7 Mages - turn-based blobber where you play a party of mages

[Reapa]

you can't split shit. as soon as a character that's farther away from the troll than directly in front of him gets his turn the troll jumps from the bridge and the fight is over.

This shouldn't happen.

he also seems to regenerate to full health every time he jumps back up or back down

The devs on steam forum claim he's not healing.
As for strategies, there are two options:
1. Dog as a tank.

Spoiler

Buy an Armor spell and the best armor you can afford. Cast armor on Dog before starting the fight - this should last him a lot longer than 2 strikes. This tactics requires moving your main chat behind, though. Or, if you can afford it, try to armor both you chars to the max.

2. Dog as DPS.

Spoiler

Buy him two one-handed weapons and have him double-wield it. If you use multiple slashes for both weapons, he can do 4 strikes in one turn. Once again, if you have the money and meet the stat requirements, you can do this for both chars also.

As for what I did,

Spoiler

I did the slaver ship first. Although an average half-giant is arguably as strong as the troll, you have the opportunity to snipe them from afar and generally use the level topology to your advantage. And when Dog levels up and gets 2 moves it gets much easier.

they also claim he shouldn't jump back off the bridge...
i just used 2 healing potions and spammed fireballs with both mages.

 

[V_K]

they also claim he shouldn't jump back off the bridge...

I just checked it out, and as long as Dog is alive the troll doesn't go anywhere. Proof:

Spoiler

Looks like you caught some sort of bug.

 

[V_K]

TLDR: So far I'm having a ton of fun, it might well turn out even better than LoG2, nevermind MMX.

I kind of distrust the opinion of someone who didn't like MMX and prefers a RT combat title.

I wouldn't talk about distrust. But it's kindda unfair to compare MMX and LoG2 and say level design and puzzles in MMX were weak. LoG2 is explicitly a traditional puzzle dungeon crawl while MMX is a full-blown RPG with quests, NPCs, dialogues, story, much more advanced character development, itemization and much better combat. It's fine to prefer one genre to the other but you can't really say one game is better than the other.

Anyway thanks for the write up V_K.

I wouldn't call MMX character system much more advanced. Actually, in my opinion LoG2 has a bit more depth to it in that department too. I also prefer LoG2's small number of hand-placed items to MMX's large piles of procedurally generated stuff, but that's a matter of personal taste, I guess.

 

[cvv]

I wouldn't call MMX character system much more advanced. Actually, in my opinion LoG2 has a bit more depth to it in that department too.

Oh c'mon

 

[V_K]

I wouldn't call MMX character system much more advanced. Actually, in my opinion LoG2 has a bit more depth to it in that department too.

Oh c'mon

What?
In MMX classes are restricted by race and in turn restrict skill development. This puts a limit on what you can do with a build, while at the same time not providing enough distinct flavour to different builds.
In Grimrock 2 classes are not restricted by race, instead both race and class have some unique mechanics (e.g. reagent growing or casting spells without a staff). It gives you more flexibility, while at the same time ensuring that your characers play very differently from each other.
[/offtopic]

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Do enemies respawn or can you completely clear out areas like in M&M?

 

[V_K]

There are no respawns, at least in the areas I visited. On one level you can summon more enemies if you want to with a special item, maybe some further ones feature similar mechanics too.

 

[Riskbreaker]

There are no respawns, at least in the areas I visited.

Actually, seems like those frozen giants fully respawn each time player visits the Ice Walls area. I grinded a bit there since I wanted to ramp up that swamp lady's speed to 30 before going back to Dragon's Belly area.

 

[V_K]

Actually, seems like those frozen giants fully respawn each time player visits the Ice Walls area.

Good to know. It actually makes sense, given their function.
Edit: Also, they don't really count as monster respawns since they don't attack you on their own.

I grinded a bit there since I wanted to ramp up that swamp lady's speed to 30 before going back to Dragon's Belly area.

Aren't Seabed or Ship better places to do that? I started the Belly for a bit, but it seems water is more forgiving than fire. :D

 

[V_K]

I'll copy my steam review here. In some parts it duplicates some of my posts here, but there's a couple of new bits, particularly about combat:

7 Mages is a very old-school turn-based dungeon crawler with some innovative mechanics thrown in. There hasn't been a game quite like this in many years - since Wizardry 8 or maybe even David Bradley's last masterpiece Wizards&Warriors. And the good news is that 7 Mages lives up to its pedigree, featuring great level design with creative puzzles and interesting combat encounters. Despite being a mobile port the games is perfectly playable on PC even in its current state, and doesn't require too much tweaking to make it feel like a native PC title.

