Review Legends of Aranna tingles GameBanshee

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna

<A href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/">GameBanshee</a>'s posted <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/reviews/software/legendsofaranna2.php">their review</a> of <A href="http://www.microsoft.com/games/dungeonsiegeloa/">Legends of Aranna</a>. They seem to have liked it, but said it didn't have much hang time for most players. Here's a bit:
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<blockquote>This brings me to my next point; I was pleasantly surprised to find that the combat was more than just a non-stop clickfest! As I had not played the original Dungeon Siege at its release, I was expecting to find such a combat scenario in the same tradition as the Diablo games. After a couple minutes of clicking madly on an enemy, I stopped a moment, only to see my PC smart enough to continue to attack without my supervision. Also, the combat animations, along with the rest of the graphics, are very well done. There is enough variety in attack motions, with several different weapons, that it isn't the same static attack each time. We're getting somewhere now. With the way combat looked, I was looking forward to the magic casting system. While not horrible, the spell affects did leave me somewhat upset. I was expecting a higher polygon count, or at least a little more flashy then what was given, but in the time given to review this game I wasn't able to tinker with the more 'explosive' spells. That?s not to say the spell effects I saw were bad, they were just a little basic when compared to other RPG titles. </blockquote>
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Interesting. <i>Not having to do anything</i> would make me unpleasantly bored over <i>having to do something</i>, and I don't think flashy spell effects would make up for that.
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Spotted this at <A href="http://www.shacknews.com">Shacknews</a>.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Heh. The one thing I hated about the game, he praises. Go figure. Automation just plain sucks. And then there was this line:

Even though it had the linear story and repetitive game play, it did happen to have some of the most stunning visuals ever presented in a game, regardless of genre.

So, you mean it's okay for a game to be total crap gameplay-wise as long as it looks pretty? Gah. Severe pet peeve for me and this guy needs a few knocks to the head. Fuck pretty. I want gameplay. Sure nice eye candy is a plus, but it can only carry a game so far with me. Once the initial 'oohs' and 'aaahs' are over, that's it. Then you're left with a droll game that manages to wow you every once in a blue moon with some new effect or graphic.

If this is high quality stuff these days, give me the bottom of the barrel.

 

[HanoverF]

So, you mean it's okay for a game to be total crap gameplay-wise as long as it looks pretty?

Err... aren't you the guy who likes Final Fantasy games?

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Err... aren't you the guy who likes Final Fantasy games?

Final Fantasy 6, yes. That's far from pretty compared to today's standards and it's a great game with a great story. And since when have you ever played a FF game where you just sat back and did nothing while the game played itself? Didn't think so.

 

[HanoverF]

And since when have you ever played a FF game where you just sat back and did nothing while the game played itself?

Pretty much every time a cutscene comes on, some of which I believe are clocked in excess of 20 min, thats a long time to be 'playing a game' without actually playing.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Sorry but Final Fantasies, regardless of personal bias, have gameplay. Much, much more than Dungeon Siege.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Pretty much every time a cutscene comes on, some of which I believe are clocked in excess of 20 min, thats a long time to be 'playing a game' without actually playing.

20 min?! :shock: This is FF we're talking about and NOT Xenosaga: Episode 1, I hope you know. The only FF I haven't played all the way through it FF8 and I don't recall any cutscenes even coming close to 5 minutes long with the exception of the endings, but if you're gonna bitch about endings, then there's tons of games out there we can bring up. Heck, the longest non-ending cutscene I can recall probably was MAYBE 5 minutes. The only thing about the 3d FFs that is time consuming is the summon spells. Even their endings were pretty short and quite disappointing. But, as I said, I only really liked FF3. Besides, cutscenes don't count as they are actual STORY and continue the PLOT which is your REWARD for getting through the area you just did. The only game I have ever criticized for the cutscenes being too long was Xenosage as mentioned above. I still love the game though.

 

[Volourn]

You didn't finsih FF8? For shame. It's the best FF ever with the possible exceptions of FF4, and 6. And, until, KOTOR, it had my favorite graphics of any game I've played. WOWSERS!

As for cutscenes in FF, some exaggerate their length; but they tedn to be longer than most other games. Xenos' is pretty long too. Hehe. of curse, like Otaku says, the Ff cutscenes have a purpose. Everyone knows that FF games - at least the later ones - ae very much story driven hecne cutscenes. Also, I also view them as "rewards' for suffering through a million battles with the same monsters. :twisted:

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Xenosaga was abusive. A five minute cutscene about eating totally destroyed any expectations i had for it.

 

[slavemaster]

Everyone knows that FF games - at least the later ones - ae very much story driven hecne cutscenes

And that would be slightly more bearable if the "stories" deviated from variations of the "SCIENCE VS NATURE" shtick Japanese games have been using since, uh, Japan was invented.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Y'know the funny thing is lenghtly cutscenes have been used ever since FF4 for SNES. Of course they werent using video, only in-game graphics.

 

[HanoverF]

Sorry but Final Fantasies, regardless of personal bias, have gameplay. Much, much more than Dungeon Siege.

I wasn't arguing that, I was arguing that they have crap gameplay and look pretty. Had he said NO gameplay and look pretty I wouldn't have made a peep.


And if I was talking about Xenosaga the longest cut scene running time in that game is closer to 40mins (36min40 sec IIRC)

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

And if I was talking about Xenosaga the longest cut scene running time in that game is closer to 40mins (36min40 sec IIRC)

You're joking, right? :shock: Holy shit. I hope there's some sort of warning so I can pop some popcorn in advance.