Darkstone - DSI
Release Date: Early August Pc Specs: P2-350 64Mb 4Mb-3dcard
Loading Times: Very Quick Playtesting Time: 10 Hrs
Summed up, this game is an action/rpg, similar to Silver and Diablo. Not your typical RPG though, it is very easy to get into and one of the simplest games I've played in a long time. You start of by generating two characters, either of which you can control in the game. The one you are not controlling follows your actions, and attacks when enemies are near. The game is set in a fantasy world with your standard fantasy enemies, and controlled completely by a point and click mouse interface, with a number of handy shortcuts beyond what most RPGs give. You run your characters around the world, killing monsters and completing quests to gain gold and experience. That's about all there is to it.
Graphics: Very nice, which is unusual for an RPG. The sprites are beautifully rendered, as it the lighting and effects. You have complete control over your camera angle, and one of the nicest touches in the game is that objects that get between the camera and your character automatically turn transparent, giving you near complete visibility in every situation. Check out the screenshots for more...
Sound: What can I say? Shit hot. From the crunch of bones, to the dying screams of your enemies, the sound effects are definitely up to scratch. The music is excellent too, the classical score changing dynamically and adding a lot of atmosphere to the game.
Plot: Well, there isn't much one one... This game gets straight to the point, conversations usually being one sided and telling you what you've got to do in about ten or so words. There is a lot to do however, and the game changes every time you play it which is great.
Action: This game is full of fighting, that's all your characters really do. In the dungeons anyway, wandering around the world map sometimes gets annoying. There's tons baddies around almost every corner, but they only usually take one or two hits to kill. This game is pretty fun at first, but after 16 dungeon levels of doing the same old thing - running around and clicking on baddies - it gets pretty boring.. Your characters only have two actions in fighting - hitting with their weapon and casting offensive/defensive spells. There is not nearly enough variety in the fighting to keep you interested.
Rating: 7/10 - A must for RPG fans, but if you like a game with a little bit of a challenge you'll be disappointed. My 4 year old sister would be right at home with this game.
