Dungeon Siege

Rating:
Summary: Keeping the donkey alive was the only challenge...
Review: Don't let anyone fool you. This game is a pure 1 dimensional dungeon crawl of epic boredom.

Your first impression upon starting the game is that it really is fun, and the graphics are good, and the gameplay is nicely paced. It was based on those same sentiments that my friends got me to buy it after they had been playing it for 2 days.

Sadly, I did buy it. By the time I had it installed, most of them were complaining that it was getting repetitive and that there wasn't much to it. Just gather up your NPC's and keep going, boy!

Really, this is a game where if you buy enough healing/mana potions, you can survive anything, since your npc's will drink for themselves, and if you get one of the healers with the group heal spell, you can kill for hours without taking a breather, if the mobs would hold out that long.

Needless to say, I was finished with the game after a week, and looking for some poor sap to unload it on, because there is no replay value. You can't make different decisions, so its a one shot deal.

Stay away!

Rating:
Summary: Great game by Gas Powered
Review: Actually, I really didn't like the game all that well myself. BUT, it's not hard for me to realize that's only because the gameplay doesn't appeal to me, where it would to perhaps most of the RPG gaming world. Control is smooth and intuitive, probably the best I've ever seen in an RPG. The graphics are also stunning and visually appealing. What I personally didn't like about it was the gameplay: to me it felt like constant hack and slash, where your basic goal is to kill scads of monsters and gather loot. And scads of monsters you will get. In my friend's words "it's the Serious Sam of RPGs." In contrast, what I'm finding I hold of highest importance in an RPG is the story line. For me, this one just didn't cut it.

Rating:
Summary: A Waste of Money
Review: My best friend and I have both tried this game and we both have the same opinion of it: its [bad]. While getting to have a pack animal to carry items is nice, and having the auto arranging inventory is cool, overall I hated the game. The wildly changing camera angles made me nauseous, the graphics were rather cheesy looking (kind of like "Unreal", which I'm not too
fond of, either), and I thought the overall game play was horrible. As a Programmer/Tech/Network Administrator with 14 years experience, I couldn't wait to get this game off of my computer. I know that "Diablo II: LOD" could be better in areas, but for me, it's a much more enjoyable game than that hunk of bit-garbage, "Dungeon Siege"

Rating:
Summary: Not a bad game...
Review: DS is not a bad game. But it bores me. For a number of reasons.

First, the whole experience system is, to put it bluntly, dumb. There is no choice, nothing. You just play as if the game is an action game. Even Diablo and NWN had more choice in character creation.

Second, just like the other action-rpg for this year the creators decided that there is no need for clicking. You just wait for your character to kill everything, while regularly giving him potions...

Third, I hate the graphics. They are better than NWN, to some extent, but in comparison with Morrowind both games are far, far behind graphic-wise.

The story is so pathetic the most I can do about it is mention it.

In short... If you like such games - Diablo, NWN... Try this one. I like Diablo, but it's getting old. Too bad Microsoft and Bioware do not realize that... But, come to think, when you look at how many people like this 2 games, obviously I am wrong. The action market is the most popular one, I take it... Too bad, because good games are becoming rare.

4 stars for this one, even though I think it deserves 3. But it's technically perfect - no bugs, not SO bad graphics, etc... so... It gets 4.

Rating:
Summary: Dungeon Seige is many different games!
Review: Okay, everyone likes to start with whats good and then talk about what isn't, so i'll do the reverse-

Weak points-
The game unfolds in a VERY linear fashion.
The game requires no thought whatsoever to learn.
There are no character classes; anyone can be anything.

Strong points-
Graphics!!!! This is a visually stunning game! And unlike most games, the closer you zoom in to the action, the better the graphics look!
The 3D camera action! Zoom in to examine a small item in detail, or zoom back out with the scroll of a mouse button to see impressive scenic vistas (the Cliffs of Fire section is especially inspiring).
If you are new to RPGs, everything from the Weak Points section.
Most importantly, you can make this game do anything!

To those who say this game is to basic, or too linear, i say get out and make your own map! The free Seige Editor allows you to easily re-use components and design your own worlds. The free gmax program allows you to build your own monsters, spells, weapons, etc... (albeit with a much steeper learning curve) to create a whole new game! Many modifications of this game are becoming available, meaning that instead of purchasing ONE game you are purchasing a whole bunch! Think Dungeon Seige should have included sets? Check out the 'Circle of Lorent' mod. Think Dungeon Seige should have included different classes and races? Check out the 'Elemental' mod. Think Dungeon Seige should have followed D&D3 rules more closely? Build your own character class and skill set! Think rule sets are too consticting? Download the 'lightsaber' weapon and see how a Jedi would have handled the issue!
Basically, Chris Taylor and the ganag tried to create a game that was easy to approach and learn in order to appeal to a wide audience, and they did. At the same time, they built in the most extensive modding capability to date to appeal to hard-core gamers. Buying this game gives you a state-of-the-art gaming engine capable of jaw-dropping graphics to play with!
Do not, however, expect this game to run well without 3D hardware acceleration! I recommend 1 Ghz proc, 256 MB RAM, and a GeForce2 or equivalent as a BARE MINIMUM. FPS can be improved by turning off shadows and lowering object detail on the game menu.

