I finished my first (but probably not last) playthrough of "Dragon Age: Veilguard", and I have lots of thoughts I wanted to share.
Showing posts with label rpgs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rpgs. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Thursday, April 25, 2024
"Mass Effect 3: Omega" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware/EA
Genre: RPG
Summary: Aid Aria in retaking control of Omega from Cerberus.
Gameplay: There are several new types of enemy to fight. The companions, Aria and Nyreen, have some unique new abilities.
Style: The excellently atmospheric locations of the asteroid space station of Omega, with neon catwalks, cramped service tunnels, dark power facilities, and vast mines, give a cyberpunk flair to the proceedings. The music and sound design are good. The cinematics are good as well, though some lasted a bit long and I wanted to get back to my own action.
Story: The story is linear, a few hours of fighting, but in fun environments, as noted above. The DLC feels like it peaks slightly before the actual climax, so the pacing feels a bit off. More disappointing is the lack of choice and therefore replayability, especially when there seems to be several potential places for choices within the story. The dialogue varies a bit because of Paragon and Renegade responses, but that's it.
Conclusion: Aria and Nyreen are both interesting characters, and Omega is an interesting location. Omega is not that great (mass?) effect to the overall game story, a small slice of the greater war of Mass Effect 3, but it's a fun few hours. I just wish it had more variation and interaction with the rest of Mass Effect 3.
Friday, December 15, 2023
"Mass Effect: Pinnacle Station" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: Commander Shepherd visits a station with combat training scenarios.
Gameplay: There are four different mission types at Pinnacle Station: Kill (kill as many enemies as possible in the allotted time), Capture (hold designated positions as fast as possible), Survive (stay alive as long as possible), and Hunt (kill enemies as quickly as possible) in several different environments.
Style: The simulated environments are nice, though it is easy to see they are grabbed from parts of the game. The edges revealing the holographic nature of the environment are a nice touch, as is the fading away of the holographic enemies. The overseeing admiral's comments are at first amusing, but get repetitive quickly.
Story: There is a bit of a story about Shepherd beating the scores of a posturing turian, but that's about it.
Conclusion: It's odd coming to this DLC after years of playing Mass Effect games, as I can see here the genesis of the more elaborate combat simulator in Mass Effect 3: Citadel. Mass Effect itself offers more interesting combat with more interesting stories out in the galaxy, but Pinnacle Station isn't bad for what it is.
Monday, March 28, 2022
"Dragon Age: Inquisition The Jaws of Hakkon" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: A hostile tribe makes the investigation into the last Inquisitor's death and resting place more difficult.
Gameplay: Gameplay is the same as the rest of the game, but restricted to higher levels (somewhat to my annoyance, as there is no in-story reason), and there is a new ability available for the main character after a certain quest. Unlike the rest of the game (but like other DLC), enemies level with you.
Style: The Frostback Basin area is gorgeous, with an interesting variety of locations ranging from vibrant multicolored swamps to cliff-side Viking-like villages to frozen ancient ruins.
Story: The Jaws of Hakkon tells a great story that enriches Thedas' past and lore, expanding on a culture and area of history not touched on much previously and adding interesting characters in past and present. There is plenty to explore in the Frostback Basin, but smaller side quests and stories easily can be ignored if that is your preference.
Sunday, August 8, 2021
"Pathfinder: Kingmaker" Review
Publisher: Owlcat Games
Genre: RPG/Simulation
Summary: You attempt to settle a mysterious land.
Gameplay: Gameplay is based on the Pathfinder system, which is similar to Dungeons and Dragons, with a variety of races and classes to choose from and abilities that increase each level. Combat can be real time (with pause) or set to turn-based, and there are varying levels of automatic.
The game will sometimes have written sections with several choices in responses (which may be limited by character ability or morality.) These can be surprisingly crucial, and I rather enjoyed them instead of having everything be combat-focused.
Then there's kingdom management, the system for running your land. You must choose advisors and have them deal with problems and opportunities that crop up, increase their abilities, and give them orders on how to deal with situations they bring you. You also gradually acquire land and build settlements (and buildings in them) and investigate treaties and similar matters, which will influence your kingdom's statistics. This all takes time, so balancing it with exploring and other various quests of the game can be challenging, to say nothing of the death spiral that can start when things go wrong.
There are multiple levels of difficulty than can be changed at any time, as well as different options than can be changed to fine-tune your game to suit your tastes, which is much appreciated.
Style: Although top-down, the game is still gorgeous. Bright colors abound over a wide variety of landscapes with seasonal weather and excellent lighting. Little touches like frolicking animals and characters with accurate arms and armor that dance or kneel to pray if not directed to move give a sense of life. The music is very enjoyable.
Story: The story "Pathfinder: Kingmaker" tells greatly depends on your character and the choices they make. It can be a tale of the power of forgiveness and friendship and of responsibility rewarded. Or it can be a tale of the horrors of untrammeled power and pride. I was impressed how the story adjusted to player choice.
The characters are fantastic, as are their quests, and several offer romantic opportunities. The main story is intriguing and nicely develops from initial mystery to gradual clarity over the game.
The game's greatest weakness is its pacing. It's all over the place, largely thanks to kingdom management, which takes literal years in-game and hours of actual play. Often there will be a rush of main story, then hours of kingdom building again. While I didn't dislike the simulation of building my kingdom, it didn't compare to the actual plot of the game, and the start-stop of waiting for more isn't much fun.
Conclusion: "Pathfinder: Kingmaker" tells a wonderful story with wonderful characters with lots of opportunities for player choice. I just wish it didn't take so long to do it. All those long stretches of kingdom building really hurt the momentum of the game, but despite that there is much to enjoy.
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
"Dragon Age: Origins Return to Ostagar" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: You return to Ostagar after the battle.
Gameplay: There are a couple new types of darkspawn and undead, but nothing too unusual.
Style: Ostagar was always well-designed, and it still looks good all strewn with snow. Everything is unnecessarily labeled; I would have preferred to rely on my own memory to compare. There are also some flashbacks to the battle to reinforce locations, which feel like cheats, especially since the character didn't have the viewpoint for some of them, and you just know Bioware wanted to milk those admittedly awesome sequences again.
Story: It's a short, simple story of wandering through the remnants (Cailan's letters add some interesting knowledge to Fereldan's politics, but nothing game-changing.) Only Alistair and Wynne have anything to say. It makes sense because they were there for the battle, but it would have been nice if the other characters could have commented too.
Conclusion: Return to Ostagar doesn't add much and isn't complex, but is nice for what it is, some good loot and a reminiscence on a momentous part of the story.
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
"Mass Effect 2 Overlord" DLC Review
Publisher: EA/Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: Shepherd investigates a Cerberus project gone wrong involving the geth.
Gameplay: Beyond the usual combat, there are several sequences involving combat and general movement challenges such as navigating lava and heights in the Hammerhead vehicle. There is a clever variety of these.
