So, to those who actually play this early on. How is it shaping up? Decent quests? Nice combat scenarios? Sense of discovery? How is the writing? Music any good? Any c&c? Is it, you know, any fun to play? What are its pros and cons so far? Worthy successor to Wasteland and perhaps even Fallout? Enlighten us bastards who are waiting for the whole thing to be released with your thoughts.
I haven't soaked too much time into it, and while there are several things I don't care for (mostly little mechanical quirks that annoy me), I think it's shaping up to be a solid game. The music is pretty Fallout-y, which I guess is... good? Not really my cup of tea, so to speak, but it fits the setting. The whole thing has a seriously huge David Brin feel. (They say the setting is inspired also by A Canticle for Liebowitz, but I don't really see it). The combat scenarios I've encountered have been pretty hit-or-miss, and honestly the game isn't terribly fun, both because of the lack of balance. Skills aren't balanced at all, and neither is loot--which is seriously annoying in a game where you have to manage ammunition. The combat scenarios are really made a lot more interesting with the "side" party members who will often act autonomously, which lends combat some nice unpredictability that you usually don't see in turn-based games.
As for the writing... I've very intentionally kept myself from playing much beyond the early areas. On the micro-level, yes, the writing is good. Characters have strong voices, dialog is interesting (don't have to worry about Kingdoms of Amalur-level dullness here) and well-defined personalities. The setting is pretty well realized through the "flavor" text and all in all it feels perfectly servicable for a "good" or "great" RPG. I would say that the writing feels Fallout-level. But that's the micro-level, and it's the macro-level that ultimately makes or breaks a game. You know: how the whole story comes together. And that we can't know until the game is released.
Personally, I'm still very positive about the game. In terms of pros and cons... The main thing is:
PRO: It's a classic-style isometric TBS-RPG with lite survival elements in the same vein as Fallout 1 that doesn't take itself too seriously.
CON: It's a classic-style isometric TBS-RPG with lite survival elements in the same vein as Fallout 1 that doesn't take itself too seriously.
The only thing I'm worried about is that Wasteland 2 may err in trying to be too much like OTHER games, and by doing so fail to establish a strong identity itself.
