Shattered Light With Book

Rating:
Summary: A good idea
Review: But, frankly, it doesn't work. The editor feature, which was the main attraction for me, is awkward and severely flawed in implementation. The developing company is now out of business, so don't look for any support. For more fun (and for the same amount of time), take the money this game would cost, drop it in the toilet, flush and cheer as it goes its merry way.

Rating:
Summary: Lackluster RPG with an all-too-clunky worldbuilder
Review: For RPG gamers interested in the likes of "Baldur's Gate," this RPG will sorely disappoint you -- in game play and in the pocketbook. The AD&D style of levels (essentially adopted by the RPG industry as a standard) and experience are not the same in "Shattered Light," and this can confuse the average RPG player.

Character generation is not initially random, and can only be altered in "upgrading" your character once experience and quests have been fulfilled in the continuity of the story. And therein lies the rub.

The storyline of "Shattered Light" is, well, shattered by its dullness. Interactive conversation with NPCs is not possible -- it's relatively one sided: They talk, you listen, no follow up questions. Similarly, the one major goal or plotline (which we are all assuming this game has) is overshadowed by the game's unexciting (boring? dull?) quests. These quests give you both treasure and experience, but not in the same way as your average AD&D or Might & Magic player character would. And, this is only complicated by the rediculous interface, and "death" of your character.

The interface is difficult to manage, especially if one wants to cast spells or retrieve an item from the character inventory -- a nearly impossible task during combat. Maneuvering your character can likewise prove difficult. And, as much as you might want to save the game right where you left off, that possibility is, well, out of the question. Your character never dies, per se, but gets sucked back through time and space to the start screen, where you'll have to (in essence), well, start over. After a few dozen of these, the average RPG gamers may well start pulling their hair out.

If the game itself isn't exciting, then the map making software included in the box must have some redeeming qualities, right? Not really. For the savvy dungeon-builder, the software will seem like a piece of early 1980s schlock resurrected in a Windows-style format. You can build in three dimensions, true, and can create some awesome scenes. But in truth, the interface here is clunky and difficult to work with. The world builder must have its own story and quests and NPCs (you can't alter the monsters or beginning character types, except to delete them), which takes a LOT of planning and forethought. You can change the monster and character ability levels and scores, but even these make little sense once your new story line is made. There is a patch from the web that improves the map maker (full screen view!), but had bugs, which I doubt have been fixed. Though I've tried using the updated world building interface several times, the time spent saving, resaving, and working the many kinks and quirks out was unfortunately pointless, as the game (even after all that work) was still essentially the same quest-giver/quest-receiver, dull NPC interfaced game that, quite frankly, was a waste of time and money.

Oh, and did we mention that CatWare.Com doesn't exist anymore?

Save your money, save your time, save your sanity. Buy something else at Amazon.com!

Rating:
Summary: Lackluster RPG with an all-too-clunky worldbuilder
Review: For RPG gamers interested in the likes of "Baldur's Gate," this RPG will sorely disappoint you -- in game play and in the pocketbook. The AD&D style of levels (essentially adopted by the RPG industry as a standard) and experience are not the same in "Shattered Light," and this can confuse the average RPG player.

Character generation is not initially random, and can only be altered in "upgrading" your character once experience and quests have been fulfilled in the continuity of the story. And therein lies the rub.

The storyline of "Shattered Light" is, well, shattered by its dullness. Interactive conversation with NPCs is not possible -- it's relatively one sided: They talk, you listen, no follow up questions. Similarly, the one major goal or plotline (which we are all assuming this game has) is overshadowed by the game's unexciting (boring? dull?) quests. These quests give you both treasure and experience, but not in the same way as your average AD&D or Might & Magic player character would. And, this is only complicated by the rediculous interface, and "death" of your character.

The interface is difficult to manage, especially if one wants to cast spells or retrieve an item from the character inventory -- a nearly impossible task during combat. Maneuvering your character can likewise prove difficult. And, as much as you might want to save the game right where you left off, that possibility is, well, out of the question. Your character never dies, per se, but gets sucked back through time and space to the start screen, where you'll have to (in essence), well, start over. After a few dozen of these, the average RPG gamers may well start pulling their hair out.

If the game itself isn't exciting, then the map making software included in the box must have some redeeming qualities, right? Not really. For the savvy dungeon-builder, the software will seem like a piece of early 1980s schlock resurrected in a Windows-style format. You can build in three dimensions, true, and can create some awesome scenes. But in truth, the interface here is clunky and difficult to work with. The world builder must have its own story and quests and NPCs (you can't alter the monsters or beginning character types, except to delete them), which takes a LOT of planning and forethought. You can change the monster and character ability levels and scores, but even these make little sense once your new story line is made. There is a patch from the web that improves the map maker (full screen view!), but had bugs, which I doubt have been fixed. Though I've tried using the updated world building interface several times, the time spent saving, resaving, and working the many kinks and quirks out was unfortunately pointless, as the game (even after all that work) was still essentially the same quest-giver/quest-receiver, dull NPC interfaced game that, quite frankly, was a waste of time and money.

Oh, and did we mention that CatWare.Com doesn't exist anymore?

Save your money, save your time, save your sanity. Buy something else at Amazon.com!

Rating:
Summary: Solid RPG with a lot of potential.
Review: Great Game..

Rating:
Summary: Solid RPG with a lot of potential.
Review: Make you own worlds, create your own quests, Control and run your own RPG online server, what more can you ask for? Nice quality graphics, sound effects, and music. Easy to setup and play alone, or as an online Multi-Player RPG. Great investment for any RPG fan...

Rating:
Summary: Solid RPG with a lot of potential.
Review: Make you own worlds, create your own quests, Control and run your own RPG online server, what more can you ask for? Nice quality graphics, sound effects, and music. Easy to setup and play alone, or as an online Multi-Player RPG. Great investment for any RPG fan...