Style: The environments, both natural and interior, are pretty and eerie, featuring notable elements like a looming planet over a giant satellite, a smoky, red-lit power station, and angry green electronic communications.
Story: The overall plot of yet another Cerberus project gone wrong isn't new, although the ending manages to be moving. The biggest issue is that there's too little of it, meaning Overlord manages to feel both too short and too long. Although the DLC doesn't take too much time, there are lots of locations and steps to complete the simple plot.
Conclusion: Overlord has some neat design elements, but feels longer than it needs to be for a very standard story.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
"Dragon Age Origins Leliana's Song" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: Leliana tells the story of how she left being a bard and became involved with the Chantry.
Gameplay: There's nothing new to Dragon Age: Origin's gameplay here. There are usual opportunities to fight or sneak or find objects.
Style: There are no new locations. The loading screens and lore entries are told from Leliana's point of view, reinforcing her narration, a nice touch. Characters are introduced with dramatic splash screens. This looks cool, but I don't think it quite fits the tone of the rest of the DLC. The music is excellent.
Story: It's interesting to play this for the first time, as I have, after Dragon Age: Inquisition. It works well to enrich the complex character of Leliana and related aspects of Thedas.
As a character-driven story from Leliana's past, the main events can't change, but there are some choices in Leliana's responses and minor actions that add variety. The other characters in the DLC are generally interesting.
There's a pleasant ambiguity to the whole DLC (always an issue when you have a rogue narrating in Thedas.) When Leliana mentioned these events in the core game, for example, they did not take place in Denerim. (Clearly it does so here so the location assets can be reused, but you can imagine Leliana has reasons.) It's not even entirely clear to whom this tale is being told--presumably the Warden main character, but others are possible.
Leliana has to leave the ending vague so as not to spoil later plot (if you're playing it early) and because the player in a sense influences the outcome. Indeed, in some senses the truest ending comes in Inquisition, and that ending also varies with the player's actions. It's impressive to see a character-driven piece that still allows for player choices, especially considering those player choices are yet to come.
Conclusion: "Leiliana's Song" is an interesting addition in character and lore to the Dragon Age universe.
Genre: RPG
Summary: Leliana tells the story of how she left being a bard and became involved with the Chantry.
Gameplay: There's nothing new to Dragon Age: Origin's gameplay here. There are usual opportunities to fight or sneak or find objects.
Style: There are no new locations. The loading screens and lore entries are told from Leliana's point of view, reinforcing her narration, a nice touch. Characters are introduced with dramatic splash screens. This looks cool, but I don't think it quite fits the tone of the rest of the DLC. The music is excellent.
Story: It's interesting to play this for the first time, as I have, after Dragon Age: Inquisition. It works well to enrich the complex character of Leliana and related aspects of Thedas.
As a character-driven story from Leliana's past, the main events can't change, but there are some choices in Leliana's responses and minor actions that add variety. The other characters in the DLC are generally interesting.
There's a pleasant ambiguity to the whole DLC (always an issue when you have a rogue narrating in Thedas.) When Leliana mentioned these events in the core game, for example, they did not take place in Denerim. (Clearly it does so here so the location assets can be reused, but you can imagine Leliana has reasons.) It's not even entirely clear to whom this tale is being told--presumably the Warden main character, but others are possible.
Leliana has to leave the ending vague so as not to spoil later plot (if you're playing it early) and because the player in a sense influences the outcome. Indeed, in some senses the truest ending comes in Inquisition, and that ending also varies with the player's actions. It's impressive to see a character-driven piece that still allows for player choices, especially considering those player choices are yet to come.
Conclusion: "Leiliana's Song" is an interesting addition in character and lore to the Dragon Age universe.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
"Dragon Age: Origins The Stone Prisoner" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: The Warden finds a golem to join their group.
Gameplay: Shale, the golem, does not equip weapons or armor, but uses special elemental crystals for those purposes. The golem has its own special ability trees that are different modes geared towards offense or aiding the other characters. This makes the character different but rather finicky to use in combat (not that it much matters on easy mode.)
Style: The new areas added to the game are nice. The Deep Roads section in particular is pretty, given the lackluster presentation of the area previously in the game.
Story: Shale is a good character who talks with the other party members and comments on events and locations as much as any of the others. The quest to get the golem is interesting and having the character adds more emotion to the game's golem elements.
Conclusion: Shale doesn't add a lot to the party mechanically, but is a fun party member providing some neat extra missions and lore.
Genre: RPG
Summary: The Warden finds a golem to join their group.
Gameplay: Shale, the golem, does not equip weapons or armor, but uses special elemental crystals for those purposes. The golem has its own special ability trees that are different modes geared towards offense or aiding the other characters. This makes the character different but rather finicky to use in combat (not that it much matters on easy mode.)
Style: The new areas added to the game are nice. The Deep Roads section in particular is pretty, given the lackluster presentation of the area previously in the game.
Story: Shale is a good character who talks with the other party members and comments on events and locations as much as any of the others. The quest to get the golem is interesting and having the character adds more emotion to the game's golem elements.
Conclusion: Shale doesn't add a lot to the party mechanically, but is a fun party member providing some neat extra missions and lore.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
"Vampire: The Masquerade--Bloodlines" Review
Publisher: Troika Games
Genre: RPG
Summary: After being turned into a vampire, you must navigate the bloody politics of the Los Angeles World of Darkness.
Gameplay: Vampire: the Masquerade was the first tabletop roleplaying game I ever played, and this game brought back lots of fond memories. Character creation is similar enough that I was (again) able to dig up old character sheets and adapt them to create game characters.
Abilities are split between traits (innate abilities like strength or intelligence), feats (learned skills like firearms or sneaking), and disciplines (magical vampire powers, which vary depending upon which type of vampire you choose to be.) Experience can go towards increasing anything, but costs vary depending upon the ability and how much it's increasing.
The game often does a good job at offering various paths to complete a quest, but there's usually combat involved somewhere. Combat itself is somewhat awkward, as it's difficult to switch quickly between all the melee, ranged, and magical abilities. There are only ten hotkeys, and those have to accommodate healing items as well.
Sometimes combat can be avoided via sneaking (and you can instakill when unnoticed behind someone, something I wish I'd learned before nearly the end of my first playthrough.) Hacking and lockpicking may be needed too. There are also sometimes persuasion options.
As a vampire, you of course will occasionally need to drink blood. It's another bar like health and is especially used up by disciplines. There are a variety of ways to get blood, again adding options.
Style: This game is atmospheric as all get out. Through excellent music and design, the settings can ooze creepiness or despair. The late night streets of L.A. are sleazy and depressing, while skyscrapers loom above in gothic splendor. People dance in clubs while mysterious whispers murmur through the sewers.
Story: The story suffers somewhat from the false urgency of the main quest distracting from the sidequests. At one point, the chain of favors for the main quest was so long I lost track of who I was supposed to be finding to help who do what. And one particular quest--the sewers--was spectacularly long and underwhelming. Then the end is a lot of dungeons and lots of things to kill.
