Czech game "Inquisitor" - ever heard of it?

[Mrowak]

Will only get to play it at the end of the week. Can't decide if I should choose Priest or Paladin. Priest seems more apealing storywise (I WANT TO BE AN INQUISITOR!) while paladin fits more my playing style (melee).

You'll do inquisitorial stuff one way or another... Currently my priest walks clad in chainmail with huge arse shield and the Flail of Holy Smiting dispensing divine retribution on non-believers.

From the "weirdest gameplay decision choices" corner: I've just encountered a monster that drained strength... with each hit... permanently... o_O So yeah, Paladins may be screwed later on.

 

[Johannes]

From the "weirdest gameplay decision choices" corner: I've just encountered a monster that drained strength... with each hit... permanently... o_O So yeah, Paladins may be screwed later on.

I like features like that in roguelikes where things are supposed to be dangerous and unpredictable (or in games with expendable dudes like X-Com or JA). On the other hand in your average power fantasy RPG, where you want to see numbers go up up up, it doesn't fit so well.

 

[Mrowak]

Running sucks, yes, but that's what your speed stat is for, I guess. Not sure what you mean about clicking for everything though. It's an isometric RPG - that's sort of how these games play. At least you can click and hold to continually walk in a direction, and your guy will keep attacking any enemy without you having to continually click or hold the mouse button (plus I think you will auto-attack if an enemy attacks you directly). The game is not exactly modern in terms of design or playability, and has some of the more frustrating elements of older games, but it's no worse than, say, Baldur's Gate.

Actually, I'd argue it is much worse than BG1 gameplaywise. The combat system is basically the same (click once on an enemy to watch the character hit it to death), except:

1) you have control over only one character (so no semi-tactical gameplay for you; also have fun watching your char hit enemies without any input)
2) the spell selection and use is a nightmare (why are the spells/skills bound to the same panel as potions/items? This is matter of life and death duting combat with bosses)
3) there are lots of status effects... except due to real-time nature of the combat there's no way to counter them - you don't have time or you cannot react, or you lose control over the character.
4) party AI is mindboggingly stupid - have fun watching them die as they keep standing in a puddle of Acid.

It seems that the devs couldn't decide which combat is better - the one from Diablo 1 or BG1, so they decided to implement this rather peculiar cross, which can't simply work: it only highlights the worst bits of the two systems.

Gameplay is very weak in this one. :/

 

[Mrowak]

From the "weirdest gameplay decision choices" corner: I've just encountered a monster that drained strength... with each hit... permanently... o_O So yeah, Paladins may be screwed later on.

I like features like that in roguelikes where things are supposed to be dangerous and unpredictable (or in games with expendable dudes like X-Com or JA). On the other hand in your average power fantasy RPG, where you want to see numbers go up up up, it doesn't fit so well.

I would appreciate that two, but maybe in a turn based game when you can play smart. But not in real-time one with square shittonnes of enemies in every dungeon where you are exposed to stuff as you go. Imagine Baldur's Gate, only with one character you can control, faster pacing and no pause. Now put perma-drain enemies there. Not a pretty picture. The only way to play this is by kiting... oh joy.

 

[sea]

Actually, I'd argue it is much worse than BG1 gameplaywise. The combat system is basically the same (click once on an enemy to watch the character hit it to death), except:

I was referring to controls and interface. I agree that gameplay is inferior, though it's not as bad as you make it sound in my opinion.

From the "weirdest gameplay decision choices" corner: I've just encountered a monster that drained strength... with each hit... permanently... o_O So yeah, Paladins may be screwed later on.

Permanently? No way. The attribute drain disappears after a little while, unless you're much farther into the game than I am.

 

[sea]

EDIT: Whoops, double post.

 

[Mrowak]

Actually, I'd argue it is much worse than BG1 gameplaywise. The combat system is basically the same (click once on an enemy to watch the character hit it to death), except:

I was referring to controls and interface. I agree that gameplay is inferior, though it's not as bad as you make it sound in my opinion.

From the "weirdest gameplay decision choices" corner: I've just encountered a monster that drained strength... with each hit... permanently... o_O So yeah, Paladins may be screwed later on.

