Dark Sun. Is it any good?

[Fat Dragon]

I saw this game for sell at the near-by pawnshop for about $12. I considered buying it then and there but I wasn't carrying much money at all at the time. So anyway, is this game worth a play through? How is the combat, c&c, storyline, etc? I've heard some pretty good things about it on the Codex so I'm curious as to what it's about.

 

[Suchy]

I played DS2 looong ago. It's AD&D with party and turn based combat. It was rather dialogue heavy with multiple answers to choose.
I liked it, but didn't finish due to a bug that got me stuck in one place :/
You could say Baldur's Gate is a spiritual successor to DS.

http://www.thehouseofgames.net/index.php?t=10&id=249

 

[Elwro]

It's really good, at least the first part which I played. While the plot isn't the peak of originality, the setting more than makes up for it. An essential ADnD title.

 

[bezimek]

Dark Sun 1 is good game.

1. Combat is party turn base.

2. Party - you can create up to 4 character and can use some strange races as half- giant or mantis ( have for arms and can use 4 one-handed weapons )

3. Story is interesting - you start as gladiator and have to escape after that true story is starting.

4. C&C - long-term c&c - not many but short-term c&c - yes, there are many. For instance on Arena you can make enemy from one of Arena Masters ( who is responsible for enemies you fight with :wink: ).

 

[Raapys]

I just started with DS1; it's great. It's a free-roaming RPG much like BG, but it's got far more C&C in it. Most of the time there's multiple ways of achieving a quest objective.

The interface takes some getting used to and there's a little too much desert for my taste( I'm only a few hours in though ), but so far this has been surprisingly good. Makes me wonder why the game has received so little attention.

 

[Goliath]

It is very good. Well, the first part (Shattered Lands) is very good. Good story, great theme, fun quests. Must-have RPG IMO.

 

[Goliath]

I just started with DS1; it's great. It's a free-roaming RPG much like BG

Did you just compare SSI's (R.I.P ) Shattered Lands to Biocrap's Bladur's Gate?

The interface takes some getting used to and there's a little too much desert for my taste( I'm only a few hours in though ),

Too much desert.. in a Dark Sun game.

 

[kingcomrade]

Wield 4 weapons at the same time? You sure it's not a jRPG?

 

[Cthulhugoat]

No, wield a four-handed weapon. I wonder what it's like. A super-lawnmower?

 

[Andhaira]

Fantastic game, both this and its sequel. (DS2 is not as good as the first, but great game nonethless).

Note there is a lot of combat, but its fully TB and ton of fun and strategy. Plus, its 3rd person view. And you have a ton of spells, so make sure to have spellcasters.

 

[Elwro]

Iirc having a person with an ability to climb helps, too.

 

[Hory]

It's the best DOS RPG (excluding Fallout's DOS mode), and better than BG1, in my opinion.

 

[Sir_Brennus]

It's the best DOS RPG (excluding Fallout's DOS mode), and better than BG1, in my opinion.

Your're kiddin', right?

Examples of DOS CRPGs

Questron II
Phantasie III - The Wrath of Nikademus
Might & Magic - Swords of Xeen
Magic Candle, The - Volume 1
Demon's Winter
Wizardry VII - Crusaders of the Dark Savant
Ultima Underworld I - The Stygian Abyss
Ultima Underworld II - Labyrinth of Worlds
System Shock (CD)
Wizardry Gold
Dungeon Master
Ultima 6 - The False Prophet
Wizardry VI - Bane of the Cosmic Forge
Ultima 7 (Pt.2) - Serpent Isle
Ultima 5 - Warriors of Destiny
Bard's Tale III - Thief of Fate
Bard's Tale I - Tales of the Unknown
Amberstar
Ultima 7 (Pt.1) - The Black Gate
Pools of Darkness (AD&D FR4)
Betrayal at Krondor
Arena (Elder Scrolls I)
Starflight
Might & Magic III - The Isles of Terra
Bard's Tale II - Destiny Knight
Lands of Lore - Throne of Chaos
Eye of the Beholder 2 - The Legend of Darkmoon
Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
Anvil of Dawn
Starflight 2 - Trade Routes of Cloud Nebula
Might & Magic V - Darkside of Xeen
Dungeon Master II - Legend of Skullkeep
Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar
Might & Magic IV - Clouds of Xeen
Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed
Wasteland
Schicksalsklinge, Die (DSA 1) (Blade of Destiny)
Pool of Radiance (AD&D FR1)
Might & Magic II - Gates to Another World
Eye of the Beholder
Crusaders of Khazan (Tunnels & Trolls 1)
Sternenschweif (DSA 2) (Star Trail)
Dragonflight
Planet's Edge - The Point of No Return
Hard Nova
Faery Tale Adventure
Menzoberranzan
Schatten über Riva (DSA 3) (Shadows of Riva)
Daggerfall (Elder Scrolls II)
Megatraveller 2 - Quest for the Ancients
Drakkhen
Knights of Legend


Yes, and ALL OF THESE are worse than Dark Sun - Shattered Lands. Well done, ace!

 

[Sovard]

Argh, you sure got him there. It's only better than 90% of those.


And yes, DS1 is great. One of the few games I've actually wanted to finish. Importing the party to the sequel is a hoot as well.

The games also have some great set-pieces, and tie-ins to Dark Sun lore.