Still, the game does excel at offering options and adventures in a dark and interesting world. You can be a heroic vampire rescuing strangers and only killing when attacked, or an evil seducer who drains without a care. You can wander off to discover all sorts of supernatural hijinks. You can solve quests subtly or just murder everybody.
Truly, choices abound, unless you'd like to romance a guy. I can think of exactly one opportunity to sleep with a guy, and it wasn't exactly a flirting situation. And it's not like there weren't possibilities! Why does every other woman hit on my character, but I can't hit on LaCroix or Nines or Reyes?
For that matter, why can I pick up girls in bars but not guys? There are literally guys there, and I can't talk to them! It really speaks to a spectacular failure of imagination on somebody's part. It's pretty clear it never occurred to the developers that someone interested in romancing men would ever play the game.
Conclusion: It wasn't intentional at first, but when I realized I was only playing the game at night, I continued to do so, it was so fitting. Despite over-reliance on combat (especially towards the end) and its failure to account for male romance, Vampire the Masquerade--Bloodlines offers an impressive amount of roleplaying options in both gameplay and characterization and takes place in an interesting and different setting.
Genre: RPG
Summary: After being turned into a vampire, you must navigate the bloody politics of the Los Angeles World of Darkness.
Gameplay: Vampire: the Masquerade was the first tabletop roleplaying game I ever played, and this game brought back lots of fond memories. Character creation is similar enough that I was (again) able to dig up old character sheets and adapt them to create game characters.
Abilities are split between traits (innate abilities like strength or intelligence), feats (learned skills like firearms or sneaking), and disciplines (magical vampire powers, which vary depending upon which type of vampire you choose to be.) Experience can go towards increasing anything, but costs vary depending upon the ability and how much it's increasing.
The game often does a good job at offering various paths to complete a quest, but there's usually combat involved somewhere. Combat itself is somewhat awkward, as it's difficult to switch quickly between all the melee, ranged, and magical abilities. There are only ten hotkeys, and those have to accommodate healing items as well.
Sometimes combat can be avoided via sneaking (and you can instakill when unnoticed behind someone, something I wish I'd learned before nearly the end of my first playthrough.) Hacking and lockpicking may be needed too. There are also sometimes persuasion options.
As a vampire, you of course will occasionally need to drink blood. It's another bar like health and is especially used up by disciplines. There are a variety of ways to get blood, again adding options.
Style: This game is atmospheric as all get out. Through excellent music and design, the settings can ooze creepiness or despair. The late night streets of L.A. are sleazy and depressing, while skyscrapers loom above in gothic splendor. People dance in clubs while mysterious whispers murmur through the sewers.
Story: The story suffers somewhat from the false urgency of the main quest distracting from the sidequests. At one point, the chain of favors for the main quest was so long I lost track of who I was supposed to be finding to help who do what. And one particular quest--the sewers--was spectacularly long and underwhelming. Then the end is a lot of dungeons and lots of things to kill.
Still, the game does excel at offering options and adventures in a dark and interesting world. You can be a heroic vampire rescuing strangers and only killing when attacked, or an evil seducer who drains without a care. You can wander off to discover all sorts of supernatural hijinks. You can solve quests subtly or just murder everybody.
Truly, choices abound, unless you'd like to romance a guy. I can think of exactly one opportunity to sleep with a guy, and it wasn't exactly a flirting situation. And it's not like there weren't possibilities! Why does every other woman hit on my character, but I can't hit on LaCroix or Nines or Reyes?
For that matter, why can I pick up girls in bars but not guys? There are literally guys there, and I can't talk to them! It really speaks to a spectacular failure of imagination on somebody's part. It's pretty clear it never occurred to the developers that someone interested in romancing men would ever play the game.
Conclusion: It wasn't intentional at first, but when I realized I was only playing the game at night, I continued to do so, it was so fitting. Despite over-reliance on combat (especially towards the end) and its failure to account for male romance, Vampire the Masquerade--Bloodlines offers an impressive amount of roleplaying options in both gameplay and characterization and takes place in an interesting and different setting.
Monday, October 8, 2018
"Dragon Age: Origins Witch Hunt" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: The Warden decides to hunt down their former companion Morrigan.
Gameplay: Gameplay is the same as in the main game or the expansion Awakenings if you have it. There is one major unique enemy.
Style: All of the environments are from the main game or the expansion or previous DLCs, albeit in a wide-ranging and unexpected mix.
Story: As the last of the Origins DLC, Witch Hunt was once hoped to offer Dragon Age II clues; instead it's now known it points more towards Dragon Age: Inquisition. Rather, the impact of the DLC will understandably depend upon the strength of your character's feelings towards Morrigan (I don't often play it because many of my Wardens wouldn't feel strongly enough to try to find her.)
The ending is abrupt and the DLC before that short. The reuse of the environments is obvious, but the use of lore to connect them is interesting, and it's nice that your character has the chance to comment if they've been there before, or haven't, for that matter.
The two new NPCs are richly realized and memorable (especially in such a short amount of time) and have plenty of conversations with each other and your dog.
Conclusion: Witch Hunt is brief and doesn't offer much, but little bits of lore and fun characters mean I never regret playing it.
Genre: RPG
Summary: The Warden decides to hunt down their former companion Morrigan.
Gameplay: Gameplay is the same as in the main game or the expansion Awakenings if you have it. There is one major unique enemy.
Style: All of the environments are from the main game or the expansion or previous DLCs, albeit in a wide-ranging and unexpected mix.
Story: As the last of the Origins DLC, Witch Hunt was once hoped to offer Dragon Age II clues; instead it's now known it points more towards Dragon Age: Inquisition. Rather, the impact of the DLC will understandably depend upon the strength of your character's feelings towards Morrigan (I don't often play it because many of my Wardens wouldn't feel strongly enough to try to find her.)
The ending is abrupt and the DLC before that short. The reuse of the environments is obvious, but the use of lore to connect them is interesting, and it's nice that your character has the chance to comment if they've been there before, or haven't, for that matter.
The two new NPCs are richly realized and memorable (especially in such a short amount of time) and have plenty of conversations with each other and your dog.
Conclusion: Witch Hunt is brief and doesn't offer much, but little bits of lore and fun characters mean I never regret playing it.
Saturday, July 28, 2018
"The Bottom of the Well" Review
Publisher: Red Nettle Studios
Website: https://wolfrug.itch.io/the-bottom-of-the-well-dev-version
Genre: Visual Novel/RPG
Summary: Alice recounts a strange dream of apocalyptic survival and doom.
Gameplay: After selecting Alice's traits, which will influence Alice's abilities and options in the game to come, you also make decisions that do likewise.
Style: The style of the game is extremely evocative, with all text being back-and-forth conversation between Alice and her friend online. This works well to convey the action and eerie atmosphere, as do the black-and-white blurry backgrounds. In fact, the only colors are red, black, white, making the game both stylized and dramatic while allowing the focus to remain on the text.
