Review GameSpot also does ToEE

Spazmo · Sep 23, 2003

Tags: Temple of Elemental Evil

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc">Gamespot PC</a> put up their <a href=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/greyhawkthetempleofee/review.html>review</a> of <a href=http://www.greyhawkgame.com>ToEE</a> today. They gave it a score of 7.9 out of 10, noting that although the combat is very deep and extremely well done and the game's graphics are quite excellent, a number of flaws such as a sometimes cumbersome interface keep the game from being truly excellent. The reviewer also mentions that the D&D ruleset can be somewhat daunting, prompting me to tell him to RTFM. Anyways, the reviewer highlights one of the game's particular strengths here:
 
 
<blockquote>Too bad about that, because The Temple of Elemental Evil otherwise looks really great. Using a combination of fully 3D, texture-mapped character models and richly detailed prerendered background art, the game's look really comes alive and makes this one of the most visually impressive computerized Dungeons & Dragons experiences to date. The various monsters in the game feature most all the D&D classics like goblins, gnolls, bugbears, trolls, gelatinous cubes, hill giants, lizardmen, and more, as well as some more-esoteric critters like giant crayfish, giant toads, and others. These are faithfully based on the source fiction, yet they have real character and personality in their lifelike, highly articulated movements. Simply put, the character graphics in The Temple of Elemental Evil really help the game's cause. Even your own party of adventurers looks great, thanks to their realistically rippling capes and robes. Some generous spurts of blood and some impressive spell effects further add to the game's sharp look, though all this can be resource-intensive for slower systems. You'll notice how the game's larger battles noticeably impact your system's ability to render everything that's going on, and you may need to tone down some graphical options to get the game running smoothly.</blockquote>
 
 
Those cloaks are really, really nice folks. There's no way BioWare can compete with cloaks this utterly beautiful.

Vault Dweller · Sep 23, 2003

first-level adventurers and can eventually grow to 10th level, which isn't as high up there as some other recent D&D games have allowed you to get

then The Temple of Elemental Evil will be very difficult or even bewildering as you slog through the character-building process. It would have been great if the game, like Neverwinter Nights, allowed you to automatically choose "recommended" features

The Temple of Elemental Evil may not be as epic as some other D&D role-playing games, but it does a fine job of capturing the spirit of Dungeons & Dragons.

What' with all the BG and NWN references? Especially retarded references like epic :roll:

story, uber-level characters, and recommended features? What kinda moron wouldn't be able to figure out that fireball (GS' example) is a ball of fucking fire and should be pointed away from the party when cast? Seriously though, a newbie may not be able to build a spiked chain specialist and use him efficiently, but there are plenty of feats with attractive names like combat reflexes, dodge, weapon focus, specialization, improved stuff; that's easy to understand and even easier to use. Yet another reason to hate Bioware for moronizing general population: temple of elemental evil, huh, can i be level 50? Why can't the game make all tough decisions for me? So, who's my father? No really? Well, I gotta be somebody's child, right? What do you mean I'm just a guy? What kinda game is that? :shock: :lol:

Ibbz · Sep 23, 2003

What' with all the BG and NWN references? Especially retarded references like epic story, uber-level characters, and recommended features? What kinda moron wouldn't be able to figure out that fireball (GS' example) is a ball of fucking fire and should be pointed away from the party when cast? Seriously though, a newbie may not be able to build a spiked chain specialist and use him efficiently, but there are plenty of feats with attractive names like combat reflexes, dodge, weapon focus, specialization, improved stuff; that's easy to understand and even easier to use. Yet another reason to hate Bioware for moronizing general population: temple of elemental evil, huh, can i be level 50? Why can't the game make all tough decisions for me? So, who's my father? No really? Well, I gotta be somebody's child, right? What do you mean I'm just a guy? What kinda game is that?

Despite what you may think, not every one who will play ToEE will be a hardcore RPG'er thus they may not have much of an idea of what to choose and what not to.