Rating:
Summary: It's good, but...
Review: ...it is repetative. While the concept is wonderful, the 3D graphics fairly impressive, there are no load times going from area to area, and the skills program is great--the game is repetative.

The entire game is comprised of nothing but fighting your way through a linear map, with occasional towns along the way to sell your stuff. If you are looking for a game that will keep you captivated in its origionality and story-line, this is not the game for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy nothing but combat (a la Diablo), and story line and origionality are less-important, then you may find this game of value.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best action RPG's, better than Diablo II
Review: This game is amazing. Not only does it have some of the most incredible graphics of any current generation PC game, but it also brings a lot of great gameplay innovations. For example, when your characters are injured or need mana and you press the hotkey for health or mana potions, the character(s) only drink as much of a potion as they need, rather than using the whole thing at once and wasting some of it, as in Diablo II. Also, to avoid the mouse-click frenzy that was Diablo II, in this game you simply click on an enemy and you will continue to attack them until they (or you) are dead. The RTS-style interface makes grouping and moving your characters (up to eight, plus a pack mule to carry extra stuff) very easy, and it also allows you to decide what formation they should move in (wedge, row, column, double row, etc.) The difficulty levels are well balanced: the easy difficulty shouldn't pose much trouble, and the higher difficulties provide a suitable challenge. Finally let me warn you ahead of time that this game is just as addictive, if not more so, than Diablo II. So make sure you have plenty of free time ahead of you before delving into Dungeon Siege's awesome single player campaign or one of its two multiplayer worlds, into which you can import one of your single player characters if you so desire. In short, Dungeon Siege is an action/RPG fan's dream come true, and anyone who is into this genre would be nuts to pass this one up.

Rating:
Summary: Great Game, Lots of Fun
Review: This game is a great RPG with lots of fun. It has some better things in it than Diablo 2. In Diablo 2 you only have one player and he/she has only one skill. In Dungeon Siege you get up to 8 players and pick the gender of your character and how he/she looks. On top of that you get to pick what skill you use. Whether you favor sword, bow, battleaxe, or one of the two different types of magic (nature and combat magic), you'll become an expert at the one you use most.

Another thing is it has an exellent story. "From birth, you've toiled in the fields, poor yet proud. But the evil Krugs destroyed it all: your farm, your family, your friends. As something inside you dies, something else awakens-a warrior with a burning need for revenge. As you battle your way through a vast world of mountains, deserts, ice caverns, and dungeons, you'll forge a fearsome party to fight the forces of evil. But beware: as your power increases, so does the intensity of combat." As you fight the Krugs and other monsters and kill the Krug leader, a new evil awakens far away in the Castle Ehb. An evil so powerful and mighty, it could kill the king himself, and rule the world....

Rating:
Summary: A very awesome game!
Review: I had seen this game was made by Chris Taylor who made one of my all-time favorite games (Total Annihilation) and had to have it. And I wasn't dissappointed. To me, this was a combo of Diablo and Icewind Dale as it incorporated alot from each game while be different from both. It was also alot easier to play than Icewind Dale.
And there is alot less management in this game. With the click of a button, your inventory is automatically rearranged so you don't have to try to make room for something else. Also, anything that is on the ground lights up so you know where it is to pick it up. Another nice feature is the potions. You only drink what you need and the rest is left in that bottle until you need it. While on your journey, you meet many new people who want to join you until you reach the max limit of 8. And trust me , you need them. Some of the levels and end bosses are very tough. There are plenty of weapons, armor, and spells to be bought here and plenty of monsters and bandits to kill. And this is a very large world. That is what amazed me the most, just how big this world was. And each new dungeon, town, and forest was very different from the next. The graphics are very good, the gameplay is fast, the sounds were excellent, and the challenge was very good. I believe this game had some of the best landscape views of any game I have ever played. And when you are in the woods hearing the wind blow and the bugs making their noises, you almost feel like you are there. It took me a little over 32 hours of actual gameplay time (not counting having reload when I died) to beat the singl player missions.
I recommend this game for RPG fan and for anyone looking for a well put together and thought out game with excellent action.

Rating:
Summary: Can You Say "Diablo 3D"
Review: This game is a decent clone of the well known Diablo series, to put it bluntly. It may boast 3D graphics and having a full party (instead of controlling one character) but it is lacking in dynamic gameplay. The character development system is reminiscent of Ultima Online, where you gain skills depending on which skills you use the most. However, the problem is that some characters advance WAY faster than others. Also, the game is too easy. Like Diablo, it doesn't take much experience or thought to play, it is fairly mindless. I would say, if you can borrow a friend's copy, go for it...but don't buy.