Story: Alice's story manages to feel creepy with its vision-dream of nuclear destruction yet utterly realistic in its details (which of course is creepiest of all, with the implication this is all preparation for a true future to come.) The combination of Alice's variety of traits with choices in the game offers plenty of story opportunities while still making for a difficult game.
Conclusion: "The Bottom of the Well" is a lovely and dark visual novel with some roleplaying elements that all combine nicely into a fun and fascinating game experience.
Website: https://wolfrug.itch.io/the-bottom-of-the-well-dev-version
Genre: Visual Novel/RPG
Summary: Alice recounts a strange dream of apocalyptic survival and doom.
Gameplay: After selecting Alice's traits, which will influence Alice's abilities and options in the game to come, you also make decisions that do likewise.
Style: The style of the game is extremely evocative, with all text being back-and-forth conversation between Alice and her friend online. This works well to convey the action and eerie atmosphere, as do the black-and-white blurry backgrounds. In fact, the only colors are red, black, white, making the game both stylized and dramatic while allowing the focus to remain on the text.
Story: Alice's story manages to feel creepy with its vision-dream of nuclear destruction yet utterly realistic in its details (which of course is creepiest of all, with the implication this is all preparation for a true future to come.) The combination of Alice's variety of traits with choices in the game offers plenty of story opportunities while still making for a difficult game.
Conclusion: "The Bottom of the Well" is a lovely and dark visual novel with some roleplaying elements that all combine nicely into a fun and fascinating game experience.
Friday, July 6, 2018
"Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords" Review
Publisher: Obsidian Entertainment
Genre: RPG
Summary: Returning to the Republic after war and exile, you must hunt down the remaining Jedi masters and discover the threat of the mysterious Sith Lords.
Gameplay: Much of the gameplay resembles its predecessor, but there are some additions. For example, there is a welcome button that allows you to switch between two weapon options, meaning you don't have to go to the equipment page to switch between melee and ranged.
Tactical options are more complex as well, as your companions have a range of combat behaviors to choose from. There are also new lightsaber forms and new force abilities.
Crafting is also more complex. There are more types of weapons and armor and most can now be upgraded. Everything can be broken down into components from which many things can be crafted (if your skill is high enough, of course.) Chemicals work similarly for medical supplies and demolitions.
While all of this seems neat, honestly I find it a bit overwhelming and too much of a hassle compared to the previous game. While having some more armor choices is nice, there's just too much to deal with.
Your influence with your party members is another element that is intriguing but struggles in the implementation. It's great to be able to influence some party members to become Jedi or Sith (and there are various other mechanical rewards), to say nothing of the roleplaying of gradually learning their hearts and secrets.
However, influence is so haphazardly scattered that it is possible to max it out in a first conversation or unknowingly miss one of the few opportunities and then suffer a monosyllabic companion for the rest of the game.
Style: As before, it's enjoyable to see the dramatic sights of the Star Wars universe (given the graphics of the time), but headgear is, as ever, unfortunate. The music is excellent.
Story: The Sith Lords has a great story but struggles to tell it. There's some wonderful characterization and dialogue, but there are still sometimes issues when obvious questions aren't asked.
And don't expect anybody to explain your character's background, which is pretty annoying on a first playthrough, given it's a large part of the game (I'm of the opinion things that are not a mystery to the character should not be a mystery to the player.)
This causes difficulties in roleplaying, as do the problems with the influence system described above. When one snarky comment might make the difference between a character being able to be a Jedi later, it's hard to find a good middle ground between roleplay and gameplay.
Plus, the stops and starts of the influence system mean party information is doled out awkwardly. The characters are all great, but it's difficult to work the influence system to find out why. I also wish the characters had more chances to interact with each other.
Speaking of stops and starts, the game is awful about pacing. There are far too many long drawn-out sections where you're stuck with only one character or forced to go from one dungeon to another with no choices or meaningful dialogue.
Of course, a lot of this is because the game was absurdly rushed, and not even the Restored Content mod can solve some of the subsequent lacks. This is clearest in the ending, which even with Restored Content is a slog and a disappointment (especially given it leans heavily towards the never-existent Knights of the Old Republic III) that lacks coherency.
Conclusion: The Sith Lords was always going to have a tough time following up the excellent (and my sometimes-favorite game) Knights of the Old Republic. Add to that its rushed delivery and it's no wonder it suffers from pacing and plot issues. Yet it still offers some memorable moments and characters.
Genre: RPG
Summary: Returning to the Republic after war and exile, you must hunt down the remaining Jedi masters and discover the threat of the mysterious Sith Lords.
Gameplay: Much of the gameplay resembles its predecessor, but there are some additions. For example, there is a welcome button that allows you to switch between two weapon options, meaning you don't have to go to the equipment page to switch between melee and ranged.
Tactical options are more complex as well, as your companions have a range of combat behaviors to choose from. There are also new lightsaber forms and new force abilities.
Crafting is also more complex. There are more types of weapons and armor and most can now be upgraded. Everything can be broken down into components from which many things can be crafted (if your skill is high enough, of course.) Chemicals work similarly for medical supplies and demolitions.
While all of this seems neat, honestly I find it a bit overwhelming and too much of a hassle compared to the previous game. While having some more armor choices is nice, there's just too much to deal with.
Your influence with your party members is another element that is intriguing but struggles in the implementation. It's great to be able to influence some party members to become Jedi or Sith (and there are various other mechanical rewards), to say nothing of the roleplaying of gradually learning their hearts and secrets.
However, influence is so haphazardly scattered that it is possible to max it out in a first conversation or unknowingly miss one of the few opportunities and then suffer a monosyllabic companion for the rest of the game.
Style: As before, it's enjoyable to see the dramatic sights of the Star Wars universe (given the graphics of the time), but headgear is, as ever, unfortunate. The music is excellent.
Story: The Sith Lords has a great story but struggles to tell it. There's some wonderful characterization and dialogue, but there are still sometimes issues when obvious questions aren't asked.
And don't expect anybody to explain your character's background, which is pretty annoying on a first playthrough, given it's a large part of the game (I'm of the opinion things that are not a mystery to the character should not be a mystery to the player.)
This causes difficulties in roleplaying, as do the problems with the influence system described above. When one snarky comment might make the difference between a character being able to be a Jedi later, it's hard to find a good middle ground between roleplay and gameplay.
Plus, the stops and starts of the influence system mean party information is doled out awkwardly. The characters are all great, but it's difficult to work the influence system to find out why. I also wish the characters had more chances to interact with each other.
Speaking of stops and starts, the game is awful about pacing. There are far too many long drawn-out sections where you're stuck with only one character or forced to go from one dungeon to another with no choices or meaningful dialogue.
Of course, a lot of this is because the game was absurdly rushed, and not even the Restored Content mod can solve some of the subsequent lacks. This is clearest in the ending, which even with Restored Content is a slog and a disappointment (especially given it leans heavily towards the never-existent Knights of the Old Republic III) that lacks coherency.