Some assorted impressions (about 1/3 to 1/2 way into the game):
- Even though it's been optimized for mobiles, the game is beautiful - the art direction is top notch and each location feels very unique and atmospheric. It's already miles ahead of Might&Magic X in that department, and with all the graphical enhancements the PC version will eventually get it will rival Legend of Grimrock 2, and maybe even surpass it.
- The perspective doesn't change in combat, but in structure the game is closer to Goldbox games or Realms of Arkania than pure first-person RPGs like Wizardry. In combat each character is a separate entity, with their own action points pool and initiative rating. You can split the party out of combat too, and sometimes have to do so to solve certain puzzles.
- Speaking of puzzles, 7 Mages is extremely puzzle-heavy. If you hate puzzles in RPGs, this isn't the game for you. In its puzzle density it's close to Legend of Grimrock, but the approach to puzzle design is very different. Unlike Grimrock, where every puzzle is built from the same building blocks, in 7 Mages each dungeon features its own set of unique puzzle mechanics, and many of them are inventory-based like in Adventure games.
- Level design also influences combat mechanics: in one dungeon you can't wear armor, in another one you can't rest and have to keep your characters grouped together, yet another starts your party scattered around the levels etc. Enemies are also fairly varied and able to stun or poison you, summon help or avoid ranged attacks etc. My only gripe with combat is that each dungeon only features two enemy types.
- The game is very old-school in that there is no hand-holding. Don't expect quest compasses or NPCs helpfully giving out directions and puzzle hints. The game is also not afraid to let you screw up in various ways. Got locked in a dungeon level with no food? Well, tough luck, unlike Grimrock you don't find it lying around in the dungeon.
- You generally don't find a lot of things lying around in dungeons, most of loot comes from enemies and it's mostly only good for selling in the town. But you can't carry out too much, the inventory is extremely limited. Initially you only get a handful of slots, ater you can buy bags and chests that expand that space. Moreover, potions and food don't stack, and you always need space for quest items.
- The in-game economy works quite well: even if your characters have good Charisma, the prices for good items are quite high and you never run out of money sinks.
- Character system isn't terribly detailed, this isn't Wizardry. There are no races or classes, you get four main stats (improved on level-ups) and skills for each weapon type/magic school/musical instrument (improved with use). On the other hand, there is quite a bit of depth behind this simplicity. There are no dump stats and almost all kinds of builds could work if you know what you're doing. If you don't, however, it's quite easy to make your character severely underpowered.
- The game world is quite open, you can visit many areas right off the bat - provided you can survive them. There don't seem to be any sidequests, but the main quest is quite non-linear.
- The starting town is fairly large but most of the buildings and NPCs are just props, you can't enter/talk to them. Most of the dialogs boil down to clicking the only availible options, when there are more it usually involves some sort of service (training etc) - but, well, it's a dungeon crawler, they aren't exactly known for deep dialogs. Some options are locked behind Charisma checks, others require having a certain character in your party.
- The dialog part brings out my main gripe with the game: the English translation is terrible, I do hope it gets redone for the final PC release. As is Russian one, but Russian game writing is always terrible, so there's no surprise in that. German one seems to fine however.

Bottom line: if you liked Grimrock titles, or older dungeon crawlers like Wizardry 6-8, or RPG/Adventure hybrids like Quest for Glory series, chances are you'll love 7 Mages. If you think that the main purpose of an RPG is to tell a story, you should stick to Bioware titles and JRPGs.

 

[vonAchdorf]

Interesting review, thanks. Unfortunately, I don't really like puzzles that much, so I guess I'll pass until a RPG draught comes.

 

[Reapa]

Actually, seems like those frozen giants fully respawn each time player visits the Ice Walls area.

Good to know. It actually makes sense, given their function.
Edit: Also, they don't really count as monster respawns since they don't attack you on their own.

I grinded a bit there since I wanted to ramp up that swamp lady's speed to 30 before going back to Dragon's Belly area.

Aren't Seabed or Ship better places to do that? I started the Belly for a bit, but it seems water is more forgiving than fire. :D

so, how did you get past the fucking jellyfish? what the fuck am i supposed to do with the glowing ball? what does it mean to serve it like fucking canapes???

 

[V_K]

so, how did you get past the fucking jellyfish? what the fuck am i supposed to do with the glowing ball? what does it mean to serve it like fucking canapes???

This one is actually in the trailer.

Spoiler

There are rock "pins" in certain places - like e.g. at the center of the room in front the northern entrance. You just put balls on them, and the jellyfish floats towards the bait, unblocking the passages.
Can't give you a screenshot since all of my saves are from later, sorry.

