicking a medium distance away from her, they will scatter in an arc - hopefully stopping all in frozen torment. If they are at the end of a corridor, when clicking a long distance away from her, they will group together and travel in a linear direction passing through the column of victims. Beefing this skill up adds more and more arrows to the shot. Last count she had 9 arrows in one shot. The mana used to perform this trick shot also increases with every arrow. So a fine balance is needed between arrows, mana, and usage of this skill. She was draining mana too quickly at one point, and her regeneration rate was too slow to keep using this skill effectively. So, she scoured the land high and low for some chipped skulls and I managed to buy a socketed helmet, and a couple of mana rings. By fusing the skulls in the helmet it now bestows a +20% mana regeneration ability on her. I can now use the multi-shot and I gain mana quickly enough not to worry about it. She is a demon.
Lodoss Revisited
I'd just like to mention that several of the bosses in the game are DRAGONS! Although I'm not beefy enough to fight em yet AND there is a Shrimp equivalent - although there's fooking millions of em in the desert - sandworms - dune revisited. I went in at level 15 started to have a go - only to be beaten down in the blink of an eye. Later I
find out you have to be about level 70+ to take down a sand-worm. Theres ghosts, zombies, goblins, skeletons, lizards, dark elven swordsmen, preists and preistess, winged demons, Ogres, Golems, Medusas and many more characters. A veritable fantasy feast!
Theres quests/mini-quests galore! After taking about 3 hours
to level up and prepare myself for one of the boss fights that had been crippling me - I eventually beat the bastard - I mean he was torching the forests and the elves didn't like that! I get to carry his severed head around with me now - just to prove how hard I am.
Some of the spells are quite nice to use tactically - heres a tower of stone one that allows you to block mobs advances, a bonfire whichyou can land a mob on and circle around them whilst they are being burned, chopping them as they try to free themselves from the flames. The animate the dead is always useful to use a fallen mob as a tank.
Theres a one called mirror that I've used a lot against big golems who hit hard. It throws two mirror images of you so the mobs attack that and you sneak behind them at let them have it. More effective with your critical stats boosted on your oriental sword. Mainly does 150+ dmg but every now and then hits for a sweet 800+ - mobs can do this also. But there are runes and potions to nullify their critical hits.
For a hack and slash - its actually quite deep and involved and I like the way quite different tactics present themselves after you've died a couple of times..
find out you have to be about level 70+ to take down a sand-worm. Theres ghosts, zombies, goblins, skeletons, lizards, dark elven swordsmen, preists and preistess, winged demons, Ogres, Golems, Medusas and many more characters. A veritable fantasy feast!
Theres quests/mini-quests galore! After taking about 3 hours
to level up and prepare myself for one of the boss fights that had been crippling me - I eventually beat the bastard - I mean he was torching the forests and the elves didn't like that! I get to carry his severed head around with me now - just to prove how hard I am.
Some of the spells are quite nice to use tactically - heres a tower of stone one that allows you to block mobs advances, a bonfire whichyou can land a mob on and circle around them whilst they are being burned, chopping them as they try to free themselves from the flames. The animate the dead is always useful to use a fallen mob as a tank.
Theres a one called mirror that I've used a lot against big golems who hit hard. It throws two mirror images of you so the mobs attack that and you sneak behind them at let them have it. More effective with your critical stats boosted on your oriental sword. Mainly does 150+ dmg but every now and then hits for a sweet 800+ - mobs can do this also. But there are runes and potions to nullify their critical hits.
For a hack and slash - its actually quite deep and involved and I like the way quite different tactics present themselves after you've died a couple of times..
Tuesday 22 May 2001
Icewind Dale: Freezing Hard
I got Icewind Dale (IWD) bundled with Baldurs Gate II, my instinct was to install the later game first. I wanted to check out the flashier improved game. Well, the other day, in a particularly fickle mood, I installed IWD. I thought I'd give it a look-see. I'd previously been informed that IWD was more of a Dungeon Hack than the Baldur's games. More action, less plot.
