Review ShadowFlare: Episode 2 Review at Australian Game Zone

Tags: Shadowflare

<a href="http://www.agz.com.au">Australian Game Zone</a> have posted a brief <a href="http://www.agz.com.au/Reviews/ShadowFlare_Ep2.htm">review</a> of the second episode in the shareware CRPG, <a href="http://www.shadowflare.us/index.htm">ShadowFlare</a>.
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<blockquote>ShadowFlare: Episode 2 doesn't allow for the creation of a new character, acting as an expansion pack adding new places to go & monsters to fight with the character that you used in episode 1, which makes it feel like a new "campaign" more than anything else.</blockquote>
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Considering the game is meant to follow on, and is simply released as four episodes, this doesn't really surprise me.
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Spotted this at <a href="http://www.rpgdot.com">RPGDot</a>

 

My favorite part:

What fun he must have playing AD&D PnP then.

 

That's probably because resolving combat situations in D&D takes a lot longer than role-playing situations. In a dialog with an NPC, you talk, and maybe roll a couple skill checks. In combat, depending on the level of attention and skill with the rules, the time can vary from ten seconds a round to ten minutes.

 

Still combat in P&P RPG's isn't fun unless you roleplay. "You hit the target for 12 points of damage" isn't really fun

 

You'd have to try Shadowflare to see why this is such an odd statement. There isn't any role playing in it, it's just action.. And that action is really hack and slash. It's more hack and slash than Diablo 2.

 

It depends on what you're into. The guys I DM for are into munchkinism, montying and I've even given them an expanded set of combat rules for locational damage, and spend most of my planning creating interesting battles rather than interesting characters. Most of the RPing comes through in how their characters interact in combat, and reactions to good and bad rolls. There's actually a surprising amount of personality that can be evoked through pure combat.