Conclusion: The Sith Lords was always going to have a tough time following up the excellent (and my sometimes-favorite game) Knights of the Old Republic. Add to that its rushed delivery and it's no wonder it suffers from pacing and plot issues. Yet it still offers some memorable moments and characters.
Saturday, May 12, 2018
"Shadowrun Returns: The Dead Man's Switch" Review
Publisher: Harebrained Schemes
Genre: RPG
Summary: A late-night call from an old friend requests you solve his murder.
Gameplay: Character creation and growth is pretty fluid, with the ability to spend "karma" (experience) points wherever you choose, although higher ranks in sub-categories require equal in the category above (e.g., a five in Rifles requires a five in Ranged Combat, which requires a five in Quickness.) Higher ranks are also more expensive, so specialization is recommended. The different races have various limits and bonuses.
Combat is turn-based, with a variety of choices between shooting (with different guns and abilities), spells, spirit-summoning, throwing grenades, melee, and moving (take cover!) You can also control a drone for additional firepower. The timing of actions is neatly laid out, leading to some nice strategizing. The only annoyance is having to sometimes move around in combat mode when you're not fighting anybody.
You also sometimes hack into the Matrix to steal information or control turrets and similar fights take place there. As this usually happens when the rest of your team is fighting outside, it feels a bit awkwardly split, which rather matches the pen-and-paper game experience.
Beyond combat there are plenty of conversation options and choices where abilities offer further options.
Style: The isometric perspective has some good detail when zoomed in, although the game has a tendency to zoom out too much for my liking. The character portraits enrich the game as well. Inventory, save, quests, and character statistics can be pulled up via a side button.
Story: Dead Man's Switch starts small and builds to a satisfying conclusion through classic Shadowrun Seattle. However, there are somewhat annoying parts and I wish the game had more sidequests to flesh out the world; it's mostly pretty direct. The game has some memorable characters and evocative descriptive writing, but most of your fellow Shadowrunners are hired hands that don't add anything besides a helpful gun hand. Still, your character has choices in how to react to things.
Conclusion: Although overly straightforward and with some minor annoyances, Dead Man's Switch offers a fun story in the Shadowrun setting.
Genre: RPG
Summary: A late-night call from an old friend requests you solve his murder.
Gameplay: Character creation and growth is pretty fluid, with the ability to spend "karma" (experience) points wherever you choose, although higher ranks in sub-categories require equal in the category above (e.g., a five in Rifles requires a five in Ranged Combat, which requires a five in Quickness.) Higher ranks are also more expensive, so specialization is recommended. The different races have various limits and bonuses.
Combat is turn-based, with a variety of choices between shooting (with different guns and abilities), spells, spirit-summoning, throwing grenades, melee, and moving (take cover!) You can also control a drone for additional firepower. The timing of actions is neatly laid out, leading to some nice strategizing. The only annoyance is having to sometimes move around in combat mode when you're not fighting anybody.
You also sometimes hack into the Matrix to steal information or control turrets and similar fights take place there. As this usually happens when the rest of your team is fighting outside, it feels a bit awkwardly split, which rather matches the pen-and-paper game experience.
Beyond combat there are plenty of conversation options and choices where abilities offer further options.
Style: The isometric perspective has some good detail when zoomed in, although the game has a tendency to zoom out too much for my liking. The character portraits enrich the game as well. Inventory, save, quests, and character statistics can be pulled up via a side button.
Story: Dead Man's Switch starts small and builds to a satisfying conclusion through classic Shadowrun Seattle. However, there are somewhat annoying parts and I wish the game had more sidequests to flesh out the world; it's mostly pretty direct. The game has some memorable characters and evocative descriptive writing, but most of your fellow Shadowrunners are hired hands that don't add anything besides a helpful gun hand. Still, your character has choices in how to react to things.
Conclusion: Although overly straightforward and with some minor annoyances, Dead Man's Switch offers a fun story in the Shadowrun setting.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
"Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn" Review
Publisher: Black Isle/Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: You must undertake quests and make chancy bargains to pursue an evil mage.
Gameplay: As before, the gameplay is based on 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons. There are new classes, Barbarian and Sorcerer, plus optional "kits", sort of sub-classes, for most classes. Levels are higher than the previous game, allowing for more spells and abilities and subsequently greater variety in strategy (although you'd always best have some sort of way to remove mage defenses.) Likewise, difficult new enemies await, including annoying level-draining ones and, finally, some dragons.
Style: The game is similar in design to the first, with icons set off in bars to the side, but they're a little more rounded and golden to fit the setting of a city of trade. The graphics are similar as well, but more exotic realms and creatures are featured.
Story: The epic story offers memorable settings and characters. The villains are complex, as are your companions. The quirky Bioware party members interject comments and concerns and can sometimes even be romanced.
There are still distinct chapters that start with a cutscene and narration, but these lack the strength of the previous game's as they don't really add anything. I enjoy the game most in the earlier chapters, when a multitude of quests and options spreads before your character (although many admirably manage to tie into the theme of "shadows.") There are enough for many playthroughs (I think there are several quests I still haven't yet done, after years of playing) and that's just the way I like it. Later the game is more linear and the combat grows more difficult and tiresome, but the strength of the story covers some of these woes.
Conclusion: Shadows of Amn (the "Baldur's Gate" part is a bit of a misnomer, since that location was the focus of the first game and isn't revisited here except dialogue reminiscence) offers a strong story and characters in a rich setting with some fun combat, to which many mods have only added over the years. I do wish there were more options and quests in the later part, but it's still a great game.
Genre: RPG
Summary: You must undertake quests and make chancy bargains to pursue an evil mage.
Gameplay: As before, the gameplay is based on 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons. There are new classes, Barbarian and Sorcerer, plus optional "kits", sort of sub-classes, for most classes. Levels are higher than the previous game, allowing for more spells and abilities and subsequently greater variety in strategy (although you'd always best have some sort of way to remove mage defenses.) Likewise, difficult new enemies await, including annoying level-draining ones and, finally, some dragons.
Style: The game is similar in design to the first, with icons set off in bars to the side, but they're a little more rounded and golden to fit the setting of a city of trade. The graphics are similar as well, but more exotic realms and creatures are featured.
Story: The epic story offers memorable settings and characters. The villains are complex, as are your companions. The quirky Bioware party members interject comments and concerns and can sometimes even be romanced.
There are still distinct chapters that start with a cutscene and narration, but these lack the strength of the previous game's as they don't really add anything. I enjoy the game most in the earlier chapters, when a multitude of quests and options spreads before your character (although many admirably manage to tie into the theme of "shadows.") There are enough for many playthroughs (I think there are several quests I still haven't yet done, after years of playing) and that's just the way I like it. Later the game is more linear and the combat grows more difficult and tiresome, but the strength of the story covers some of these woes.
Conclusion: Shadows of Amn (the "Baldur's Gate" part is a bit of a misnomer, since that location was the focus of the first game and isn't revisited here except dialogue reminiscence) offers a strong story and characters in a rich setting with some fun combat, to which many mods have only added over the years. I do wish there were more options and quests in the later part, but it's still a great game.