The first thing to suprise me, was the fact that you have to create a whole party of six before you start the game. Performing the character generation routine six times, is a bit daunting for someone who wants to dive in. I think you can create as many characters as you like, so you could go in battling with just two or three. But to err on the side of caution I spent some time coming up with a plausible combination of adventurers. In the end, I took the characters from the anime Record of Lodoss War and created a party of six adventurers, mapping the IWD attributes to the anime as best I could. So, I have, Ghim a dwarf fighter, Parn a human Paladin, Deedlit an elven druid, Etoh a human cleric, Slayn an elven mage and Woodchuck a human theif. I don't have to spend hours coming up with the best balanced group, the anime has forced my hand.
After a bit of plot, I get to prance around a village with my Lodoss troupe and begin some of the simple quests. The graphics are not stunning. The quivering pixelated sprites really are offputting. However, the fixed backgrounds are nicely rendered and it has a rustic feel to it. I get to the shop, kit my adventurers out with slings and bows, helmets and leather armour, and off I go. The first real battle. Some naughty Goblins have become a pest just over the bridge. My team stride into battle. A single Goblin walks up to them, and promptly slays them all. This cocky fellow only takes a couple of scratches damage. Hmmmmm. Ok. Tactical rethink. I jiggle character positions, make sure the ranged attackers are protected by my two fighters. The mage right at the back. Lets try again... two men down and the Goblin is giggling at us. Finally an arrow from somewhere at the back hits him in the eye and he's down. Hmmmmmm. Am I missing something here? Two of my main group are decaying in front of me. I can see no way of resurrecting them. Do I continue with a party of 4, mainly ranged attackers and a mage in a dress? Or do I start again? Obviously, I went back to the drawing board. Either this game is way too hard for the fickle gamer, or I am missing out on something quite fundemental. Surely, the game should ease the player gently into the mechanics? Surely, your first encounter shouldn't be a complete massacre? I found that there were no scripted AI for my players. So I went through them all and selected the most appropriate AI. I saved. We tried again. This time things went well. The first Goblin was dispatched without much suffering. Although several of his mates turned up and I lost a man. They seemed determined to attack the mage in a dress. I guess because his HP was very low - unless they have a problem with cross-dressing in their Goblin world?.
Now, this is were I get confused. I have six adventurers. I laboured over their creation. I spent a good long while kitting them out, choosing the right colours (for hair, skin and clothes). Only to find the first conflict, one of them drops and I can't get him back! IS this right? In order to go into battle, I have to save the game, before, during and after a battle. Only saving if all members of my party make it! This takes a good while, and means you progress VERY VERY carefully. Maybe, later on in the game, when your party are much tougher, you can wade in and command a battle without fear of loss, but at the moment this game forces me to be way too cautious. It almost puts a dampner on the whole exploration/adventuring side to the game. I cannot venture too far without a save, or if one dies, I'll have to do it all again.
The game certainly has a lot going for it. The AD&D stuff makes it suitably complex. But the fact that each step forward has to be so cautiously made with correct use of the save game. I just can't see me sticking with it, the adventuring is not fun. I keep thinking its something I'm missing. Like there is a resurrect spell or potion that allows you to progress, take casualties, but recover the party. If there isn't then its a game where the icewind doth blow through the fun.
The first thing to suprise me, was the fact that you have to create a whole party of six before you start the game. Performing the character generation routine six times, is a bit daunting for someone who wants to dive in. I think you can create as many characters as you like, so you could go in battling with just two or three. But to err on the side of caution I spent some time coming up with a plausible combination of adventurers. In the end, I took the characters from the anime Record of Lodoss War and created a party of six adventurers, mapping the IWD attributes to the anime as best I could. So, I have, Ghim a dwarf fighter, Parn a human Paladin, Deedlit an elven druid, Etoh a human cleric, Slayn an elven mage and Woodchuck a human theif. I don't have to spend hours coming up with the best balanced group, the anime has forced my hand.
