Review RPG Codex Retrospective Review: Darklands

[General Maxson]

Man if only Obsidian remade Darklands with J.E. Sawyer at the helm. Like they are remaking I.E. games with Project Eternity. I'd kill for a Darklands setting crpg.

 

[mindx2]

Once again the real version is so much more than a "not from inventory" or "GOG" version*

GREAT game!!

*though I do own the GOG version as I don't have a 5.25 floppy drive that works anymore...

 

[Hormalakh]

Cool. Nice review. Is this available for the tablet?

 

[Zeriel]

but you also need to be careful, as once the character reaches 30 years of age, his attributes will start deteriorating.

Motherfucker!

I'm getting pretty close to 30 years old.

 

[Darth Roxor]

but you also need to be careful, as once the character reaches 30 years of age, his attributes will start deteriorating.

Motherfucker!

I'm getting pretty close to 30 years old.

RIP

 

[Mother Russia]

The first RTwP in combat game.

 

[Azael]

Motherfucker!

I'm getting pretty close to 30 years old.

I'm already declining.

Nice little review Roxor. Guess I need to get a GOG version of this little gem, too long since I tried it.

 

[MicoSelva]

Nice review. Sadly, this game was already old when I started CRPGing and I still have not reached back in time to try it. I am going to, someday.*

*Hopefully after someone releases a turn-based remake.

 

[General Maxson]

Thank you for this retrospective Darth Roxor.

To tell you the truth guys, I really think there is hope in Obsidian tackling this. I just hope they aren't doing it because, you know, they don't want to tackle too many projects at a time. And if they could get Arnold Hendrick to join. Man.

They could present it well and there could be enough Obsidian fanboys for project to succeed, especially if PE turns out good, and I think it will.

As we all know Darklands is unfortunately quite a obscure crpg, and its name alone won't bring much pledgers, and that's my worst fear, that no one will touch it, because its name isn't "strong" enough like Fallout, Wasteland, Infinity Engine games etc. I.e. Fearghus won't even think about it, as it's not "slam dunk".

But really, wouldn't it be great if Obsidian sees they have never produced a open world, "randomized", isometric crpg adventure in the vein of Darklands. It could really be a good match. As Sawyer really IS a fan of the game.

/end rant

 

[Scruffy]

This game was amazing. Where is my Kickstarter remake? I would throw some serious coin at that. Especially if they implemented turn based combat. I get a raging RPG boner just thinking about it.

i know it sounds dumb, but the fact that graphics sort of forced you to "fill the gaps" with your imagination was part of the appeal to me... a remake with modern graphics... meh...

 

[Country_Gravy]

i know it sounds dumb, but the fact that graphics sort of forced you to "fill the gaps" with your imagination was part of the appeal to me... a remake with modern graphics... meh...

Doesn't have to be modern graphics. Wasteland 2 graphics would be good enough.

 

[Scruffy]

Doesn't have to be modern graphics. Wasteland 2 graphics would be good enough.

still too explicit, i like my big pixels

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Keeping with the watercoulour feel, maybe Postal-style painted backgrounds?

 

[Siveon]

I should give this game a second chance, if I could get used to the combat that is.

Otherwise, here's hoping for an Obsidian remake.

 

[dnf]

i know it sounds dumb, but the fact that graphics sort of forced you to "fill the gaps" with your imagination was part of the appeal to me... a remake with modern graphics... meh...

The opposite of a graphix whore is not an monocle, just saying. Darklands graphics could use some improvement.

Also, Reviewer fails to mention that the game gets too much repetitive in terms of content and sidequests(villages and cities are pretty much the same for example, only names changes). It's like playing a modern bethesda game: you reach the 10 or 15 hour mark, you have seen it all. And dungeon crawling is way worse than the combat, way worse. But since dungeon crawling is few and far between, it don't get much attention.

 

[Jasede]

Where do you guys get this Obsidian/Darklands chance/rumor from? That one text-adventure screenshot/image from that one KS update?

Edit: I can't read; Sawyer quote on page 1.

 

[Scruffy]

The opposite of a graphix whore is not an monocle

i'm just saying that for me, part of the appeal of those games was that i had to imagine what was going on, instead of having it "described" to me by 3d graphics. Those undistinguished pixels forced me to visualize things better in my mind, and fill the inevitable gaps that the inferior technology of the era created. It was a plus for me, rather than a minus.

 

[General Maxson]

i'm just saying that for me, part of the appeal of those games was that i had to imagine what was going on, instead of having it "described" to me by 3d graphics. Those undistinguished pixels forced me to visualize things better in my mind, and fill the inevitable gaps that the inferior technology of the era created. It was a plus for me, rather than a minus.

Like it would be a minus if it used graphics we have seen so far in Project Eternity for example...

 

[HiddenX]

Where do you guys get this Obsidian/Darklands chance/rumor from? That one text-adventure screenshot/image from that one KS update?

Edit: I can't read; Sawyer quote on page 1.

RPG Codex Retrospective Interview: Arnold Hendrick on Darklands (with Retrospective by Josh Sawyer)

 

[Scruffy]

Like it would be a minus if it used graphics we have seen so far in Project Eternity for example...

well, maybe not a minus, but it wouldn't certainly "feel" the same

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

i'm just saying that for me, part of the appeal of those games was that i had to imagine what was going on, instead of having it "described" to me by 3d graphics. Those undistinguished pixels forced me to visualize things better in my mind, and fill the inevitable gaps that the inferior technology of the era created. It was a plus for me, rather than a minus.

I never visualise anything in my mind when playing games.

 

[Excidium]

Not even rape and gore?

 

[Scruffy]

I never visualise anything in my mind when playing games.

i did (no longer ofc) and it was half the fun
in your case, however, everything you visualized would probably be shit

 

[dnf]

Darth Roxor i think you can save the game in dungeons. I remember savescumming through a puzzle in a fucking dungeon.

There is also other thing the review fail to adress in the sidequests: There seems to be a time limit to the "kill the robberbaron" quests. If you fail the quest(the game won't tell you) you lose reputation on the city you picked the quest , and the guards will try to arrest you for being a lazy ass. That seems pretty rarsh to me. Other than that, there is the lame fedex quests, "go bring me artifact XYZ". I like the game, but this review got a bit too much doritos.

 

[dnf]

Oh, i almost forgot: female warriors. Godamnit microprose you were so close to deliver an authentic medieval fantasy simulation. Thankfully, you can just ignore this in character creation and the game world won't aknowledge this as far as im aware(didn't finish the main quest). Witches are fine tho'