Sunday, February 4, 2018
"Dragon Age II Legacy" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware/EA
Genre: RPG
Summary: An attack by the Carta leads Hawke to investigate an ancient Grey Warden prison in the mountains and discover secrets of the past.
Gameplay: Combat is the same as the rest of the game, although there are some new darkspawn enemy types. There are a couple minor puzzles, mostly optional.
Style: The Warden prison in all its layers is atmospheric and interesting, as are the new stylized darkspawn designs.
Story: The backstory involving Hawke's father (and possible involvement of Hawke's sibling in discovering this backstory) is nice, and I always enjoy learning more about the Wardens and Thedas lore. However, all of the fighting dwarves and darkspawn in and down and then up again really drags, especially on replays.
The ending might feel disheartening to some given later revelations (the choice at the end, for example, is actually moot.) I still enjoy having a choice, however, and something being ultimately depressing certainly fits in with the rest of Dragon Age II, anyway.
Conclusion: Although it adds to the world of Thedas and has some nice character moments, I wish "Legacy" wasn't so long and had less combat.
Genre: RPG
Summary: An attack by the Carta leads Hawke to investigate an ancient Grey Warden prison in the mountains and discover secrets of the past.
Gameplay: Combat is the same as the rest of the game, although there are some new darkspawn enemy types. There are a couple minor puzzles, mostly optional.
Style: The Warden prison in all its layers is atmospheric and interesting, as are the new stylized darkspawn designs.
Story: The backstory involving Hawke's father (and possible involvement of Hawke's sibling in discovering this backstory) is nice, and I always enjoy learning more about the Wardens and Thedas lore. However, all of the fighting dwarves and darkspawn in and down and then up again really drags, especially on replays.
The ending might feel disheartening to some given later revelations (the choice at the end, for example, is actually moot.) I still enjoy having a choice, however, and something being ultimately depressing certainly fits in with the rest of Dragon Age II, anyway.
Conclusion: Although it adds to the world of Thedas and has some nice character moments, I wish "Legacy" wasn't so long and had less combat.
Thursday, December 28, 2017
The Million Minor Issues of Mass Effect: Andromeda
As I said in my review, Mass Effect: Andromeda has an enjoyable main plot and characters. The sights of the new galaxy are vivid, and combat's fun. Yet there are so many irritations in playing this game, so many small bad decisions and design choices. Just a few of them and this would still be a great game, but with so many of them, Andromeda is dragged down to average at best.
I touched on many of these in my review, but I felt like ranting on for a bit about all of these missteps.
I touched on many of these in my review, but I felt like ranting on for a bit about all of these missteps.
Friday, November 24, 2017
"Mass Effect: Andromeda" Review
Publisher: Bioware/EA
Genre: RPG
Summary: As the colonists of the Andromeda Initiative arrive in that galaxy, Ryder must investigate possible habitable worlds, mysterious technology, and alien life.
Gameplay: With a new engine, Andromeda is quite different from the previous Mass Effects. Perhaps over-correcting for the use of the space bar for everything in previous games, every action seems to require a different key (and the initial bindings are awful.) There's also no manual, which adds to the confusion.
I found the maps in this game to be especially puzzling, with lots of twists and different levels. The map always starts out zoomed out to the biggest degree, too. It can be difficult to find locations even when selected you're following a chosen quest marker. You can also only add one secondary marker. With a lot of stuff to do, this can be frustrating.
The scanner first seen in Kasumi's DLC is now a main game element for Ryder to scan and examine things. It's nice to see this taken to its logical conclusion, but while there are some clever instances, it's over-used in the game.
Scanning is also used for crafting, as scanning various objects will provide research data for weapons and armor. These can then be crafted if you have found enough of the required materials. With lots of steps and requirements and levels of the same equipment, I found this system finicky and not fun.
There are also puzzles involving sudoku-like rune-matching sequences, although these are sometimes not necessary and can be skipped. I mostly found them pretty fun, beyond a few especially irritating ones.
Another addition is the use of jump-jets that allow the character to jump heights and distances. This is used in exploring as well as combat, as Ryder will often to need to get over obstacles. This is quite fun (although I have to wonder why it never caught on back in the Milky Way.)
Long-distance travel on planets is again handled by a tank, the Nomad. There is some strategy in figuring out the best path and method of using its traction drive and jump-jets to get Ryder were they need to go, which can be frustrating. The Nomad also has no weapons, so you need to jump out whenever a fight starts. This can also be irritating.
Classes are gone from combat, as Ryder can learn any ability. Only three abilities can be selected at a time, however. Different types of ammo and shielding are consumable, and squad members can no longer be directed to use their abilities. Pausing can't be used to line up shots or abilities but is just for switching guns or adding a consumable.
Overall, I dislike the combat changes. I miss the variety and replayability offered by the different classes. And I miss the strategy involved in commanding allies to make strategic attacks.
Style: I mostly played Mass Effect: Andromeda on an under-specced computer, but the scenery of the new galaxy still looked spectacular. Andromeda offers lots of fantastic visuals and lighting. There are nice little details like armor becoming sandy on a desert planet or frosty on an icy one.
However, facial animations are extremely awkward and some clothing seems flat compared to other textures. Whole-body movements, though, can sometimes be well done, with some nice fluid motions I haven't seen before.
Story: The game has to do a lot of justification to explain why and how all these colonists come to the Andromeda system, and it almost manages it. Ultimately, however, I found myself wishing they'd just gone with the Reapers as an excuse (or better finished a certain sidequest regarding this matter.)
Ryder's beleaguered explorer is a nice contrast to the professional soldier of Shepherd. I found the female Ryder more compelling; the voice acting made me spend much of the game wanting to give her a hug. Male Ryder seemed too casual (even given I was playing him more so.)
Ryder has a backstory involving their family, providing an additional emotional element. This is well done, but I wished I had more opportunities to define my Ryder. There weren't many occasions to explore Ryder's history or choose their opinions about their past, family, or current events.
The party members and other characters are also mostly well-defined and interesting (favorites will differ, as usual.) Party members each get personal quests, which are generally good and occasionally excellent. There are a nice selection of romances available as well.
With so many quests and so much required of Ryder, pacing is odd. Whereas I never had a problem with completionism in Dragon Age: Inquisition, the Andromeda plot provides an urgency to many quests that Dragon Age lacked, meaning the main plot felt kind of lost in the shuffle.
This is a pity, because the main plot is much better than the filler missions, which tend to involve a lot of running around without much resonance. The ending is satisfying (and further quest-going is integrated well.) There are a few loose ends and further possibilities, which makes me sad that at the very least it'll probably be a long time before I get to play again in this galaxy.
Andromeda does surpass its predecessors in that it has an overarching theme. While tying into the motifs of exploration and new beginnings, Andromeda is about legacy: what we take from our parents and ancestors, and what we do for ourselves. Much of the game ties into this nicely.