After a bit of plot, I get to prance around a village with my Lodoss troupe and begin some of the simple quests. The graphics are not stunning. The quivering pixelated sprites really are offputting. However, the fixed backgrounds are nicely rendered and it has a rustic feel to it. I get to the shop, kit my adventurers out with slings and bows, helmets and leather armour, and off I go. The first real battle. Some naughty Goblins have become a pest just over the bridge. My team stride into battle. A single Goblin walks up to them, and promptly slays them all. This cocky fellow only takes a couple of scratches damage. Hmmmmm. Ok. Tactical rethink. I jiggle character positions, make sure the ranged attackers are protected by my two fighters. The mage right at the back. Lets try again... two men down and the Goblin is giggling at us. Finally an arrow from somewhere at the back hits him in the eye and he's down. Hmmmmmm. Am I missing something here? Two of my main group are decaying in front of me. I can see no way of resurrecting them. Do I continue with a party of 4, mainly ranged attackers and a mage in a dress? Or do I start again? Obviously, I went back to the drawing board. Either this game is way too hard for the fickle gamer, or I am missing out on something quite fundemental. Surely, the game should ease the player gently into the mechanics? Surely, your first encounter shouldn't be a complete massacre? I found that there were no scripted AI for my players. So I went through them all and selected the most appropriate AI. I saved. We tried again. This time things went well. The first Goblin was dispatched without much suffering. Although several of his mates turned up and I lost a man. They seemed determined to attack the mage in a dress. I guess because his HP was very low - unless they have a problem with cross-dressing in their Goblin world?.
Now, this is were I get confused. I have six adventurers. I laboured over their creation. I spent a good long while kitting them out, choosing the right colours (for hair, skin and clothes). Only to find the first conflict, one of them drops and I can't get him back! IS this right? In order to go into battle, I have to save the game, before, during and after a battle. Only saving if all members of my party make it! This takes a good while, and means you progress VERY VERY carefully. Maybe, later on in the game, when your party are much tougher, you can wade in and command a battle without fear of loss, but at the moment this game forces me to be way too cautious. It almost puts a dampner on the whole exploration/adventuring side to the game. I cannot venture too far without a save, or if one dies, I'll have to do it all again.
The game certainly has a lot going for it. The AD&D stuff makes it suitably complex. But the fact that each step forward has to be so cautiously made with correct use of the save game. I just can't see me sticking with it, the adventuring is not fun. I keep thinking its something I'm missing. Like there is a resurrect spell or potion that allows you to progress, take casualties, but recover the party. If there isn't then its a game where the icewind doth blow through the fun.
Monday 21 May 2001
Neverwinter Days
With E3 just a vague memory, I am still in a state of school-girl anticipation about Bioware's Neverwinter Nights. This game is set to take the world of fantasy gaming and flip it onto a higher level.
The game boasts a true 3d environment, beautiful light and spell effects, mulitplayer connectivity, but most importantly - the toolset to build your very own adventures! You become the Dungeon Master. You design the levels. You create the quests, the NPC's, the dialogue, the mob behaviour, everything! The game comes with server software, allowing your friends to connect up and play through your adventure. The DM can even jump into a current game and take over mobs and affect the flow of the game.
Bioware guru Trent Oster promises a fulfilling single player game. However, the real power will be in the homebrew adventures and scenarios developed by the gaming public and made available for download. The game will have the same developers toolset bundled with it - that the original Bioware team used to create the single player game. Models, maps, textures, scripts, everything! They will even include a wizard application that will code up 90% of a game from the choices made. They claim a newbie could get up and running with their own world in about an hour.
There are already teams of like minded gamers, collecting together, preparing to develop online persistant worlds. Imagine a luxurious version of Diablo that is truely customisable and can develop into a full blown massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). Admittedly the 'massiveness' would depend on the power of the server running it. But the game gives you several experiences in one bundle. Single player, additional scenarios for download, multiplayer (with additional scenarios), plus the ability to run persistant multiplayer worlds.
I just hope the dream comes true. Mark my words, Neverwinter Nights will be BIG! I'm just off to wipe the expectant drool off my chin. It should be with us by November 2001 - although Bioware have stated that it will only be released if it is ready. Please make it soon.
The game boasts a true 3d environment, beautiful light and spell effects, mulitplayer connectivity, but most importantly - the toolset to build your very own adventures! You become the Dungeon Master. You design the levels. You create the quests, the NPC's, the dialogue, the mob behaviour, everything! The game comes with server software, allowing your friends to connect up and play through your adventure. The DM can even jump into a current game and take over mobs and affect the flow of the game.
Bioware guru Trent Oster promises a fulfilling single player game. However, the real power will be in the homebrew adventures and scenarios developed by the gaming public and made available for download. The game will have the same developers toolset bundled with it - that the original Bioware team used to create the single player game. Models, maps, textures, scripts, everything! They will even include a wizard application that will code up 90% of a game from the choices made. They claim a newbie could get up and running with their own world in about an hour.
