Gamespot down on Dark Messiah

[Pidesco]

I played the level three times: Fighter, stealthy assassin and mage. Great fun all around.

[Dark_Raven]

Can you give it special abilities though?

 

Making a generic sword seems kinda dull

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, we need to be able to make a magical sword with fire enhancements.

[Darque]

Or Ice. :cool:

 

Or lightning! :ph34r:

 

Or all three!

[Dark_Raven]

[metadigital]

Can you give it special abilities though?

 

Making a generic sword seems kinda dull

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Um, I don't really think there would be much point in just making a replacement sword ... BUT, not having played the game, I can't answer that, as it wasn't covered in the review. So I think the answer to that is yes.

[kumquatq3]

IGN gives it a 7.0

http://pc.ign.com/articles/742/742365p1.html

 

They gave MOO3 a 9.2, so this game must cause physical pain on their scale.

[Dark_Raven]

 

how sucky. i saw the collectors ed at Best buy. Now I hesitate to get it.

[Hell Kitty]

Making a generic sword seems kinda dull

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

There is a fancy pants magical sword you can make later on though.

 

So what bugs have people heard about? Other than the two oddities I mentioned in the other thread, I played through the whole thing without a problem.

 

As for loading, it's longer than HL2, but not quite as frequent. It's no better or worse than any other FPS really.

[kumquatq3]

Other than the two oddities I mentioned in the other thread, I played through the whole thing without a problem.

 

The whole thing? The demo or the game?

[Hell Kitty]

Other than the two oddities I mentioned in the other thread, I played through the whole thing without a problem.

 

The whole thing? The demo or the game?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The full game.

[kumquatq3]

The full game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

K, well, the IGN article also notes that "This game crashes far too frequently."

 

Finally and unfortunately, Dark Messiah suffers from technical issues. We installed it on a number of systems and experienced frequent crashes to desktop in both the single and multiplayer games. It seemed to mostly happen on loading screens, especially when we hit the "reload from last save" button in the single player. Though there's an auto-save system in place that prevents you from losing too much progress offline, crashes while playing a Crusade online can be extremely frustrating. If you built up a character to level seven and finally learned the Archer's triple arrow attack or some other high level ability, it's all lost with a crash. Loading multiplayer matches can also be a chore, as we were left hanging on the load screen on several occasions. There were also a number of bugs in the single player campaign, such as items disappearing from our inventory and scrolls turning into unlimited-use spells.

 

So there is obviously something going on

[Draikin]

Was that the final version ? mine work flawlessly exept the long loading times and some sound stuttering you can find in all Source games. I had only one bug so far (got stuck in the wall while climbing a rope, just had to reload)

 

I think the game is great in a medieval Jedi Knight kind of way (i'm on chapter . It's the best first person melee combat game out there, I dont get those sites reviews, especially since they all praised Oblivion.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

I've only had a minor problem related to the Graphics card not being properly initialized upon loading, it required that I go into the video card options change a setting in the advanced section and click apply.

 

That's the only problem I have had with the game.

 

I certainly had more game stopping bugs with BG2 and NWN.

 

The game itself, I like, it's fairly polished, the combat is better than oblivion, it's very entertaining, the game is not nor does it try to be a hardcore RPG, I do like the award of skill points for objectives, opposed to kills.

 

It's fun, the most fun I have had in a long long time, and more stable than gothic 3.

[Cyric]

It's best to get the game and try it yourself. Relying on *other* ppl to review a game for you isn't always best. I think its a good game and i m getting it (as soon as i can get away from WoW ).

 

Anyhoo Gamer. Tv gave Dark Messiah 4 out of 5, pretty good IMO.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

Cyric's right Reviewers are idiots.

[Morgoth]

Does anyone who owns the game care to write down a short review here? Excluding all the technical issues and trash the "professional" sites already mentioned. Oh and no major spoilers please.

 

Does it really get repetitive? I don't mind linear FPS if the pace and suprises keeps the experience throughout the whole game fresh. If it is that sort of FPS that just becomes boring after a while, I can understand the low rates from Gamespot etc., but it seems to me the combat was quite well done in the demo, and who knows maybe it rocks even more in the full version?

Is the level design really that sloppy as mentioned in the reviews? Is it completely linear, or do you still get some joy of wandering around, just looking at the awesome environments, listening at the undead screaming and discover here and there some nice things? You know, that immersion kind of thing. There's also nothing better than observing the enemies first, make some plan and then WHAM! them with my nasty tricks. At least I found the demo gave me some joy in messing arround with the orcs without killing them immediately.

I'm really thinking about getting that game, it's just that the demo was too short, the reviews a little too pessimistic and the Ubisoft forums too useless to get some decent impressions.

Tell me what you think! Don't hide it from uncle Morgoth!!!!