Conclusion: Mass Effect: Andromeda has an engaging story in an interesting galaxy, but is beset with many minor irritations (in fact, I think I'll make a separate post just to rant about them all.) It's sad to think of the missed potential, but there is still much to be enjoyed.
Genre: RPG
Summary: As the colonists of the Andromeda Initiative arrive in that galaxy, Ryder must investigate possible habitable worlds, mysterious technology, and alien life.
Gameplay: With a new engine, Andromeda is quite different from the previous Mass Effects. Perhaps over-correcting for the use of the space bar for everything in previous games, every action seems to require a different key (and the initial bindings are awful.) There's also no manual, which adds to the confusion.
I found the maps in this game to be especially puzzling, with lots of twists and different levels. The map always starts out zoomed out to the biggest degree, too. It can be difficult to find locations even when selected you're following a chosen quest marker. You can also only add one secondary marker. With a lot of stuff to do, this can be frustrating.
The scanner first seen in Kasumi's DLC is now a main game element for Ryder to scan and examine things. It's nice to see this taken to its logical conclusion, but while there are some clever instances, it's over-used in the game.
Scanning is also used for crafting, as scanning various objects will provide research data for weapons and armor. These can then be crafted if you have found enough of the required materials. With lots of steps and requirements and levels of the same equipment, I found this system finicky and not fun.
There are also puzzles involving sudoku-like rune-matching sequences, although these are sometimes not necessary and can be skipped. I mostly found them pretty fun, beyond a few especially irritating ones.
Another addition is the use of jump-jets that allow the character to jump heights and distances. This is used in exploring as well as combat, as Ryder will often to need to get over obstacles. This is quite fun (although I have to wonder why it never caught on back in the Milky Way.)
Long-distance travel on planets is again handled by a tank, the Nomad. There is some strategy in figuring out the best path and method of using its traction drive and jump-jets to get Ryder were they need to go, which can be frustrating. The Nomad also has no weapons, so you need to jump out whenever a fight starts. This can also be irritating.
Classes are gone from combat, as Ryder can learn any ability. Only three abilities can be selected at a time, however. Different types of ammo and shielding are consumable, and squad members can no longer be directed to use their abilities. Pausing can't be used to line up shots or abilities but is just for switching guns or adding a consumable.
Overall, I dislike the combat changes. I miss the variety and replayability offered by the different classes. And I miss the strategy involved in commanding allies to make strategic attacks.
Style: I mostly played Mass Effect: Andromeda on an under-specced computer, but the scenery of the new galaxy still looked spectacular. Andromeda offers lots of fantastic visuals and lighting. There are nice little details like armor becoming sandy on a desert planet or frosty on an icy one.
However, facial animations are extremely awkward and some clothing seems flat compared to other textures. Whole-body movements, though, can sometimes be well done, with some nice fluid motions I haven't seen before.
Story: The game has to do a lot of justification to explain why and how all these colonists come to the Andromeda system, and it almost manages it. Ultimately, however, I found myself wishing they'd just gone with the Reapers as an excuse (or better finished a certain sidequest regarding this matter.)
Ryder's beleaguered explorer is a nice contrast to the professional soldier of Shepherd. I found the female Ryder more compelling; the voice acting made me spend much of the game wanting to give her a hug. Male Ryder seemed too casual (even given I was playing him more so.)
Ryder has a backstory involving their family, providing an additional emotional element. This is well done, but I wished I had more opportunities to define my Ryder. There weren't many occasions to explore Ryder's history or choose their opinions about their past, family, or current events.
The party members and other characters are also mostly well-defined and interesting (favorites will differ, as usual.) Party members each get personal quests, which are generally good and occasionally excellent. There are a nice selection of romances available as well.
With so many quests and so much required of Ryder, pacing is odd. Whereas I never had a problem with completionism in Dragon Age: Inquisition, the Andromeda plot provides an urgency to many quests that Dragon Age lacked, meaning the main plot felt kind of lost in the shuffle.
This is a pity, because the main plot is much better than the filler missions, which tend to involve a lot of running around without much resonance. The ending is satisfying (and further quest-going is integrated well.) There are a few loose ends and further possibilities, which makes me sad that at the very least it'll probably be a long time before I get to play again in this galaxy.
Andromeda does surpass its predecessors in that it has an overarching theme. While tying into the motifs of exploration and new beginnings, Andromeda is about legacy: what we take from our parents and ancestors, and what we do for ourselves. Much of the game ties into this nicely.
Conclusion: Mass Effect: Andromeda has an engaging story in an interesting galaxy, but is beset with many minor irritations (in fact, I think I'll make a separate post just to rant about them all.) It's sad to think of the missed potential, but there is still much to be enjoyed.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
"Mass Effect 3 Citadel" DLC Review
Publisher: Bioware/EA
Genre: RPG
Summary: Shepherd faces a mysterious attacker while on shore leave on the Citadel.
Gameplay: The DLC features plenty of combat against tough enemies in unique environments, including a segment where Shepherd is alone without armor and weapon choices.
There is also a casino segment that involves distracting guards and hacking cameras with careful timing. And after you've completed the combat missions, Shepherd is free to roam the new section of the Citadel and take part in casino gambling, arcade games, and the combat simulator.
Style: I've always liked the giant city on a space station that is the Citadel, so getting to see more of its neon-lit shops and particularly its dark under-workings is a treat. Anderson's apartment is nice and stylish, too, and can somewhat be decorated according to Shepherd's tastes.
Story: The main story of "Citadel" (not a good name, but I suppose a more accurate one would be something like "Friendship!" and that would be hard to sell.) is a lot of fun. The villains are intriguing and surprising, which is especially refreshing after obvious yet supposed shocking betrayals and annoying game-aided villains like Kai Leng.
Lots of the fun comes from the humor. It's great to see your crew willing to crack jokes, especially after the dourness elsewhere in Mass Effect 3. It's fun just to see all of your crew. Citadel goes all out to offer different options and lines depending upon your love interest and various other choices you've had Shepherd make.
This is particularly impressive when Shepherd throws a party and the guest list depends on who Shepherd invites (and who's alive and available, of course.) Then further conversations vary depending on what kind of party you throw, too.
Besides the main missions and the party (which doesn't have to immediately follow) there are opportunities to meet and chat with past and present crew, plus all the entertainments of the new Citadel section. Various overheard comments keep up the humorous nature of the DLC.
Conclusion: Citadel is just very enjoyable. The combat is good, the story is entertaining, and it offers a lot to do while giving you a lot of choice.
Genre: RPG
Summary: Shepherd faces a mysterious attacker while on shore leave on the Citadel.
Gameplay: The DLC features plenty of combat against tough enemies in unique environments, including a segment where Shepherd is alone without armor and weapon choices.
There is also a casino segment that involves distracting guards and hacking cameras with careful timing. And after you've completed the combat missions, Shepherd is free to roam the new section of the Citadel and take part in casino gambling, arcade games, and the combat simulator.