Permanently? No way. The attribute drain disappears after a little while, unless you're much farther into the game than I am.

Well, there was this enemy that after hitting my char 3 times returned three messages: "Strength dropped by 1 permanently" unlike "normal" Walking Corpses.

Spoiler

it's in the mines - the fellow was called Joachim or whatnot and was an NPC turned zombie.

BTW, what do you think about the fight with Bishop Herbertius? I almost rage-quit - he basically one-shot me after the conversation.

 

[Johannes]

From the "weirdest gameplay decision choices" corner: I've just encountered a monster that drained strength... with each hit... permanently... o_O So yeah, Paladins may be screwed later on.

I like features like that in roguelikes where things are supposed to be dangerous and unpredictable (or in games with expendable dudes like X-Com or JA). On the other hand in your average power fantasy RPG, where you want to see numbers go up up up, it doesn't fit so well.

I would appreciate that two, but maybe in a turn based game when you can play smart. But not in real-time one with square shittonnes of enemies in every dungeon where you are exposed to stuff as you go. Imagine Baldur's Gate, only with one character you can control, faster pacing and no pause. Now put perma-drain enemies there. Not a pretty picture. The only way to play this is by kiting... oh joy.

I don't know about that, since at least in Baldurs Gate you can play smart. And faster pacing doesn't matter since there's only 1 guy to control - I can still handle it ok as long as I remember the hotkeys. That just sounds like complaining how fast-paced realtime games are too hard.

But in any case bottom line isn't, with regards to perma-drains, about what the tactical combat is like, but more about the strategic challenge of the game - basically whether a strategic layer exists at all or not. If yes, perma-drains are just another element to that. If no, draining your strength only ruins the excercise of building the perfect badass PC, at least if you can't just grind that strength back without lasting consequences.

 

[Raghar]

Spoiler

BTW, what do you think about the fight with Bishop Herbertius? I almost rage-quit - he basically one-shot me after the conversation.

Tried it, and managed it on level 10.

 

[sea]

Spoiler

I enjoyed the gimmick in that fight - finding his heart - but the trap on the floor panel was more deadly to me than the Bishop himself. Still kind of a clever and novel idea, I want to see more things like that as the game goes on.

 

[Jaesun]

Are you going to be doing a review of this sea?

If so, would love to read.

 

[LizardKing]

My first impressions:
The setting feels refreshing and the art direction is fantastic.
Music does it's job, not very memorable tunes so far.
There's not much voice acting and in this case it's a very good thing, since
the quality of translations is not very good.
Be prepared to read a lot, lots of text (eventhough most of it is just filler).
Translations seem to be a bit off all the time, but it doesn't bother me much, since English is not my native language.
Combat is a horrible mess (where is the pause button?!) and I have encountered a couple of times a bug that makes my character just stand still (he's not stunned).
There's also some serious balancing issues.

The game has it's share of problems, but so far I've been enjoying it quite a bit.

 

[logrus]

I've started as a priest character (I want to be an inqusitor!), but the magic seems to be broken a bit...
Invested in intelligence, spell schools and wisdom, stated fighting one bat - a few tries of casting offensive spell failed, one or two hit the target - but not enough harm to kill the wretched bat before my mana got depleted... On the other hand when I started to smash 3 bats with a stick they died without problems. Seems that magic-based builds will have a really, really difficult beginning, I hope it pays off after a few levels
I don't like how the casting system is done - starting mana with intelligence investment is enough for a few spell cast tries, casting fails more than 50%, mana does not regenerate and I have an impression that casting does also consume stamina. On the other hand magic schools and spell descriptions looks intresting.
Rolled a palladin just to check and comparing to priest combat is much easier.

Oh, and outside of combat balance I like the rest.
Setting and graphics is great. Background and lore is much more detailed than in Lionheart. There is a lot of reading. Some dialogs are in fact short stories rather then exchange of a few sentences. If you want to fast froward through dialogs, forget about this game! But it really pays off to talk to people and ask about every small gossip, local legend, opinion or NPC background story. I've not progressed too far in the main quests, but it seems that C&C is present and I suspect my decisions about whom to trust are important.

