Review GameBanshee Reviews Avadon 2: The Corruption

[ghostdog]

Well, RPGWatch doesn't agree with you. According to them Avadon 2 is a shining example of a game that will completely absorb your entire being for the many hours you spend playing it.

As someone who enjoys video games, specifically RPGs, to the point of wanting to review them, it makes for an interesting task. Sometimes, games come along that don't really grab you, yet you have to continue playing them in order to finish the review. Sometimes a game comes along that, when you play it, the hours seem to melt away and the review writes itself. Then, there are the rare game that drops into your lap every once in awhile that are so good, they capture your imagination from the beginning and remind you why you loved gaming in the first place. Avadon 2: The Corruption, the newest offering from veteran indie-RPG developers, Spiderweb Software, is a shining example of a game that will completely absorb your entire being for the many hours you spend playing it. Let's take a more in-depth look at what the game has to offer.

Old-school RPGs. Aren't they great? What's even better is a modern take on the old-school RPG, which is what we get with Avadon 2. There is an old formula being applied here, something tried and true, but the game doesn't feel old. In fact, it feels like a fresh, exciting adventure that draws heavily from classic games, but at the same time blazes a trail for future games and creates a world that you will want to explore time and time again.

Avadon 2: The Corruption gets my highest recommendation - a 5 out of 5 rating. The negatives were minor and the positives were many. Do yourself a favor and pick it up now and support this great effort to bring us a quality RPG.

Pros

* Well-written dialog makes the world come alive
* A charming universe to explore
* Tons of exploration and character customization

Cons

* NPCs can be hard to find on large maps
* Navigation can be a little tricky
* Some down-time walking between locations

 

[Infinitron]

That should be a new Codex meme.

 

[ghostdog]

Old-school RPGs. Aren't they great?

 

[Correct_Carlo]

I do suspect that Codex would have a higher view of Avadon if anyone other than Vogel had made it. I mean, it's way better than the Eschalons anyway (not that the Eschalons are well loved around these parts or anything, but they don't get half the hate Avadon does).

 

[sea]

Well, RPGWatch doesn't agree with you. According to them Avadon 2 is a shining example of a game that will completely absorb your entire being for the many hours you spend playing it.

 

[Zeriel]

I love (not being ironic, I actually do) reviews where the cons read like the reviewer saying: "I think this product is distilled perfection, but I'm going to make up trivial nuisances to convince you I'm being objective."

 

[Zed]

It's the same dude who reviewed Arkania HD for the Watch.
It's like a teenage Geoff Keighley getting his first whiff of Doritos. Everything is fucking fantastic and you should buy it, for sure! Five-outta-five!

 

[Zeriel]

Maybe he's looking to get hired by some website who will actually pay him to prostitute himself for a living. Why else would someone write such nonsense for free?

 

[V_K]

Well, it makes sense - if he gave the mess RoA HD was a 3/5, then compared to that Avadon is certainly a 5/5. Though to be of any use that scale should go all the way up to 100/5.

 

[HiddenX]

I'm playing Avadon 2, too. I don't use a Tinkermage and play on the hard difficulty setting. The game can be pretty challenging at times, even for a Spiderweb veteran like me.
The game is better than Avadon 1, but not on the level of the original Exile triology IMHO.
A solid 4/5 in my book.

 

[m_s0]

Well, it makes sense - if he gave the mess RoA HD was a 3/5, then compared to that Avadon is certainly a 5/5. Though to be of any use that scale should go all the way up to 100/5.

I'm playing Avadon 2, too. I don't use a Tinkermage and play on the hard difficulty setting. The game can be pretty challenging at times, even for a Spiderweb veteran like me.
The game is better than Avadon 1, but not on the level of the original Exile triology IMHO.
A solid 4/5 in my book.

 

[HiddenX]

The Importance of Being Earnest

Review at www.dealspwn.com - I agree mostly with this review.

 

[Luzur]

wait, what? romance? in my Vogel game?

also, i kinda like his games, sure i dont hold his entire portfolio as high as Might and Magic, SSI RPG's or Ultima, but they are good enough to start up on a rainy sunday.

 

[Correct_Carlo]

wait, what? romance? in my Vogel game?