Style: I've always liked the giant city on a space station that is the Citadel, so getting to see more of its neon-lit shops and particularly its dark under-workings is a treat. Anderson's apartment is nice and stylish, too, and can somewhat be decorated according to Shepherd's tastes.
Story: The main story of "Citadel" (not a good name, but I suppose a more accurate one would be something like "Friendship!" and that would be hard to sell.) is a lot of fun. The villains are intriguing and surprising, which is especially refreshing after obvious yet supposed shocking betrayals and annoying game-aided villains like Kai Leng.
Lots of the fun comes from the humor. It's great to see your crew willing to crack jokes, especially after the dourness elsewhere in Mass Effect 3. It's fun just to see all of your crew. Citadel goes all out to offer different options and lines depending upon your love interest and various other choices you've had Shepherd make.
This is particularly impressive when Shepherd throws a party and the guest list depends on who Shepherd invites (and who's alive and available, of course.) Then further conversations vary depending on what kind of party you throw, too.
Besides the main missions and the party (which doesn't have to immediately follow) there are opportunities to meet and chat with past and present crew, plus all the entertainments of the new Citadel section. Various overheard comments keep up the humorous nature of the DLC.
Conclusion: Citadel is just very enjoyable. The combat is good, the story is entertaining, and it offers a lot to do while giving you a lot of choice.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
"Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" Review
Publisher: Bioware
Genre: RPG
Summary: You must aid the Jedi in their quest to defeat the evil Darth Malak and his Sith army.
Gameplay: The game's system is based on the D6 Star Wars roleplaying system--closely enough, in fact, that I was able to base my first character pretty closely off an old character sheet. Every character has attributes, skills, and powers. Character class influences powers and which skills are preferred, while attributes give bonuses regardless.
Combat is fairly simple, but has enough odds and ends to keep it from being dull. There are melee and ranged weapons, but unfortunately no easy way to switch between these without going to the equip screen. You can throw grenades, choose to dual wield, or choose to use special attacks like rapid shooting or power attacks. The Jedi also have various powers to harm, heal, and buff.
The various weapons and armor in the game have understandable categories of abilities but with some interesting and unique examples, too. A few are upgradeable for even more variety, but these are few enough that crafting isn't overwhelming.
You can also plant mines (if skilled enough in demolitions) or use stealth to find your way past obstacles if invested in that skill. There are also hackable computers and droids, too, all of which often means a variety of choices in solving quests. And there's your character's powers of persuasion, too (again, given points in the skill and wise choices in dialogue.)
Then there's the side games. The occasional turret shooting game isn't skippable, as far as I know, but overall I enjoy it. The racing side game can most be ignored or indulged as you prefer, as can the blackjack-esque card game Pazaak. Overall, there is plenty to do besides combat.
Style: Naturally, Knights of the Old Republic makes use of the usual elements of the Star Wars setting: starships, lightsabers, robes, etc. There is a bit of a different spin on things since it's set thousands of years earlier than the movies (but don't expect things to look too primitive.)
Despite the now-older graphics, it's still a delight to see the dark roots of Kashyyyk or a space station orbiting Yavin 4. Graphics and sound combine for some excellent atmospheric settings.
Armor and clothes, alas, aren't all that interesting, but there are some neat unique pieces. Weapons are awkwardly constantly carried, and all headgear always worn--especially unfortunate when the game starts a long Bioware trend of weird and awful headpieces.
Story: Knights of the Old Republic excellently captures the feeling of Star Wars. In fact, it may be my favorite piece of Star Wars media. It has a fantastic twist (I think I was spoiled about it before I first played and I still loved it.) But even besides that, there's a lot that works well in this story of redemption, choice, and the nature of evil.
Most of the characters are fascinating and fit well in the context of the story. The two romances are so tied into the story, in fact, that they feel extra epic. This is especially impressive given the choice in planet and quest order. The story manages to flow pretty smoothly no match which order you choose.
Conclusion: Knights of the Old Republic is one of my favorite games (sometimes, depending on my mood, my straight-up favorite.) It simply has so much go right. There's no part of the game I dislike, no bit I have to grit my teeth a bit and get over with. And there's so much I love--the characters, the setting, the story, the sound of a lightsaber igniting...a true classic.
Genre: RPG
Summary: You must aid the Jedi in their quest to defeat the evil Darth Malak and his Sith army.
Gameplay: The game's system is based on the D6 Star Wars roleplaying system--closely enough, in fact, that I was able to base my first character pretty closely off an old character sheet. Every character has attributes, skills, and powers. Character class influences powers and which skills are preferred, while attributes give bonuses regardless.
Combat is fairly simple, but has enough odds and ends to keep it from being dull. There are melee and ranged weapons, but unfortunately no easy way to switch between these without going to the equip screen. You can throw grenades, choose to dual wield, or choose to use special attacks like rapid shooting or power attacks. The Jedi also have various powers to harm, heal, and buff.
The various weapons and armor in the game have understandable categories of abilities but with some interesting and unique examples, too. A few are upgradeable for even more variety, but these are few enough that crafting isn't overwhelming.
You can also plant mines (if skilled enough in demolitions) or use stealth to find your way past obstacles if invested in that skill. There are also hackable computers and droids, too, all of which often means a variety of choices in solving quests. And there's your character's powers of persuasion, too (again, given points in the skill and wise choices in dialogue.)
Then there's the side games. The occasional turret shooting game isn't skippable, as far as I know, but overall I enjoy it. The racing side game can most be ignored or indulged as you prefer, as can the blackjack-esque card game Pazaak. Overall, there is plenty to do besides combat.
Style: Naturally, Knights of the Old Republic makes use of the usual elements of the Star Wars setting: starships, lightsabers, robes, etc. There is a bit of a different spin on things since it's set thousands of years earlier than the movies (but don't expect things to look too primitive.)
Despite the now-older graphics, it's still a delight to see the dark roots of Kashyyyk or a space station orbiting Yavin 4. Graphics and sound combine for some excellent atmospheric settings.
Armor and clothes, alas, aren't all that interesting, but there are some neat unique pieces. Weapons are awkwardly constantly carried, and all headgear always worn--especially unfortunate when the game starts a long Bioware trend of weird and awful headpieces.
Story: Knights of the Old Republic excellently captures the feeling of Star Wars. In fact, it may be my favorite piece of Star Wars media. It has a fantastic twist (I think I was spoiled about it before I first played and I still loved it.) But even besides that, there's a lot that works well in this story of redemption, choice, and the nature of evil.
Most of the characters are fascinating and fit well in the context of the story. The two romances are so tied into the story, in fact, that they feel extra epic. This is especially impressive given the choice in planet and quest order. The story manages to flow pretty smoothly no match which order you choose.
Conclusion: Knights of the Old Republic is one of my favorite games (sometimes, depending on my mood, my straight-up favorite.) It simply has so much go right. There's no part of the game I dislike, no bit I have to grit my teeth a bit and get over with. And there's so much I love--the characters, the setting, the story, the sound of a lightsaber igniting...a true classic.
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