I've played the games for like 2 days now, I think it's a flawed gem, could have used another year in the oven. I also don't like the "power" progression, I think they should have added in a lot more passives for you to learn, but also made the beginning harder.
Oh and I really hate how you don't get any innate mana regeneration, I always hate it when mana doesn't regen depending on max mana. I know there's a "passive" you have to learn, but it costs a fuckton, uses 1 skill, and only gives you 0.15 regen! Come on!
The magic in this game had potential, but there weren't nearly enough spells. E.g. in runic magic you learn 4 symbols which you can combine to make spells, well guess what? You can't repeat symbols, and not all combinations work, so you actually can only make 4 spells... you do get another 4 by learning advanced combinations, but those "advanced" spells are just either more powerful versions of the first 4, or similiar. Why didn't they add in spells that could fabricate a tent? Water? Food? What about enhancing spells to enhance movement speed, stamina regen? What about teleport spells? Sure some of these spells would go against the "philosophy" of the game, but isn't that the point? Isn't magic supposed to kinda break the game in a way? At least once you're powerful enough.
I do agree that the game feels a bit empty, but that does play into it's strength somewhat, the "survival" thing it has going, though the landscape design is a bit amateurish. I think they missed a big oppotunity in stealing some of what gothic did, e.g. you could find special plants that would perma increase your stats or you could use them to brew stronger potions if you had the recipe; they could have added in a perma stamina/regen boost plant/recipe.
For all it's faults, I think the music is good though.
Oh and if the game is too easy or too slow for you, I recommend speedhacking, was fun.