 

[V_K]

In other news, I'm thoroughly stuck. The level that takes you from the first part of the game to the second is a two-level labirynth full of teleporters that have multiple destinations depending on changes in the environment, plus some one-way passages. That's some Uukrul-level evilness right there.

 

[Reapa]

so, how did you get past the fucking jellyfish? what the fuck am i supposed to do with the glowing ball? what does it mean to serve it like fucking canapes???

This one is actually in the trailer.

Spoiler

There are rock "pins" in certain places - like e.g. at the center of the room in front the northern entrance. You just put balls on them, and the jellyfish floats towards the bait, unblocking the passages.
Can't give you a screenshot since all of my saves are from later, sorry.

don't need one, i wondered what those things were supposed to be/do but didn't make the connection.

 

[Reapa]

In other news, I'm thoroughly stuck. The level that takes you from the first part of the game to the second is a two-level labirynth full of teleporters that have multiple destinations depending on changes in the environment, plus some one-way passages. That's some Uukrul-level evilness right there.

Tell me more about the environment changes. All i could figure out so far was changing river direction.

 

[V_K]

Tell me more about the environment changes. All i could figure out so far was changing river direction.

Spoiler

Yep, that's what I'm talking about. Changing the current also changes the destination of one (or more?) of the teleporters, but you can never tell which one.

 

[Reapa]

Tell me more about the environment changes. All i could figure out so far was changing river direction.

Spoiler

Yep, that's what I'm talking about. Changing the current also changes the destination of one (or more?) of the teleporters, but you can never tell which one.

so, any progress as to how we're supposed to make it through the labyrinth with some sanity left?

 

[V_K]

I asked on the steam forums for help and got this: http://steamcommunity.com/app/446590/discussions/0/392183857635090599/
Haven't tried it yet though. The map doesn't show which currents affect which teleporters, so might take a bit trial and error still.

 

[Reapa]

I asked on the steam forums for help and got this: http://steamcommunity.com/app/446590/discussions/0/392183857635090599/
Haven't tried it yet though. The map doesn't show which currents affect which teleporters, so might take a bit trial and error still.

thx

 

[Reapa]

The fucking exit is fucking missing from the fucking pic. Unless my game is bugged, teleporter 9 and 10 don't have more than 1 exit and it's in the fucking labyrinth. There is no 9** and 10**. I've tried changing the flow of the water passing through them every fucking way. Also i kinda expect the labyrinth exit to look like the entrance and there is no such exit marked in the pic. Fucking steam fucking idiots pretending to know shit while actually just shitposting.

 

[V_K]

've tried changing the flow of the water passing through them every fucking way.

Spoiler

That's your mistake - the currents that affect the teleporters don't necessarily flow through them. If this was the case, it would be much easier. To get to the first exit (10**) I had to change the flow of the central fountain (the one with 4 currents). Teleporter 9 is affected by the cursed spring - it reverts to original current after a few turns. You need to get your party back first to do it.

 

[Reapa]

've tried changing the flow of the water passing through them every fucking way.

Spoiler

That's your mistake - the currents that affect the teleporters don't necessarily flow through them. If this was the case, it would be much easier. To get to the first exit (10**) I had to change the flow of the central fountain (the one with 4 currents). Teleporter 9 is affected by the cursed spring - it reverts to original current after a few turns. You need to get your party back first to do it.

the guy could have said that instead of pretending everything you needed to move on had been marked.

 

[Reapa]

've tried changing the flow of the water passing through them every fucking way.

Spoiler

That's your mistake - the currents that affect the teleporters don't necessarily flow through them. If this was the case, it would be much easier. To get to the first exit (10**) I had to change the flow of the central fountain (the one with 4 currents). Teleporter 9 is affected by the cursed spring - it reverts to original current after a few turns. You need to get your party back first to do it.

I hate the idiotic puzzels in this game. Now i'm stuck at some stupid dragon that blocks my path and kills my whole party if i get closer. I can't attack it. I can't use invisibility to sneak by. The hint spell doesn't say anything. What kind of moron makes such puzzels?

 

[V_K]

I hate the idiotic puzzels in this game. Now i'm stuck at some stupid dragon that blocks my path and kills my whole party if i get closer. I can't attack it. I can't use invisibility to sneak by. The hint spell doesn't say anything. What kind of moron makes such puzzels?

Have you already been to the city of bones and defended the village? If not, it might just be too early for that route. In case you didn't find the city of bones, it's

Spoiler

behind the second exit of labyrinth.