[StefanS]

Hey guys,

currently in the mood for another RPG (classic, not Oblivion style) and I wonder if this is one is actually worth picking up.

So if anyone has played this one already, some impressions would be nice.

[homerdog]

There's a demo (500MB)
http://www.drakensang.com/demo/Drake...up_ENGLISH.exe

Never heard of this game but I'm downloading demo right now.

[N00b]

Played it the german version last year. It' good. Not as great as The Witcher, but not bad either. A bit like the old Bioware/Black Isle RPGs (party-based, rules heavy, etc.).

[homerdog]

This is very good if the demo is anything to go on. Rules are well explained and deep without being so complicated as to fry my pea brain. Combat feels a lot like KoTOR which is a good thing IMO. So refreshing after Oblivion and FO3 .

All around it feels like a very polished affair. Probly gonna buy it after this round of exams; wish it was on Steam.

[digitalwanderer]

I'm on an opposite jones, I'm looking for an RPG in the Oblivion/Fallout3 style....any out there?

(Not meant as a thread hijack, I sort of figured it worked with the thread.)

[Davros]

dark messiah
bloodlines
arx fatalis

[digitalwanderer]

Did DM & Bloodlines more than a couple of times each, never heard of Arx Fatalis...looking it up now. Thanks!

[AlexV]

Originally Posted by digitalwanderer

Did DM & Bloodlines more than a couple of times each, never heard of Arx Fatalis...looking it up now. Thanks!

Two Worlds. Oblivion clone.

[digitalwanderer]

Really? An Oblivion clone sounds like it could have some win in it, more thanks.

[Davros]

Of course it came out before oblivion, so oblivion would be a arx fatalis clone

The design of Arx Fatalis was heavily influenced by games from the now-defunct Looking Glass Studios, especially Ultima Underworld. Arkane Studios have stated that Arx Fatalis was intended to be Ultima Underworld III, however they could not obtain a license for the UW name.

and how could I forget the gothic series...

edit: just remembered mistmare: It got hammered in reviews though

allthough its typical 3rd person isometric, freedom force rocks + its sequel

wizardry 8 (allthough its from 2001)

Anachronox quake2 engined sci-fi japanese inspired rpg goodness...

Two Worlds

A poor man's Oblivion. This description may seem a bit damning, but it puts the game in awfully fine company when you consider the sheer greatness of Bethesda's role-playing game opus

[homerdog]

While Stephan's thread is hijacked I would recommend the buggy mess that is Gothic 3 any day over Two Worlds. The latter didn't last 10 minutes on my HDD and I'll give anything the benefit of the doubt.

[Davros]

bugger I bought it about 2 weeks ago, thanfully it was on budget

[Silent_Buddha]

Wizardry 8 was a lot of fun after it was patched. I think you pretty much have to be a Wizardry fan though as difficulty can be rather higher than people now days would accept. Combat could be brutal and very unforgiving.

Also it's mechanics are way more RPG based than any first person RPG released in the past few years. In other words (to me) it feels a lot more like an RPG than say Oblivion or KOTOR or Mass Effect which all have a more FPS/action feel to them.

Regards,
SB

[psorcerer]

Originally Posted by StefanS

Hey guys,

currently in the mood for another RPG (classic, not Oblivion style) and I wonder if this is one is actually worth picking up.

So if anyone has played this one already, some impressions would be nice.

Played full version (it's sold for under $30!) for 20 hours already.
It's old school, party based RPG, Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale like. But better, much better.
Some points to note:
- old school dice-based mechanics, lots of numbers, from first 20 play-hours looks more complicated than AD&D.
- everything is stats-based: dialogs, actions, even what you see on minimap.
- it has some very interesting quests
- the location maps are huge, Baldur's Gate size in 3D
- it has something like 20 classes, some of them are only used by NPC.
- the battles have some clever mechanics you need to use a lot of buff/debuff to succeed in battles (starting from level 4-5 chars).
- they say that main quest can take 80 hours easily, 100 hours for all quests, seems rather realistic: in 20 hours I've barely started a 3-rd global map location.
- main quest seems kinda generic, if you played The Witcher, it's deep, clever and brilliant, if you played Oblivion.
- global map travels lead to encounters, no fast travel
- there is some craft/alchemy mechanics, doesn't seem very useful for now, but who knows.

It was "game of the year" and what not in Germany. I think they have a point. Zee germans rehabilitated themselves completely after Gothic 3, it seems.

P.S. it's based on Realms of Arkania world, if anybody played these "ancient" games they'll hear some familiar character names in Drakensang.

[Neb]

Going to pick this up. anything comparable to baldurs Gate is a must for me which sadly is almost nothing.

[psorcerer]

Originally Posted by Nebula

Going to pick this up. anything comparable to baldurs Gate is a must for me which sadly is almost nothing.

I've never finished Baldur's Gate, it seemed overcomplicated and tedious for me then. This one is much better, for my taste, although it's even more complicated, I need some more time to point out why it seems better.

[homerdog]

In the full version can you 'take 20' on lock picks when nobody's around? Or am I doing something wrong? Or is it supposed to be this way...?

Beat the demo and I'm very impressed. Gonna pick it Tuesday, in stock at the local Gamestop.

[psorcerer]

Originally Posted by homerdog

In the full version can you 'take 20' on lock picks when nobody's around? Or am I doing something wrong? Or is it supposed to be this way...?

Although some people say it's bullshit: one of my characters started picking locks much more efficiently with no weapon in hand.
And always use some sort of tool: hairpin, for example.
To use it: place it in fast-slot, and click on it there.

[homerdog]

Originally Posted by psorcerer

To use it: place it in fast-slot, and click on it there.

Wish I'd read that earlier. I figured out how to use hairpins after a 10 minute session of wtf click everything 'till it works.

[John Reynolds]

I'm really enjoying it, though I don't think it's all that comparable to Baldur's Gate. Feels more like NWN to me for some reason.

[MfA]

Graphics are nice, story is meh and damn does combat suck hard.

It's a pity they don't have open source scripts ala Bioware's games ... this game needs an AI update and some rebalanced combat. What's the point of ranged combat? Everything just swarms past melee in 2 ms, you get off one arrow and that's about it.

[MfA]

Originally Posted by psorcerer

I've never finished Baldur's Gate, it seemed overcomplicated and tedious for me then. This one is much better, for my taste, although it's even more complicated, I need some more time to point out why it seems better.

I think we can safely say it's because you are insane, seek therapy

The rules seem complicated, but unlike with D&D it's a pretty straightforward damage/healing/avoidance/mitigation game ... not a whole lot of powerful status/immunity effects and battlefield control magic to worry about. Hell most of the complication comes in because they go out of their way to make absolutely sure the UI doesn't tell you a damn thing on it's own (so many abbreviations).

[Randell]

I quite enjoyed Two worlds, obvioulsy very derivative, but nice change of scenary from traditioanl medieval europe when you hit the desert bit.

[Davros]

I'm just starting two worlds any tips

[John Reynolds]

Uninstall it. Utter garbage.