 

[thesheeep]

As for my computer, do you think only two 1G memory sticks in my computer could be too little for this huge game?

Are you fucking kidding?
2GB memory are too little for running a browser, a text editor or well.. anything in an acceptable speed. You may think different, but be assured, it is only because you are used to abysmal speed. Throw your third world stuff out of the window and get yourself an actual rig. Holy shit o.O

 

[ManjuShri]

The first LP on Youtube.

 

[thesheeep]

2) the spell selection and use is a nightmare (why are the spells/skills bound to the same panel as potions/items? This is matter of life and death duting combat with bosses)
3) there are lots of status effects... except due to real-time nature of the combat there's no way to counter them - you don't have time or you cannot react, or you lose control over the character.

Basically, you're right. Also sucks that you can't cast spells from your skill menu.

But maybe you didn't notice (I know I didn't at first):
Opening the inventory pauses the game, and from there you can use potions by double clicking them.

 

[sea]

I've started as a priest character (I want to be an inqusitor!), but the magic seems to be broken a bit...
Invested in intelligence, spell schools and wisdom, stated fighting one bat - a few tries of casting offensive spell failed, one or two hit the target - but not enough harm to kill the wretched bat before my mana got depleted... On the other hand when I started to smash 3 bats with a stick they died without problems. Seems that magic-based builds will have a really, really difficult beginning, I hope it pays off after a few levels
I don't like how the casting system is done - starting mana with intelligence investment is enough for a few spell cast tries, casting fails more than 50%, mana does not regenerate and I have an impression that casting does also consume stamina. On the other hand magic schools and spell descriptions looks intresting.
Rolled a palladin just to check and comparing to priest combat is much easier.

PSA: You can skip the initial "fight the bats" quest if you just tell the guard to piss off and let you in.

Beyond that, priests rely on followers for a while. This is NOT a bad thing - like Arcanum, followers, though stupid, are extremely powerful and can do most or all of your fighting for you if you wish. I recommend getting the two available in town ASAP and you will have a much less frustrating time. Combat never truly becomes "great" but once you get past the initial annoyance of not being able to fight more than 20 seconds without resting for a few minutes, it becomes more enjoyable for sure.

The big issue for me, apart from combat balance, is just that the game kind of begs for more non-combat options, but then ends up sending you into lengthy 5-floor dungeons - granted, there are options for diplomacy, which is nice, but it still feels a bit shoehorned in, and you miss out on tons of XP if you don't wipe the floor with everyone.

Are you going to be doing a review of this sea?

If so, would love to read.

Yep. Can't say when though, hopefully within a week, but damn this is a big game and I'll have to play for days on end at this rate.

 

[logrus]

How to get for free really powerful item in the starting town on character level 1 (no exploit):

Spoiler

When you talk to Herminus on the first floor of the inn, please listen to all his long adventures during the crusade and thank him for the amazing story.
He will give you Boots of Saint Baudolino - magic item having 3 random properties. On of them may be +2 to all non-magical skills.
And since there are >10 such skills (my char chas 12) this bouns is equal to skill points earned for 6+ levels. If you take in consideration that later on you need more than one skill point to level up a skill by one ponit => this single property may be worth 20 levels of skill points. Since you can get in on level 1... it's artifact-class for the beginner and I suspect it may be valuable for a whole gameplay.
If you play with RNG, you may get interesting combinations of other propertes too, like +16 to intelligence and mana regeneration (awesome for any priest).

Beyond that, priests rely on followers for a while. This is NOT a bad thing - like Arcanum, followers, though stupid, are extremely powerful and can do most or all of your fighting for you if you wish. I recommend getting the two available in town ASAP and you will have a much less frustrating time. Combat never truly becomes "great" but once you get past the initial annoyance of not being able to fight more than 20 seconds without resting for a few minutes, it becomes more enjoyable for sure.

Wait, you can rest in this game? The only options I discovered are back in town to get free healing in the church, use potions or spells

 

[Raghar]

You wait for few minutes, your stamina regenerates. There is also interesting spell...

 

[sea]

How to get for free really powerful item in the starting town on character level 1 (no exploit):

Interesting. I knew about the item but not that the modifiers were random. Not sure how I feel about that...

