Drakensang

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Yeah, back to the Roots!

It's been many years since my last adventure in Aventurien!

After so many titles that were promised to us after the Nordland Trilogies, none made it. This is the first in 10 years!

 

This looks very promising, I must admit. Looks like a type of game, that has been sorely missed for about 10 years or so.

 

I have just stopped after playing a few hours, and familiarised myself with the game. My first impression is generally good:

• 
  Game system and characters are very straightforward, even when when you're not familiar wirth DSA. AD&D players will feel familiar quickly.
• No multi classing, but classes are interesting and well fleshed out. You'll find something you like. And if you want some special skill your chosen class doesn't have, chances are you can learn it.
• Party control is rudimentary but works well.
• Weapons look much more realistic than in NWN.
• Fighting is straightforward. When you have played NWN you'll have no problems with that. I didn't try magic yet.
• Paperdoll doesn't allow for any character customisation (which is neglectable because there is no multiplayer (yet)).
• Graphics are sweet. I can't wait to see them on my new mashine.
• Buildings look like real buildings. I mean, *real* medieval buildings. It's worlds apart from the modular, well, world of NWN 2.
• The camera and movement controls suck and take some time getting used to. It is really annoying when you have to permanently maneuver your char around to find your way through a dungeon, or to be able to activate a conversation with a NPC standing in front of you because the rigid camera controls won't let you see him. That's the only negative point about the game.

Initial verdict: An excellent buy.

PS: That said, I didn't yet patch the game. I just saw that patch v1.01 is out and I'm downloading it right now. I'll report on whether it fixes the annoying camera control.

+++ UPDATE +++​

PPS: Although he patch improves game play, and graphics, too, the issue of the slow camera remains. Issue is relative.

One, it might be just my slow system (Athlon XP 3000+, 2 GB RAM, XP, IDE HDDs, GeForce 6800 GT - within specs, but at the low end). Even so, graphics are excellent. Real eye candy.

Two, the perspective is almost isometric. I am now used to Kotor 1 and Kotor 2, and NWN and NWN 2 where you actually saw what your char saw. I like it that way. Point is that you have to proceed slowly. The slow camera means practically that you do have a blind spot. The camera isn't char centered. You turn left, and the camera doesn't follow your char in that direction; he'll end up at the left corner of the screen, before the camera moves up with him (again, this might just be my ponderously slow comp). That means you see your char is standing in the corner but as a wall blends out what's in front of him, you don't see what he sees, as it is in NWN2. That is silly when you bash a barrel and want to pick up the loot. Sometimes you have to switch to your other char to see what you know is in front of your main char to activate it. That is particularly silly in dungeons.

On a nuisance scale, the 'issue' is much less annoying than in early NWN when your henchmen were primarily an obstacle to be avoided. It can be dealt with, but I wished the developers fix it.

The story development - I'd call it classic. Good story weaving. I just arrived in Ferdok. The beginning and the atmosphere remind me of BG.