There are already teams of like minded gamers, collecting together, preparing to develop online persistant worlds. Imagine a luxurious version of Diablo that is truely customisable and can develop into a full blown massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). Admittedly the 'massiveness' would depend on the power of the server running it. But the game gives you several experiences in one bundle. Single player, additional scenarios for download, multiplayer (with additional scenarios), plus the ability to run persistant multiplayer worlds.
I just hope the dream comes true. Mark my words, Neverwinter Nights will be BIG! I'm just off to wipe the expectant drool off my chin. It should be with us by November 2001 - although Bioware have stated that it will only be released if it is ready. Please make it soon.
Tuesday 15 May 2001
Nox Rox
After a week of torture at work. It was time to take the Saturday morning trip into town and ferret through the gaming bargain bins of Game, EB, HMV, Virgin etc. Most of the time I come away with tat that I'd wish not splashed even a little coinage on. But every now and then, up pops a real gem. And it's this 'panning for gold' excitement that keeps me coming back for more.
If you don't know by now, I am currently in the throws of an RPG fetish. Not the japanese kind - which is kinda odd for me. More the top-down isometric kind. Diablo. And it's variants. Well, the shining jewel that fell into my lap this weekend is Westwood Studios Nox. A game I'd mulled over many moons ago when it first hit the shelves. In fact I remember making the decision to buy Bioware's Planescape Torment over Nox at the time. From the tiny screenshots on the box - it could be Diablo, it could be Balders Gate - but the price belittles its value. I picked it up for £9.99 at Game. There were about 6 copies on the shelf. They obviously couldn't give the thing away! In fact the game has become so 'budget' that the online retailers are flogging it for £7.99, £6.99 and one even has it at £5.99! They are all out of stock though.
I didn't expect much from the game. I thought I'd give it an hour or so, see how it compares with DiabloII and Balders and if it is utter rubbish, I wouldn't waste any more effort on it. At that price though, you don't mind backing a 'maybe'.
I was really surprised to see how polished a game it was. In fact on presentation alone, I'd have said it stands well above Diablo II - the market standard. The controls seem much more intuitive. Making a clear distinction between clicking to attack and clicking to move somewhere. Something Diablo II likes to blur. There are three classes, warrior, conjurer, or wizard. For me the choice was simple. I need to be able to charm creatures. I have an affinity for RPG pets. Perhaps its my mothering instinct? I was pleased to find you can charm up to 4 nasties and have them stomp around as your minions. There is also a cool level of control over these guys - you can tell them en masse to escort you, to guard a particluar place or you can banish them from the game altogether. However, you can also exert this level of control individually. The number of charmed creatures varies depending on the size of the beasts. Some of the big Trolls takes up two charm slots, whereas spiders and urchins only take one slot each. It does mean a conjurer can have a party following him around that include ranged attacking spiders and fire spitting imps alongside beefy bashing trolls or poision stinging scorpions. So a party can be tweaked for next mob you need to take out. The spells are plenty and there are spell banks which are hot-keyed for your pleasure. Making spell casting and management very easy indeed. Another nice touch is that new equipment make your character look totally different, not just the token gesture of a change.
The dungeon layouts are nicely designed, not too sprawling, not too easy. They have multiple floors, and your minions use the lifts - which is nice. Although some are as daft as a brush when it comes to using the lifts. On the whole the learning curve is gentle, the quests reveal the plot slowly, and they give you something to follow - they may be classed as too linear - but often I like a game to direct me the first time I play it. Once I'm in full swing - then I don't mind if it gives me free reign to pick and choose quests. Saving regularly is always a good thing. There are some subtleties in play with the conjurer and his party that you may not get if you are a lone axe weilding warrior. One quests has you seeking out prisoners held in the Mana mines. The last of which are held by six very gruesome and poisonous scorpions. The entrance to the room where the prisoners are kept is covered in barrels of 'XXX' stuff that seems highly flammable. With my party of fire breathing imps - it was apparent that I get them to guard the entrance to this room. I run in, attract the scorpions out, leg it over to where my imps are waiting - using them as an impish sheild - and when the scorpions populate the room with the 'XXX' barrels, I let fly one of my flaming arrows into the barrels and cause an almighty flame burst which toasts the scorpions to a crisp crunch. If the scorpions had've made it to the imps then their volley of flame balls should've ignited the barrels anyway (my belts and braces approach to that problem). Well, it all went smoothly, and the stingers scorched (although that was my fourth attempt at the plan). These minor tactical twists really do enhance the game for me. Ploughing through the charm and slash of most battles - there is a sweet moment - every now and then - when it all comes together.
