I might be wrong, but I think I’m the only one on the entire GiN staff who doesn’t role-play at all. Aside from some console-based RPG experiences such as Lunar or the overrated Final Fantasy series (let the hate mail begin again!), I just never really got into it at all. A couple years ago, however, a nice little product from Blizzard, entitled Diablo, was released to the gaming public. Combining basic role-play elements with the action of a real-time strategy game, I was instantly hooked with its unique style of gameplay, and am waiting impatiently for Blizzard to release … Continue reading Nox Rocks!→
Planescape: Torment has a lot of things going for it. Unfortunately it also has a lot of things against it. These competing factors seems to be in constant battle as you play the game. The advantages outweigh the negatives, but not by much. In the advantage category is that the game uses the same engine as the hugely popular Baldur’s Gate. And with Baldur’s Gate II still pretty far out in the future, those million or so gamers who played through the game and the Sword Coast expansion pack are going to need something similar to get their fix. Another … Continue reading Planescape: Torment is a mixed bag→
Septerra Core arrived at GiN headquarters with a special request: Let Michael Cheek review it. I don’t think this was an example of "Let Mikey review it; he’ll review anything." You see, I’m not the role-playing game reviewer. I look at DVDs and puzzle games for the most part, and Septerra Core is neither. In fact, I’m not that fond of RPGs since many tend to be complex and unforgiving for a methodical player like myself. Moreover, when building characters, I can never get the balance just right between character’s attributes. But I launched into Septerra Core and found I … Continue reading At its core, Septerra Core rocks–leisurely→
So I wanted to play Darkstone again to reacquaint myself with the game after all the time I’ve spent on Ever Quest lately. Sure, spend maybe an hour or two romping through the dungeons, busting a few monster heads and generally remembering all the ins and outs. Problem: those couple of hours turned into a couple of days and I thought to myself, "Hey…didn’t I have a review to write?" Aw, nuts… I remember back when I first started playing Darkstone that I was slightly disappointed. "Great," I thought, "a Diablo clone." Sure, Darkstone plays a helluva lot like Diablo, … Continue reading Darkstone is Diablo’s Happier Twin→
Jagged Alliance 2 gives armchair mercenaries the ability to travel to exciting places, meet new and fascinating people, and kill them. Jagged Alliance 2 is actually the third in the mercenary-for-hire series on the PC, and by far is the best one yet. I love turn based combat games, especially the ones where you can maneuver in real time till the shooting starts. This gives you the ability to wander around and explore without having to worry about your characters annoyingly running out of action points. It was this type of interface that was missing from the second game in … Continue reading Jagged Alliance 2 is locked, loaded and ready for action→
When I first picked up the box I was not sure how I was going to like Lands of Lore 3. The original Lands of Lore rates as one of my all time favorites, but LoL2, while not bad, did not measure up to the original. My first impression of LoL3 was good. The box was visually impressive and based on the pictures, the graphics looked awesome to say the least. A quick look at the box told me that there were the four standard guilds or classes to choose from, and something new — a guild familiar for each … Continue reading Lands of Lore III is a worthy sequel→
Almost five years ago, Looking Glass Technologies took the idea of the typical first person shooter, and implemented it into a futuristic role-playing style environment. The role-playing theme worked successfully in their past games Ultima Underworld I and II. And their futuristic version, System Shock, was just as successful. In fact, System Shock has been rated by certain publications as one of the greatest games of all time. It was almost inevitable for a sequel to arrive, and now that sequel is here. And just like its predecessor, it is something to remember. Taking place 30 years after the first … Continue reading System Shock 2→
Enter into a world of spells and enchantment, mystical arts, and vast races of forgotten creatures. A world enriched in beauty and yet full of danger and chaos on every corner. Gather your reagents and call upon the ancient manuscripts of magic for protection. Use words of power, or summon powerful allies at your side to aid you in completing your objectives. Combine all these elements together and you get "Magic and Mayhem," a wonderful combination of strategy and roleplaying. Whether you are a militant tactician or a seeker of new adventures, this game will satisfy any RPG fan’s tastebuds. … Continue reading Magic and Mayhem is spellbinding→
Return to Krondor is the official sequel to Betrayal at Krondor, a really fun game that I enjoyed when it first came out, and then again a few months ago when I downloaded it for free from the Sierra web site. It is worth noting that there is also an interim game put out by Sierra called Betrayal in Antara. It is not part of the official Krondor series but it is a lot of fun. And if you enjoy either of the Krondor games, you will really like it. The story behind Return to Krondor was written by best … Continue reading Return to Krondor lives up to its reputation→
To start off, let me say that Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire is hot. Graphics, sound and story all combine to make this title one that you simply mush have in your collection. Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire is a side view and side-scrolling graphic adventure and role playing game, and interestingly enough, is completely different from the two other games that Sierra put out at about the same time. The other two games are Kings Quest: Mask of Eternity, and Return to Krondor. I know, I was fortunate enough to be given the task of reviewing all … Continue reading Quest for Glory V will have you burning the midnight oil→
