Lotheneil vs. The Backlog Hydra, Ep. #31
It’s been a while since I’ve dropped titles into the red trash can, so this week two titles join the merry company there. A bit disappointing game selection this week, oh well, more digging for treasures in my backlog for me :)
Contrary to my Steam statistics, I've finished the game - on my PS Vita. As it is the same game, just with some controls adjustment, I mark the PC version completed as well. The title is your usual, run-the-mill retro jRPG, with simplistic plot (as a prince of a kingdom terrorized by a powerful dragon, our task is to gather legendary weapons and allies and slay the beast), standard progression and inventory system. The only distinguishing feature is job system, similar - if more simple - to the one used in Final Fantasy V.
May be worth checking out if you get the title in bundle, but I wouldn't buy it for full price.
Status: completed - main quest, all subquests and all optional areas finished.
This game is just bad - lack of balance and thought put into actual player experience makes the gameplay completely pointless. We start as medieval trader, with one cart and some pocket change. Our task is to earn a fortune by buying goods cheap in one city and sell them with interest in another. There are two problems though: costs of travel are extremely high, and there is no way of determining prices of a particular good in other cities without visiting them (as they are random), the game offers no information regarding price range either - so we have no idea what is worth buying in particular place and where to take those goods to sell them. The game offers some quests (of a fedex nature) - and that's it, so even if one manages to wrap their head around the title's economy, the boredom and repetitiveness will soon follow.
Avoid like a plague.
By many people considered a great game, but it is really dated now. I've tried playing, but decided not to carry on after an hour. I don't mind the visuals, they're acceptable, especially considering release date, what deterred me were extremely clunky controls - I was just unable to set the camera right and selecting characters was far from intuitive; next to unusable map and lack of direction, as well as dull combat - but that issue may become less pronounced at higher levels.
Contrary to some negative reviews on Steam, I had no problems with launching the title in FullHD (following a guide to set launch options) and had no technical issues afterwards. Still - unless someone really wishes to delve in the past, I would suggest refraining from playing the title now - it did not age well.
I wonder if the other two instances of the series I have in my backlog as well meet the same fate. Time will tell.
Ah, loved Dungeon Siege back in the day. But I can imagine that it might not have aged well. I’m not big into nostalgia games. Although it’s nice to look through screenshots or anything, I’ve never been inclined to fire up the game and get back into it.