I will admit that the romance does suck. I think it was added for drama or to make you more conflicted since the person you romance is a rebel, but it doesn't really work well at all as she's barely in the game and basically only shows up to demand that you risk your life for shit she wants. So this just made me hate her. The whole thing is so underdeveloped that it kind of makes me wonder why he bothered adding it at all.

But in its defense, it's also really easy to miss. You have to pick very specific responses over the whole course of the game for it to go anywhere. And depending on your choices earlier, the possibility of romance with that character will shut itself out to you fairly quickly.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

wait, what? romance? in my Vogel game?

I will admit that the romance does suck. I think it was added for drama or to make you more conflicted since the person you romance is a rebel, but it doesn't really work well at all as she's barely in the game and basically only shows up to demand that you risk your life for shit she wants. So this just made me hate her. The whole thing is so underdeveloped that it kind of makes me wonder why he bothered adding it at all.

But in its defense, it's also really easy to miss. You have to pick very specific responses over the whole course of the game for it to go anywhere. And depending on your choices earlier, the possibility of romance with that character will shut itself out to you fairly quickly.

Can We atkeast kill the romance interest?

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

Thanks for the kind words everyone! Glad to know you guys are fans of my work and pay attention to everything I write on RPGWatch! Appreciate all of you fine people reading my reviews! Take care!

 

[Johannes]

Thanks for the kind words everyone! Glad to know you guys are fans of my work and pay attention to everything I write on RPGWatch! Appreciate all of you fine people reading my reviews! Take care!

Go fuck your mother

 

[Zeriel]

The Importance of Being Earnest

Review at www.dealspwn.com - I agree mostly with this review.

Why would old school RPG fans have a blast? Avadon is Bioware done poorly, with one millionth of the budget. It's the exact antithesis of old school, unless you were born in the year 2000.

 

[Monty]

Thanks for the kind words everyone! Glad to know you guys are fans of my work and pay attention to everything I write on RPGWatch! Appreciate all of you fine people reading my reviews! Take care!

A passive-aggressive response from the Watch? That's the last thing I expected.

Anyway, not a bad effort - I give it a solid 3 out of 5.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

After reading the critical review at the watch, I decided to give the demo a try.
And I agree with them somewhat.

This piece of shit is less of a shovelware than DA2.

 

[HiddenX]

The Importance of Being Earnest

Review at www.dealspwn.com - I agree mostly with this review.

Why would old school RPG fans have a blast? Avadon is Bioware done poorly, with one millionth of the budget. It's the exact antithesis of old school, unless you were born in the year 2000.

Avadon 2 has turn based combat -> No Bioware game features turn based combat.
Unfortunately turn based combat is nowadays labeled as oldschool.

Spiderweb games are telling great stories since 1994 (Exile I). Bioware exists since 1996. Who's copying who?

 

[Vicar]

Avadon 2 has turn based combat -> No Bioware game features turn based combat.
Unfortunately turn based combat is nowadays labeled as oldschool.

Spiderweb games are telling great stories since 1994 (Exile I). Bioware exists since 1996. Who's copying who?

Point is the previous spiderweb games were NOT like Bioware games, but Avadon IS. There is a change.
Saying that spiderweb games exist before Bioware is...irrelevant? You have some weird logic

 

[HiddenX]

Avadon 2 has turn based combat -> No Bioware game features turn based combat.
Unfortunately turn based combat is nowadays labeled as oldschool.

Spiderweb games are telling great stories since 1994 (Exile I). Bioware exists since 1996. Who's copying who?

Point is the previous spiderweb games were NOT like Bioware games, but Avadon IS. There is a change.
Saying that spiderweb games exist before Bioware is...irrelevant? You have some weird logic

So the fact that you can talk with your party members and do some missions with/for them makes a game a Bioware game?
Avadon has much more in common with Geneforge, Avernum and Fallout than with recent Bioware titles.

 

[Infinitron]

You're so Watchy, HiddenX.

http://casualconnect.org/lectures/design/avadon-a-case-study-in-storytelling-jeff-vogel/

Dragon Age is the gold standard in storytelling.

 

[HiddenX]

He loves Dragon Age storytelling, so what?

Avadon is still much closer related to Geneforge than to Dragon Age. I'm speaking of all game mechanics and elements not only story.

You are so Codexian