As I plough deeper and deeper into the game, I will reveal more about the ups and downs. But clearly, Nox is a winner at that price. So if you're stuck for a game to try - don't forget there may be a small nugget of gold hidden in that muck at the bottom of the bargain bin.
http://westwood.ea.com/games/nox/main_f.html
http://wecometoplay.com/nox/
If you don't know by now, I am currently in the throws of an RPG fetish. Not the japanese kind - which is kinda odd for me. More the top-down isometric kind. Diablo. And it's variants. Well, the shining jewel that fell into my lap this weekend is Westwood Studios Nox. A game I'd mulled over many moons ago when it first hit the shelves. In fact I remember making the decision to buy Bioware's Planescape Torment over Nox at the time. From the tiny screenshots on the box - it could be Diablo, it could be Balders Gate - but the price belittles its value. I picked it up for £9.99 at Game. There were about 6 copies on the shelf. They obviously couldn't give the thing away! In fact the game has become so 'budget' that the online retailers are flogging it for £7.99, £6.99 and one even has it at £5.99! They are all out of stock though.
I didn't expect much from the game. I thought I'd give it an hour or so, see how it compares with DiabloII and Balders and if it is utter rubbish, I wouldn't waste any more effort on it. At that price though, you don't mind backing a 'maybe'.
I was really surprised to see how polished a game it was. In fact on presentation alone, I'd have said it stands well above Diablo II - the market standard. The controls seem much more intuitive. Making a clear distinction between clicking to attack and clicking to move somewhere. Something Diablo II likes to blur. There are three classes, warrior, conjurer, or wizard. For me the choice was simple. I need to be able to charm creatures. I have an affinity for RPG pets. Perhaps its my mothering instinct? I was pleased to find you can charm up to 4 nasties and have them stomp around as your minions. There is also a cool level of control over these guys - you can tell them en masse to escort you, to guard a particluar place or you can banish them from the game altogether. However, you can also exert this level of control individually. The number of charmed creatures varies depending on the size of the beasts. Some of the big Trolls takes up two charm slots, whereas spiders and urchins only take one slot each. It does mean a conjurer can have a party following him around that include ranged attacking spiders and fire spitting imps alongside beefy bashing trolls or poision stinging scorpions. So a party can be tweaked for next mob you need to take out. The spells are plenty and there are spell banks which are hot-keyed for your pleasure. Making spell casting and management very easy indeed. Another nice touch is that new equipment make your character look totally different, not just the token gesture of a change.
The dungeon layouts are nicely designed, not too sprawling, not too easy. They have multiple floors, and your minions use the lifts - which is nice. Although some are as daft as a brush when it comes to using the lifts. On the whole the learning curve is gentle, the quests reveal the plot slowly, and they give you something to follow - they may be classed as too linear - but often I like a game to direct me the first time I play it. Once I'm in full swing - then I don't mind if it gives me free reign to pick and choose quests. Saving regularly is always a good thing. There are some subtleties in play with the conjurer and his party that you may not get if you are a lone axe weilding warrior. One quests has you seeking out prisoners held in the Mana mines. The last of which are held by six very gruesome and poisonous scorpions. The entrance to the room where the prisoners are kept is covered in barrels of 'XXX' stuff that seems highly flammable. With my party of fire breathing imps - it was apparent that I get them to guard the entrance to this room. I run in, attract the scorpions out, leg it over to where my imps are waiting - using them as an impish sheild - and when the scorpions populate the room with the 'XXX' barrels, I let fly one of my flaming arrows into the barrels and cause an almighty flame burst which toasts the scorpions to a crisp crunch. If the scorpions had've made it to the imps then their volley of flame balls should've ignited the barrels anyway (my belts and braces approach to that problem). Well, it all went smoothly, and the stingers scorched (although that was my fourth attempt at the plan). These minor tactical twists really do enhance the game for me. Ploughing through the charm and slash of most battles - there is a sweet moment - every now and then - when it all comes together.