As for the BG/NWN references, what else do you expect them to reference to? They're the other options avaible for D&D people to buy so its hardly surprising that they mentioned them. Its odd you mention that Bioware is "moronizing" the population when all of those feats except for combat relfexes were included in NWN.

Major_Blackhart · Sep 23, 2003

I think he's talking about the idea of the option of you choosing the "recommended" stat feat thingy on NWN (dunno never played it before). Anywho, Im really a layman when it comes to D&D games in general. I didn't even know what 1d10 meant before I played TOEE (still not sure :wink: ) but I all in all didnt find the game very difficult at all to start off. I just kept rerolling till I got stats I could live with (high teens in the important stuff). The only thing I had a hard time with was choosing which feats to get, but thank god I got the manual. Im just sayin that its not as hard as the reviewer thinks it is, just requires some research and experimentation, and hell, everyone I know back home who plays rpg's goes through the manual once before playin the game.

methusala · Sep 23, 2003

That does it for me.If the flowing cloaks are that good,I must have this game.After all,whats a great rpg without great looking flowing robes.Forget the bugs folks,The cloaks flow!

Rayt · Sep 23, 2003

But the cloaks are all light blue. That's not a colour for a necromancer.

Anyway, according to the local gameshop, the game is going to be released on october the second here in Holland. So only 10 more days to wait!

Vault Dweller · Sep 23, 2003

Ibbz said:
Despite what you may think, not every one who will play ToEE will be a hardcore RPG'er thus they may not have much of an idea of what to choose and what not to.

Common, suppose it's not DnD, but some other system. It will take time to figure out how everything works, but you would be able to play without any problems. Like I said there are plenty of feats that have self-describing names like dodge, combat reflexes, spell/weapon focus, etc. A person may not know exactly what they do, but they sound like something that would be helpful to take. The manual explains feats well too, btw, so I really don't see what the problem is.

As for the BG/NWN references, what else do you expect them to reference to? They're the other options avaible for D&D people to buy so its hardly surprising that they mentioned them.

If they have to compare, I'd expect them to compare gameplay and features, not things like epic and levels which was done in a manner "not as cool as other kewl DnD games", imo.

Its odd you mention that Bioware is "moronizing" the population when all of those feats except for combat relfexes were included in NWN.

What are you talking about? I meant that BW moronize population because after their games everybody wants an epic games with uber levels that recommends you stuff because god forbid people look in a manual.

Volourn · Sep 23, 2003

NWN didn't have uber or even epci levels. Geez... It did have an epic storyline though -w ehtehr you liked it or not. Meanwhile, TOEE has no coherent storyline at all.

Vault Dweller · Sep 23, 2003

I was talking about NWN and BG series. NWN expansions did introduce somewhat unbalanced and uber powerful prestige classes BW-style for no other reason then kewlness.

Volourn · Sep 23, 2003

Heh. "Somewhat overpwoered". Cute. The complaints I have ehard from people who have actually used the prestige classes in game; complain that they are underpowered. As for me, I haven't even tried them as they just haven't fit my characters and ebcause they unimpressive. However, the second expansion does sound like ti will have uber prestige classes; not to mention epci lebvels.

Then again,w e'll be seeing both PrC and epic level for the TOEE games if they come out which at this time I'm not sure if I even want them to.

Major_Blackhart · Sep 23, 2003

Did you hat TOEE that much? I thought it was really done well considering the amount of time they had to complete the project, and they focused in a couple of areas very well. Even tho dialog aint that great, I thought I heard all you guys sayin that the Greyhawk series stuff never had much for story anyway

Volourn · Sep 23, 2003

There are good things I like about TOEE. Combat is the main thing when it works. ie. Your characters don't lose their turns for absolutely no reason, monsters will actually fight instead of standing around like brick walls. You get the drift.

It's hard to enjoy a game that is basically unplayable.

Absolutely disgusting. I can't beleive actually thought that inspite of its lacklustre story; I felt that this game would be better than the NWN OC. In fact, where I stand right now, its story is one of its better points.

protobob · Sep 23, 2003

Volourn,

I don't have a problem with my characters loosing turns or enemies not responding, combat works well. I'm not saying that it's not happening to you. I'm just trying to explain why some people are enjoying the game and don't relate to your strong negativity.

