Preview GameSpy does CRPGs for Autumn

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Dungeon Lords; DW Bradley

<a href="http://pc.gamespy.com/">GameSpy</a> has done up a multipage minipreview dealie about the games coming out this Autumn, including <a href="http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/548/548071p1.html">this page on the CRPGs</a>. They cover <a href="http://www.vampirebloodlines.com">Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines</a>, <A href="http://www.lucasarts.com/games/swkotor_sithlords/">Knights of the Old Republic 2</a>, and <a href="http://www.dungeonlordsgame.com/">Dungeon Lords</a>. They even provide some wacky predictions about each one, which only adds to the drivel factor we all love about <a href="http://pc.gamespy.com">GameSpy</a>! Here's the part about <a href="http://www.dungeonlordsgame.com/">Dungeon Lords</a>, since it's the easiest to poke fun at:
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<blockquote>Had we gotten word of this game two years ago, we might have dismissed it as just another generic action/RPG. Two things have happened since then. First, Dreamcatcher, a company better known for it's adventure games, proved it has action-game chops as well with the release of the remarkably fun old-school FPS <i>Painkiller</i>. Second, this may be the comeback game for D.W. Bradley, the creator of the Wizardry series. Bradley's been out of the public eye for some time after his disastrous last game, but he still knows RPGs and he's still got tons of retro street cred. Dreamcatcher's proven that it has an eye for good gameplay, so if they see something special in Bradley's action/RPG Dungeon Lords, who are we to say no?</blockquote>
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Firstly, <a href="http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/">Dreamcatcher</a> released <A href="http://www.dreamcatchergames.com/dci/harbinger/">Harbinger</a>, which is enough to make me question anything <i>action RPG</i> they decide to publish. I like small and hungry companies, but that game was the pits.
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Secondly, any <i>retro street credz</i> <b>D.W. Bradley</b> might have had before he started work on this game have been expunged with each and every interview the man's done.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.ve3d.com">Voodoo Extreme</A>

 

[DamnElfGirl]

Whatchoo talkin' 'bout? The DW-Dawgg's wicked wack, yo.

 

[Anonymous]

Wizards and Warriors doesnt help that retro street credzz, yo.

And I never understood how Painkiller was 'old school action' considering it was easy as fuck on the Hardest setting and the enemies blew and most died in just a few hits. It's main 'cool' factor was the enemies death animations, but Blood > Painkiller over-all.

 

[DemonKing]

Is this the worst year for PC CRPGs ever or what?

* Bloodlines might well be more action than RPG. Time will tell.

* Bradley is boasting that being an "action RPG" is something good - like we should enjoy it or something.

* And KOTOR2 won't even be out this year on PC.

Guess it's nothing but FPS and RTS games for me this year. *sigh*

 

[taks]

huh... most of their "rpgs" aren't even rpgs. the matrix?

they don't even mention kult, which has potential though i'm not sure about being forced to play some bikini clad chick with bouncing boobies...

taks

 

[Whipporowill]

I think there's a few more rpg's due out 2004, which a t m might lack NA publishers - I don't know if that's the reason why Kult isn't in there?

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

they don't even mention kult, which has potential though i'm not sure about being forced to play some bikini clad chick with bouncing boobies...

Bikini clad chicks with bouncing boobies have potential, but developers fail to realize the possibilities of the character, such as pimping out or having lesbian romances.

 

[Peacedog]

Secondly, any retro street credz D.W. Bradley might have had before he started work on this game have been expunged with each and every interview the man's done.

to be fair, I think this goes back ti W&W, which had some nice ideas and touches but was way buggy and way flawed. I think it showed his time might have passsed, and that was years (and so many god awful interviews/previews) ago.

I wish him well, in any case.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Restricted Area just went gold, but we probably won't see it in English for a long time, unless GMX Media or Digital Jesters picks it up for the UK.

 

[Vault Dweller]

And Seal of Evil went gold too.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Aye. I mentioned that in a news post before. It's going to be released in UK first, no idea when it's coming to the US.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Yeah, and it's great you two didn't post about either one.

 

[Sol Invictus]

I'm pretty sure I made a post about GMX's acquisition of the game. The game only went gold today.

Ah, crap, I misread VD.

 

[Stark]

Bradley's been out of the public eye for some time after his disastrous last game

which is? someone care to enlighten me?

 

[Sol Invictus]

Wizards & Warriors.

Or rather, Wankers & Utter Fucking Crap.

 

[Section8]

I wouldn't say Painkiller was "remarkably fun" or "old school." It was moreso a collage of unrelated cliches of level and monster design, all thrown into levels that were nothing more than a formulaic series of "walk into room, all exits seal, monsters spawn, monsters die, exits open again." Just because something ignores the advancements that have been achieved in 25 years of game design, it doesn't make it old school. At least it didn't have escort missions.

 

[Anonymous]

Not even Doom had the HAY THE DOORS CLOSD crap, too.

 

[Elwro]

Painkiller was pure fun for me. Another factor is that in my country the game costs an equivalent of 5$, so I didn't have too high expectations. I'm not an avid FPS fan, and maybe that's why I liked what Painkiller showed me very much.