As I plough deeper and deeper into the game, I will reveal more about the ups and downs. But clearly, Nox is a winner at that price. So if you're stuck for a game to try - don't forget there may be a small nugget of gold hidden in that muck at the bottom of the bargain bin.
http://westwood.ea.com/games/nox/main_f.html
http://wecometoplay.com/nox/
Slow and Rhythmic
You could easily romp through Diablo II and slice, shoot and zap your way through the dungeons, faster than a stamina pumped gladiator on roller skates. To complete most of the quests there is no need to explore too deeply or battle with every mob you come across. This certainly holds true for the single player offline game. However, if you intend to battle online, co-operatively, then it is essential for you keep the pace steady and constant. The game mechanics seem to be geared towards like-levelled adventurers, who complete the quests one-by-one, side-by-side. If there is a quest mis-match between players, then the player who has completed more will not be able to take an involved part in the earlier ones. He can accompany the other player and kill the mobs, but none of the story or questing items will be available to him. He will either become bored of treading old quests, or will try and hurry the other players along by killing mobs before them, thus reducing the enjoyment of the other players. Group experience points are also shared out unequally depending upon level, a higher level character will always suck more experience from a battle than the lower ones. So it makes sense to play online, with similarly levelled characters, who have acheived the same level of questing.
In fact, this is what myself and Pinwig are doing. We play Diablo II as a password protected online game logged onto Open Battle.net - we can take our time with each quest, enjoy the delights of scenery and mood, really indulge ourselves in the story line, yet remain at the same level so neither of us become tired or impatient. It does take some discipline, because the Open Battle.net game allows you to play that character online AND offline. We must abstain from offline play to retain our similar status. Another benefit is that the quests seem to take around 2 to 3 hours to complete. Bitesize time chunks that fit into our hectic real-life schedules. So we'll still be plodding through the original Diablo II, when the new expansion is released. At least this assures the games longevity and adds to our online gaming. Us old timers like it slow and rhythmic.
In fact, this is what myself and Pinwig are doing. We play Diablo II as a password protected online game logged onto Open Battle.net - we can take our time with each quest, enjoy the delights of scenery and mood, really indulge ourselves in the story line, yet remain at the same level so neither of us become tired or impatient. It does take some discipline, because the Open Battle.net game allows you to play that character online AND offline. We must abstain from offline play to retain our similar status. Another benefit is that the quests seem to take around 2 to 3 hours to complete. Bitesize time chunks that fit into our hectic real-life schedules. So we'll still be plodding through the original Diablo II, when the new expansion is released. At least this assures the games longevity and adds to our online gaming. Us old timers like it slow and rhythmic.
Kuri Kuri
Kuri Kuri Mix - It's okay. Nothing stunning.
Puzzle/Platformer. With two mad jap bunnies. As a single player it is tricky, you control the left hand bunny with the left analogue stick & L1/L2 buttons. And the right bunny with the right analogue stick and R1/R2 buttons. In order to progress through the forward scrolling level, the left and right bunnies have to interact, pushing buttons on the right to drop gangways on the left, pulling chains or levers on left to hold a snapping gator or drain a pool on the right... and so on.
The game shines in the two player co-op mode, but it will have you shouting at your partner for leaving you in the lurch. Theres a time limit and you keep this at bay by collecting clocks, there are also time penalties for bumping into dangerous things or falling down a hole/into water. So it all has to be fast furious and well timed by
both partners. My Missus likes it, but the level of frustration gets so high we can end up in a slanging match, each blaming the other.
So its a pissed up party game, I'd have said, rather than a long play winner.
Not sure its worth the cash even now. We have only played it for a couple of hours. And the Missus isn't screaming for more punishment.
Puzzle/Platformer. With two mad jap bunnies. As a single player it is tricky, you control the left hand bunny with the left analogue stick & L1/L2 buttons. And the right bunny with the right analogue stick and R1/R2 buttons. In order to progress through the forward scrolling level, the left and right bunnies have to interact, pushing buttons on the right to drop gangways on the left, pulling chains or levers on left to hold a snapping gator or drain a pool on the right... and so on.
The game shines in the two player co-op mode, but it will have you shouting at your partner for leaving you in the lurch. Theres a time limit and you keep this at bay by collecting clocks, there are also time penalties for bumping into dangerous things or falling down a hole/into water. So it all has to be fast furious and well timed by
both partners. My Missus likes it, but the level of frustration gets so high we can end up in a slanging match, each blaming the other.