Edited October 29, 2006 by Morgoth

[Noceur]

Hmm, I'm starting to have second thoughts... perhaps I should've bought this one instead of Gothic 3.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

Hmm, I'm starting to have second thoughts... perhaps I should've bought this one instead of Gothic 3.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The answer is..... Yep, you should have.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

Does anyone who owns the game care to write down a short review here? Excluding all the technical issues and trash the "professional" sites already mentioned. Oh and no major spoilers please.

 

Does it really get repetitive? I don't mind linear FPS if the pace and suprises keeps the experience throughout the whole game fresh. If it is that sort of FPS that just becomes boring after a while, I can understand the low rates from Gamespot etc., but it seems to me the combat was quite well done in the demo, and who knows maybe it rocks even more in the full version?

Is the level design really that sloppy as mentioned in the reviews? Is it completely linear, or do you still get some joy of wandering around, just looking at the awesome environments, listening at the undead screaming and discover here and there some nice things? You know, that immersion kind of thing. There's also nothing better than observing the enemies first, make some plan and then WHAM! them with my nasty tricks. At least I found the demo gave me some joy in messing arround with the orcs without killing them immediately.

I'm really thinking about getting that game, it's just that the demo was too short, the reviews a little too pessimistic and the Ubisoft forums too useless to get some decent impressions.

Tell me what you think! Don't hide it from uncle Morgoth!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I won't write a review but I will try and answer your questions.

 

It doesn't feel repetative to me, infact some levels don't involve combat at all... chapter 3 is not a combat level.

 

Level design is far from sloppy, while linear, there are always options for different approaches. enviroments are indeed pretty. The immersion factor is awesome, you get to listen in on some conversions, this adds to the immersion factor.

 

Physics based magic is a great idea, nice to see it done so well. Melee combat feels very kinetic and it's not at all repetative. You could certainly sneak around aswell.

 

It's great when you get mobbed, you really have to pick your target and moves well.

 

Yes I think it's a very good game, despite the bugs, if you're dubious wait or the patch.

[Morgoth]

What's about game length and replayability?

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

What's about game length and replayability?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dunno haven't finished it yet, so it's obviously long enough hehehe...

 

I'd say it's replayable.

[Hell Kitty]

I finished it around 10 to 15 hours, I suppose. Probably longer if you aim to play a more stealthy game, which is harder.

 

There are lots of secrets to find, and a couple times later when you have optional objectives that change the story, but not the gameplay. Although I did

get a fantastic set of weapons after purging Xana

.

[Big Bottom]

PS You can make your own sword, using a bar of metal, a crucible, some bellows a hammer and an anvil!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

But can you bake your own bread? Actually, that was something Arkane did in their first game and no other game has bettered the cooking in Arx Fatalis since.

 

PC Zone also gave Dark Messiah a good review, mid to late 80s I think, stating that the swordplay was great.

[Arkan]

Does anyone who owns the game care to write down a short review here? Excluding all the technical issues and trash the "professional" sites already mentioned. Oh and no major spoilers please.

 

Does it really get repetitive? I don't mind linear FPS if the pace and suprises keeps the experience throughout the whole game fresh. If it is that sort of FPS that just becomes boring after a while, I can understand the low rates from Gamespot etc., but it seems to me the combat was quite well done in the demo, and who knows maybe it rocks even more in the full version?

Is the level design really that sloppy as mentioned in the reviews? Is it completely linear, or do you still get some joy of wandering around, just looking at the awesome environments, listening at the undead screaming and discover here and there some nice things? You know, that immersion kind of thing. There's also nothing better than observing the enemies first, make some plan and then WHAM! them with my nasty tricks. At least I found the demo gave me some joy in messing arround with the orcs without killing them immediately.

I'm really thinking about getting that game, it's just that the demo was too short, the reviews a little too pessimistic and the Ubisoft forums too useless to get some decent impressions.

Tell me what you think! Don't hide it from uncle Morgoth!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I won't write a review but I will try and answer your questions.

 

It doesn't feel repetative to me, infact some levels don't involve combat at all... chapter 3 is not a combat level.

 

Level design is far from sloppy, while linear, there are always options for different approaches. enviroments are indeed pretty. The immersion factor is awesome, you get to listen in on some conversions, this adds to the immersion factor.

 

Physics based magic is a great idea, nice to see it done so well. Melee combat feels very kinetic and it's not at all repetative. You could certainly sneak around aswell.

 

It's great when you get mobbed, you really have to pick your target and moves well.

 

Yes I think it's a very good game, despite the bugs, if you're dubious wait or the patch.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Me want....

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

PS You can make your own sword, using a bar of metal, a crucible, some bellows a hammer and an anvil!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

But can you bake your own bread? Actually, that was something Arkane did in their first game and no other game has bettered the cooking in Arx Fatalis since.

 

PC Zone also gave Dark Messiah a good review, mid to late 80s I think, stating that the swordplay was great.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The process for making your own sword is great, while a little bit pointless I had a better sword it was a fun little part of the game, could have been better though.