Wait, you can rest in this game? The only options I discovered are back in town to get free healing in the church, use potions or spells

Resting = standing around for a few minutes. Yeah, it sucks, but as you level up it becomes much less of an issue - spend 1-2 levels bumping constitution up and you'll be fine provided you buy stamina potions from time to time.

One thing I do like in this game is how money is very "easy come, easy go." You can make tons in quests and selling items, but then you go to town and buy an item for 5000 gold, and suddenly it's all gone. It's nice that money is actually useful (seems the only way to get rings and amulets of any quality), which is a change from... almost any other RPG out there.

That said, +skill items are still probably way overpowered and are too easy to get.

 

[Mrowak]

Beyond that, priests rely on followers for a while. This is NOT a bad thing - like Arcanum, followers, though stupid, are extremely powerful and can do most or all of your fighting for you if you wish.

To me it is. It basically signifies that fights are stupid and you'd rather have them handled by mindless AI than by playing the game yourself (where 70% of the time you spend is in combat). Without them it's the exercise of kiting and potion drinking. So your followers are the lesser of two evils.

The big issue for me, apart from combat balance, is just that the game kind of begs for more non-combat options, but then ends up sending you into lengthy 5-floor dungeons - granted, there are options for diplomacy, which is nice, but it still feels a bit shoehorned in, and you miss out on tons of XP if you don't wipe the floor with everyone.

Precisely. When the actual setting and plot kick in things are great. But let's face it - you spend 70% of your time farming mindless enemies (10% is fighting quite interesting bosses, 20% is going through the walls of text). Combat is just very weak gameplaywise... and the fact that 95% of the skills are geared towads combat doesn't help the game. The gameplay focus is totally misplaced.

Are you going to be doing a review of this sea?

If so, would love to read.

Yep. Can't say when though, hopefully within a week, but damn this is a big game and I'll have to play for days on end at this rate.

Yeah, this "worries" me as well (it's a good thing that it is lengthy, although the question rises if that length isn't artificial). I don't think I'll finish it before penning the review.

 

[Morkar Left]

Beyond that, priests rely on followers for a while. This is NOT a bad thing - like Arcanum, followers, though stupid, are extremely powerful and can do most or all of your fighting for you if you wish.

To me it is. It basically signifies that fights are stupid and you'd rather have them handled by mindless AI than by playing the game yourself (where 70% of the time you spend is in combat). Without them it's the exercise of kiting and potion drinking. So your followers are the lesser of two evils.

What makes Diablo or Diablo 2 combat better than this?

 

[Mrowak]

Beyond that, priests rely on followers for a while. This is NOT a bad thing - like Arcanum, followers, though stupid, are extremely powerful and can do most or all of your fighting for you if you wish.

To me it is. It basically signifies that fights are stupid and you'd rather have them handled by mindless AI than by playing the game yourself (where 70% of the time you spend is in combat). Without them it's the exercise of kiting and potion drinking. So your followers are the lesser of two evils.

What makes Diablo or Diablo 2 combat better than this?

Focus. Diablo 1 and 2 are games about killing shit in tonnes and they have skills, abilities, encounters, enemy types build entirely around it, using interface and character system that fits it. Even lore and atmosphere is build upon this and it worked.

Here, on the other hand killing shit is teh boring. You are interested in unraveling the mystery, putting dots together, torturing people etc. The problem is that all that stands in your way is not the inquisitorial-detective stuff, but the endless hordes o pointless monsters. It's as if I was playing Planescape, except that instead of focusing on presenting the mystery of TNO through quests, mutliple dialogue options and C&C the game threw hordes of monsters in the most lackluster combat system (which it does in the final chapters - it's the point Planescape is often criticised for even by its fans). Poor combat and balancing issues don't help Inquisitor at all.

In other words, I don't find myself thinking "Wow, I wonder what cool enemies/encounters I will find on this level" but "FFS, let's get this over with ASAP and finally get to the important/interesting bits".

 

[thesheeep]

I wonder... what do you do with magical boxes? I already found two of them. It says you have to break them, but how?
I can not use them with double click, nor can I put them into a slot.

 

[Raghar]

Right click on the object, then you would see the rest.