So its a pissed up party game, I'd have said, rather than a long play winner.
Not sure its worth the cash even now. We have only played it for a couple of hours. And the Missus isn't screaming for more punishment.
Friday 11 May 2001
American Beauty
This film can change your life.
This film is so much more than just another Hollywood Blockbuster.
Forget the Speilberg involvement.
Forget the cheesey American sitcom trailers.
This film explores the fundamental psyche of modern man.
Nothing is left untouched. Love, Death, Hate, Sex, Gay, Drugs, Murder, Masturbation, Success, Power, Life and quality of life.
The most memorable moment for me is not the comic relief. It's not even the death scene, or the suggested Gay scenes. The most memorable moment is the plastic bag scene. Yep. Plastic Bag. A plastic bag is whirlwinding around on screen. Following the currents of air in a late August blustery street. To-ing and fro-ing, dancing amongst the windswept leaves. And the movie suggests that all is pre-ordaned. That there is a more powerful force controlling the seasons, making the bag move. Making beauty out of the bags movement. It was like watching Swan Lake.
There is SO much beauty in the world, but we don't appreciate it. We don't give the simple things credit, we tend to focus on the negative, and labour over the hardship no matter how trivial or major that may be.
This film is dangerous. It is a true tap into the human condition. It shrouds itself in comedy and sex, but it is at the deepest core of the human psyche. I watch it only as often as my spirit can take.
Perhaps the film relies on sympathy for the main character Lester? If so, then I guess it is banking on a whole gaggle of thirty somethings finding solstice in Lesters plight. So, it may not have the younger generation appeal. But, they have certainly tapped direct into the middle-aged, stuck in a rut, feverishly addicted to youth, folk like me.
If ever I sympathised with a character then Lester is it. The drug dealing, life capturing, neighbour acts as a disciple for God. We are shown how beautiful the world is in every frame that he captures. We are shown how fragile and shallow everyday life can be. Everything we value tends to be linked to some act of defiance, or unconventional act. Yet, in our middle-aged years we strive for conformity.
Again, I will stress that this film is dangerous. If you have any remote sense of appreciation for the beautiful things in life, then your materialistic, capitalistic world will be under threat.
I once remember saying to my Dad that I didn't want to join the 'rat-race' - Instead I wanted to appreciate the beauties of life and living and loving and then die under a pile of leaves in a beautiful green forest. My naive cravings have not subsided alongside my desire for wealth and comfort in my later years. I still believe in what I proclaimed to my father, but my family committements render my "childish notions" obsolete. However, this film will re-kindle any desires you once had to fight back, and throw away the shackles of modern life. Reveal what shallow story it tells.
This film is life changing. Only watch it when balanced and ready for it.
If you want to watch something approaching biblical proportions then buy this film. If you want a shallow Hollywood sit-com then think again.
This film is so much more than just another Hollywood Blockbuster.
Forget the Speilberg involvement.
Forget the cheesey American sitcom trailers.
This film explores the fundamental psyche of modern man.
Nothing is left untouched. Love, Death, Hate, Sex, Gay, Drugs, Murder, Masturbation, Success, Power, Life and quality of life.
The most memorable moment for me is not the comic relief. It's not even the death scene, or the suggested Gay scenes. The most memorable moment is the plastic bag scene. Yep. Plastic Bag. A plastic bag is whirlwinding around on screen. Following the currents of air in a late August blustery street. To-ing and fro-ing, dancing amongst the windswept leaves. And the movie suggests that all is pre-ordaned. That there is a more powerful force controlling the seasons, making the bag move. Making beauty out of the bags movement. It was like watching Swan Lake.
There is SO much beauty in the world, but we don't appreciate it. We don't give the simple things credit, we tend to focus on the negative, and labour over the hardship no matter how trivial or major that may be.
This film is dangerous. It is a true tap into the human condition. It shrouds itself in comedy and sex, but it is at the deepest core of the human psyche. I watch it only as often as my spirit can take.
Perhaps the film relies on sympathy for the main character Lester? If so, then I guess it is banking on a whole gaggle of thirty somethings finding solstice in Lesters plight. So, it may not have the younger generation appeal. But, they have certainly tapped direct into the middle-aged, stuck in a rut, feverishly addicted to youth, folk like me.