I'm not saying the game is bug free, or doesn't have it's annoying bits, though. I've definelty seen some wacky stuff. I've managed to still have a great time with it.

I know you are pissed off though, considereing your posts here and on the atari forums today filled with constant ranting and accusations at the developers. I was convinced for a while that someone had hacked your account on the Atari forums, your posts were so rabid and typo-ridden.

Bleh, even with all the bugs in ToEE I think it's a much more enjoyable game (and a better implementation of D&D rules) than single player NWN ever was for me, and I've never been a huge NWN hater (hell I ran a campaign with it for half a year).

Anyway I hope once some patches get released and you cool down you will be able to enjoy the game.

Volourn · Sep 23, 2003

Hey, if you look at my posts from last week, you'd have noticed that outside of story and role-playing complaints which I alwasy knew woulkd be lacking immensely; I was enjoying TOEE immensely. TOEE is a good game. With a patch to fix the bugs (espicially the big one),; it would be a very good game. A few twinks to the interface, and some other stuff (identify for example) and this game would become the sophistcated IWD that I thought it would be.

Like I'v esaid before, I actually believed this game would be better than NWN OC. In some ways it is; and others it isn't. TOEE has much more tatcial combat which makes it fun; but game play outside of combat just isn't there. And, the fatc it's so full of bugs (espicially for me) knocks it on quality (for me) again.

My posts are always typo ridden. I don't proofread them, and type way faster than I should.

I am dissapointed more in the fact that some think I'm a Troika hater when I'm not. I loved Arcanum including the much aligned combat, and was looking forward to TOEE so to say I am a Troika hater is so not true. It's the fanboys who think the game is perfect, or I am somehow delusional as far as the bugs are concerned. Oh well... Hoepfully, the bugs will patched.

I'm glad you ar eenjoying the game. I did as well for the first 30 hours or so. The funny thing is depsite the bugs I have reached 9thj level because I'm so anal to reload the game every single time it crashes. Sometimes, i am more stubborn than I should be.

*sigh*

Voss · Sep 24, 2003

Volourn said:
There are good things I like about TOEE. Combat is the main thing when it works. ie. Your characters don't lose their turns for absolutely no reason, monsters will actually fight instead of standing around like brick walls. You get the drift.

It's hard to enjoy a game that is basically unplayable.

Absolutely disgusting. I can't beleive actually thought that inspite of its lacklustre story; I felt that this game would be better than the NWN OC. In fact, where I stand right now, its story is one of its better points.

Eh?

I don't know if I'm just lucky or you're horribly unlucky, but I've yet to see characters lose turns or monsters stand around and do nothing. Not once. And I've played at least 20-30 hours.

The only real 'bugs' I've seen are the mona quest and some item creation things that aren't working properly (usually missing prereqs or something similar)

And Rayt, all light blue? I've seen white, black, red and the flaming eye cloaks (which are mostly black.

Volourn · Sep 24, 2003

I also played 20-30 with no substantial problems. After that is where things wrong. Like I said, the bugs that actuallly effect combat happen very rarely.

Saint_Proverbius · Sep 24, 2003

Volourn said:
There are good things I like about TOEE. Combat is the main thing when it works. ie. Your characters don't lose their turns for absolutely no reason, monsters will actually fight instead of standing around like brick walls. You get the drift.

I've never lost a turn, but I have seen monsters stand around and get killed by summoned creatures as long as your actual party is way out of sight. Of course, every time I try to reproduce that, it never works.

One thing that does gripe the hell out of me though. Ever been "in combat", but the monsters are perfectly happy staying where they are, as in they won't come and get you, and you're not going to move either.. But you can never leave that map or end combat! I mean, if there's no line of sight, and there's no intention on the monsters' part to move and get you.. Combat would basically be OVER, wouldn't it?