 

[Jasede]

Better or even:
  Wizardry VII - Crusaders of the Dark Savant / Wizardry Gold
  Ultima Underworld I - The Stygian Abyss
  Ultima Underworld II - Labyrinth of Worlds
  Dungeon Master
  Ultima 6 - The False Prophet
  Wizardry VI - Bane of the Cosmic Forge
  Ultima 7 (Pt.2) - Serpent Isle
  Amberstar
  Ultima 7 (Pt.1) - The Black Gate
  Betrayal at Krondor
  Might & Magic III - The Isles of Terra
  Lands of Lore - Throne of Chaos
  Eye of the Beholder 2 - The Legend of Darkmoon
  Might & Magic V - Darkside of Xeen
  Dungeon Master II - Legend of Skullkeep
  Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar
  Might & Magic IV - Clouds of Xeen
  Wasteland
  Schicksalsklinge, Die (DSA 1) (Blade of Destiny)
  Might & Magic II - Gates to Another World
  Eye of the Beholder
  Schatten über Riva (DSA 3) (Shadows of Riva)
  Daggerfall (Elder Scrolls II)
  Sternenschweif (DSA  2) (Star Trail) 

Worse or don't know or not an RPG:
  Questron II
  Phantasie III - The Wrath of Nikademus
  Magic Candle, The - Volume 1
  Demon's Winter
  System Shock (CD)
  Ultima 5 - Warriors of Destiny
  Bard's Tale III - Thief of Fate
  Bard's Tale I - Tales of the Unknown
  Arena (Elder Scrolls I)
  Starflight
  Bard's Tale II - Destiny Knight
  Anvil of Dawn
  Starflight 2 - Trade Routes of Cloud Nebula
  Crusaders of Khazan (Tunnels & Trolls 1)
  Dragonflight
  Planet's Edge - The Point of No Return
  Hard Nova
  Faery Tale Adventure
  Megatraveller 2 - Quest for the Ancients
  Drakkhen
  Knights of Legend
  Menzoberranzan
  Pools of Darkness (AD&D FR4)
  Pool of Radiance (AD&D FR1)
  Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed
  Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday

Definitely 90%!

Edit to post below: While I would argue that, fine, let's revise the list then.

 

[Raapys]

Planet's Edge & Hard Nova rocks. Way underestimated.

Don't know if I'd put the Goldbox games on par( or better) with Dark Sun, though. DS has far better dialogue, UI, C&C, etc.

 

[SpaceKungFuMan]

Jasde - The DS games are not the best dos rpgs, but they're up there. I mean, Eye of the Beholder 1 over DS? I love EoB, but that's just absurd. And both DS games are much better than Daggerfall. The only games that are clearly better than DS on that list imo are Wizardry 7, Krondor, and some of the Ultima games. Of course, I may be biased since DS was the first cRPG I played with such robust C&C.

 

[Jasede]

I am just saying that the 90% figure is ridiculous hyperbole. Since a character flaw of mine is using too much hyperbole I notice easily when others do it too.

 

[Elwro]

DS is a fundamentally different game from any of Eob/Wizardry type games. Both types have their merits and it's useless to compare them in a general way. Is it a flaw of EoB that it doesn't have much dialogue? No. Same goes with Daggerfall. Different aims.

edit: still, when I saw the list, my first thought was "So, what's the point? It's true that DS is better than all of them"

 

[Andhaira]

Combat in DS and DS2 is much, much superior to the combat in the eob/elder scroll games.

 

[Sir_Brennus]

Combat in DS and DS2 is much, much superior to the combat in the eob/elder scroll games.

That is of course true. But that was not the point I wanted to make.

DS1 is NOT the best DOS CRPG. It's high up the ladder, but the best... I mean seriously?

 

[Hory]

Combat in DS and DS2 is much, much superior to the combat in the eob/elder scroll games.

That is of course true. But that was not the point I wanted to make.

DS1 is NOT the best DOS CRPG. It's high up the ladder, but the best... I mean seriously?

If not even you think that all of the games in your list are better, why list them? They're irrelevant, just like Starcraft is the best RTS even if you can think of 500 other real-time strategy games.

 

[Andhaira]

The Ultima 7 is better than DS though. i mean...you could BAKE BREAD in U7.

hard to top that.

but the best DOS rpg, is Star Trail!! Followed by U7 and Shadows over Riva (arkania 3)

 

[Sir_Brennus]

Combat in DS and DS2 is much, much superior to the combat in the eob/elder scroll games.

That is of course true. But that was not the point I wanted to make.

DS1 is NOT the best DOS CRPG. It's high up the ladder, but the best... I mean seriously?

If not even you think that all of the games in your list are better, why list them? They're irrelevant, just like Starcraft is the best RTS even if you can think of 500 other real-time strategy games.

It was an EXAMPLE list of DOS games. There are plenty of others. And claiming a game to be "the best on DOS" is a claim worth discussing. Especially when the game has a cult following (call me a member) but is not adored by intelligent people like other games from that era.

IF you want MY personal opinon, then at least

U6
U7 Pt. 1
Wizardry 7
Starflight
Crusaders of Khazan
Betrayal at Krondor
Amberstar
Buck Rogers
Pool of Radiance

rank higher.

Hell, I even would rank the UU games and Dungeon Master higher - despite the fact that they are "not my type of game".

 

[Andhaira]

Hmm, pool of radience doesn't deserve that. its just a dungeon krawl, like many of them. U7 and DarkSun though, were far more than krawls. They had plots and ton of npc interaction, and non-linear paths.