If ever I sympathised with a character then Lester is it. The drug dealing, life capturing, neighbour acts as a disciple for God. We are shown how beautiful the world is in every frame that he captures. We are shown how fragile and shallow everyday life can be. Everything we value tends to be linked to some act of defiance, or unconventional act. Yet, in our middle-aged years we strive for conformity.
Again, I will stress that this film is dangerous. If you have any remote sense of appreciation for the beautiful things in life, then your materialistic, capitalistic world will be under threat.
I once remember saying to my Dad that I didn't want to join the 'rat-race' - Instead I wanted to appreciate the beauties of life and living and loving and then die under a pile of leaves in a beautiful green forest. My naive cravings have not subsided alongside my desire for wealth and comfort in my later years. I still believe in what I proclaimed to my father, but my family committements render my "childish notions" obsolete. However, this film will re-kindle any desires you once had to fight back, and throw away the shackles of modern life. Reveal what shallow story it tells.
This film is life changing. Only watch it when balanced and ready for it.
If you want to watch something approaching biblical proportions then buy this film. If you want a shallow Hollywood sit-com then think again.
Thursday 3 May 2001
Shuffle My World Again
I must admit, I have been captured by the action & adventure of Diablo II. Even with its blocky character graphics (compared to the silky smooth DC Lodoss graphics), there is something nice about the way the landscape scrolls by as you run to your next killing assignment.
The quests are nicely done, presented to you by an NPC in the starting village. The "open-space" battling zones seem to have their contents shuffled randomly each time you enter the game. Which keeps the travelling fresh. It does mean you have to explore each zone again, to find the exact location of particular landmarks. This can only add to the replayability. There are portals that can be found in each zone, where you can teleport to and from your encampment. Once you have discovered and activated a portal, it is available for all subsequent games - which saves on boot leather. The dungeon zones are set in stone, and don't jiggle about. Most of the dungeons are where the big bosses live - which is only right and proper. There a mini-bosses dotted around the landscape, these named mobs are often tougher than their minions, with particular strengths that need to be overcome. I like these. However, they never seem to deliver much in the way of special items, once you've craved them up.
One quest sees you battle a huge pink minotaur called 'The Smithy' in order to steal back the magical hammer. On returning the hammer to the camp blacksmith, she will imbue one of your standard weapons with 1 to 5 magical powers. Making your plain old long sword into a demon of a blade. This sort of thing excites me the most. Transforming something tatty into something you cannot battle without. The single imbue is only offered once in the whole game, which is a shame. Building this into some more quests would spice up the game no end.
The limited inventory slots forces you into making bug decisions about which weapons to use. Specialising in one or two is preferred. It does mean that sometimes a weapon you've trusted and repaired many times - may have to be sold in the cold light of day - just to afford you the luxury of trying out a different form of attack.
The quests are nicely done, presented to you by an NPC in the starting village. The "open-space" battling zones seem to have their contents shuffled randomly each time you enter the game. Which keeps the travelling fresh. It does mean you have to explore each zone again, to find the exact location of particular landmarks. This can only add to the replayability. There are portals that can be found in each zone, where you can teleport to and from your encampment. Once you have discovered and activated a portal, it is available for all subsequent games - which saves on boot leather. The dungeon zones are set in stone, and don't jiggle about. Most of the dungeons are where the big bosses live - which is only right and proper. There a mini-bosses dotted around the landscape, these named mobs are often tougher than their minions, with particular strengths that need to be overcome. I like these. However, they never seem to deliver much in the way of special items, once you've craved them up.
One quest sees you battle a huge pink minotaur called 'The Smithy' in order to steal back the magical hammer. On returning the hammer to the camp blacksmith, she will imbue one of your standard weapons with 1 to 5 magical powers. Making your plain old long sword into a demon of a blade. This sort of thing excites me the most. Transforming something tatty into something you cannot battle without. The single imbue is only offered once in the whole game, which is a shame. Building this into some more quests would spice up the game no end.
The limited inventory slots forces you into making bug decisions about which weapons to use. Specialising in one or two is preferred. It does mean that sometimes a weapon you've trusted and repaired many times - may have to be sold in the cold light of day - just to afford you the luxury of trying out a different form of attack.
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