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Platform:
PC Genre:
RPG Developer:
Gas Powered Publisher: Microsoft Games ETA: August 2005
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Dungeon Siege 2(Hands
on Preview)
Admittedly,
I'm not a fan of the standard hack and slash RPG. I'm more interested in
the character development of role playing and am more likely to keep
playing a game for the storyline than the hack and slash action. As
such, I never played the first Dungeon Siege and wasn't a big fan of the
Diablo series. So having to check out Dungeon Siege 2 wasn't the most
exciting hands on I've had to do, but hey, how can you argue with a best
seller in the genre? The story begins with you and your companion about to embark on a battle where you have been enlisted as mercenaries. As you battle your way to your goal, you encounter characters that provide you with basic tutorials about some of the more basic game concepts such as attacking, moving, and using items. Once you reach the main battle site you are quickly |
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knocked unconscious and taken prisoner. Your captors soon set you free, but keep you on a short leash. Here you learn some of the more intricate aspects of the game, such as what happens when you die, re-spawning and traveling to other specific locations quickly. These aspects while perhaps a little bit silly when explained within the confines of the game's reality, are well integrated to keep alive the spirit of the action oriented game play. For instance, you can't simply load up a game when you die. Each gaming session you play is saved when you exit the game. There is even a point in the story where it is |
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made
explicitly clear that restarting your PC after dying still won't help
you. However the off-setting positive side to this is that the designers
have made it easy to get back to where you were going and to get your
equipment back. After you die, you are sent back to a safe area where
you start without any of your equipment. You can go directly back to
where you were killed by paying someone to teleport you there. How this
actually feels when playing the game, and how it will be accepted by
gamers remains to be seen, however I do find it intriguing to see a
developer make a specific design decision to enforce the reality that
they have created within the context of the game's world. The
preview build that I played already had acceptable graphics, but it was
made clear that our build still had a way to go. This bodes well for the
production values of the game as the sound and voice acting was already
well in place. A little bit more graphical flair, and the video and
sound will work fabulously in engrossing the gamer.
Here
is the official list of features: - Elite Battle Party - Players must choose battle comrades carefully to build a party of up to six members. Parties can be honed over time using an all-new character development system filled with new skills and specialties. Hero Powers - As the stakes have increased, so have the party's abilities. Each class now has access to unique Heroic Powers that are capable of turning the tide of battle, but they require wisdom and strategic timing to use properly. - More Dangerous Enemies - Players will face-off against opponents whose power and tactical prowess will rival their own. The enemies in Dungeon Siege II will have all-new powers and abilities. As a result of the new Coach AI technology introduced in Dungeon Siege II, enemies are full of surprises. - Cinematic Storytelling - Dungeon Siege II introduces a new Flick authoring system providing a new level of in-engine cinematic storytelling that keeps players in the game world instead of pulling them away from it. New story-driven quests provide a deeper adventure that evolves with players as they complete quests and missions. - Revolutionary Online Multi-Party Gaming - Blur the lines between single and multiplayer gameplay as players bring multiple members of their party into the realm of LAN or online play to cooperatively (or competitively) complete quests and acquire new skills and powers. - Jaw-dropping Special Effects - The new SFX engine in Dungeon Siege II takes visual special effects to the next level for everything from the environmental atmosphere to dazzling spell effects, creating an engrossing and immersive gaming experience. - Interactive World - The world of Dungeon Siege II is brimming with activity. From pitched battles raging around players as they adventure through the world, to special environments that players can turn to their tactical advantage in the heat of battle - players will do well to pay heed to the world around them. - Powerful and Unusual Allies - The pack mule was only the beginning. Players can now choose from a number of exotic creatures with special abilities that adventure and grow alongside players. - With Risk Comes Reward - Journeying through the land of Aranna, players will come across numerous rare and powerful items that can help them accomplish their goals or unlock new mysteries. An enhanced dynamic loot system ensures that each time an adventurer steps out their door, new and interesting treasure awaits.
From my experience with the build that I played, the game kept with its roots of the action oriented RPG. What is also great for veterans of the series or genre is that the action is not only fast paced but is also challenging. Failure to carefully manage your attack as a group effort with your party members is a quick way to die. However with the way that being incapacitated is managed in this game, this is also sure to save new comers from initial frustration as well. The storyline is also well fleshed out from my initial reaction, and the complement between the down time in the safe areas, where there still a lot to do, and the actual action hack and slash parts is well-balanced. The game was already intriguing and given the fact that it was made adamantly clear that there was still much more polish to be added to the product that I played, it will be hard for Dungeon Siege II not to live up to the expectations of fans.
Mark Leung (July 4, 2005) |
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