It's out, Drakensang new RPG

[Renegen]

I finally got it yesterday, it came out this week and I just finished the same area as the demo, it rocks! The game is best described as what NWN2 should have been, it uses a german Pen & Paper ruleset, it's set in a similar fantasy setting to D&D but it's all new! It's so fun learning all the different rules.
The game ships with 21 classes, I picked the burglar, my strengths are opening locks, sneaking and traps but I also have a few social skills.

The game is super cool, you have spells, like 10 different weapon skills, item crafting, 4 character parties, ability to gut animals for items and a few really cool and unique skills. This skill called "streetwise" automatically gives me important npcs on the minimap so I don't get lost. This other skill gives me a bigger overhead map so that when I walk in cities I'm not completely lost. Since I'm a thief, I'm very well adapted to city life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c-lpt8e00A

I recommend it to any RPG fan. They've already announced a second game in the franchise too. This looks like the start of a very promising series.

[Nicholas H.C]

It looks pretty good, what can you do in this game?

[Renegen]

It's a gameworld a bit similar to D&D, so you have your class, you give it items, you level up its stats and "talents" (skills basically, like threat poison, or seduce or alchemy), you do quests and stuff, quests are also class specific, you can't finish them all. The game has the real potential for roleplaying, since your character can't do it all. It's 3D, like NWN2, the story or gameplay might be like Witcher or Baldur's Gate 2, the typical RPG.

There's a demo out, try it. There also is this high texture pack out with the full game and a nice manual. Also some people don't like the camera problems, they are ok when you master the camera.

http://www.drakensang.com/

[The Librarian]

Looks interesting, I'll definitely try out the demo and read some reviews.

[Tariq]

Tried it already from D2D, it's good with rules different then D&D(leveling system most noticeable difference). No voiceovers and movement areas are limited like in NWN2.

But, most importantly, game is designed for PC , which is positive refreshment and greater chance that game can actually last more then 6-8 hours(i read somewhere it can be 30-40+).

Just for game length it's worth spending US$29.99, since you pretty much get amount of play like in ,at least,4-5 console games.Not to mention possibility of modding (hopefully).

[Renegen]

Ya I forget to say, the game is sold as a budget title from day one. You should find it for $30 or so. So really good

[Cyrus the Virus]

Has failed to played the demo thus far. Will have to at some point.

[Wheelchair]

Right when He started I thought

"Zomg, Fable!" lol.

Mechanics looks pretty good O.o...

[Freddie]

Any idea on when the game is getting it's UK/Euro release? According to Wikipeidia the game has been out since August 08.

[The Librarian]

Any idea on when the game is getting it's UK/Euro release? According to Wikipeidia the game has been out since August 08.

That would be the German release date. For the UK, Amazon says the 27th of March: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eidos-Draken...5763528&sr=8-1

Played the demo for some minutes before dinner and eeeehw, woman have six-packs :p. More observations later on.

[Freddie]

That would be the German release date. For the UK, Amazon says the 27th of March: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eidos-Draken...5763528&sr=8-1

Played the demo for some minutes before dinner and eeeehw, woman have six-packs :p. More observations later on.

Thanks for that.

Ok I've played the demo and the game has the worst camera controls (or rather lack of control) in any game I've played in the last 10 years. It desperately needs an OTS camera just like the one found in the Withcer. The graphics looked very good and the sound and music is all there however dialogue is missing from when your talking to the NPC's, you will get speech for one sentance then the rest of the conversation is texted only and the main character doesn't have a voice either which makes it worse. I can live with a mute for a main character but in this day and age all RPG's should have NPC's with full audio dialogue. It may be just a bug, but I suspect it's how the game has been developed and the speech has been cut due to budget constraints.

[Renegen]

Thanks for that.

Ok I've played the demo and the game has the worst camera controls (or rather lack of control) in any game I've played in the last 10 years. It desperately needs an OTS camera just like the one found in the Withcer. The graphics looked very good and the sound and music is all there however dialogue is missing from when your talking to the NPC's, you will get speech for one sentance then the rest of the conversation is texted only and the main character doesn't have a voice either which makes it worse. I can live with a mute for a main character but in this day and age all RPG's should have NPC's with full audio dialogue. It may be just a bug, but I suspect it's how the game has been developed and the speech has been cut due to budget constraints.

You get used to the camera controls, believe me. It really becomes a second skin. Yes it was bad at first. Also, the best part about it is that with a mouse scrool, you can switch from 4 different perspectives. Sometimes I want to order around my whole team, I use the most far off mode, sometimes I want to explore a town, I use the second far off mode, sometimes I am in a tight corridor so I use the 3rd mode and I rarely use the 4th. It becomes good.

The game has my stamp of approval, it's a great RPG. Give it a chance, I did like the demo, but it wasn't perfect. It crashed a lot on me, yet the full game is stable. The audio has been cut indeed, the whole game cost 2.5 million euros and it's available as a budget $30 title. Still, pretty great 2.5 million euros when you look at its whole quality.
Also the full game has a high res texture pack.

[Cyrus the Virus]

The graphics looked very good and the sound and music is all there however dialogue is missing from when your talking to the NPC's, you will get speech for one sentance then the rest of the conversation is texted only and the main character doesn't have a voice either which makes it worse. I can live with a mute for a main character but in this day and age all RPG's should have NPC's with full audio dialogue. It may be just a bug, but I suspect it's how the game has been developed and the speech has been cut due to budget constraints.

Also noticed that, old games deja vú, having dialogue without audio.

Deleted the demo, felt it was not my cup of tea.
First impression did not appeal to me well enough I guess.

[Ahlerich]

It may be just a bug, but I suspect it's how the game has been developed and the speech has been cut due to budget constraints.

its not a bug. it even hasnt been voice overed in the german original version.

i have a parted opinion on this.
on the one hand something nice that gives athmosphere is missing but somehow i also feel that it emphasises the content of the text more. one reads with more fantasy like in old online rpgs.

for the witcher it would have been a fun killer - this game gets aways with it but i prolly would prefer a fully spoken text as well.

camera i dont find that bad once u r used to it. what i really regret is there are only very few different monsters. (i only played 5-8 hours iinto the game even though i own it since the release.

[Sorkenlol]

I played the demo, it's pretty cool. Although it was a bit cartoonish, but I'll definately get the game.

[The Librarian]

You can change the camera position by scrolling (decrease/increase distance) and holding the right mouse button (free camera). I tried the demo, and it's not really my type of game. It's seems like a diamond in the rough, just like the Witcher, but just a tad bit rougher... The environments aren't really inspired, but the game has got a nice look and feel overall. But still, not my type of game.

[The Librarian]

Can you possibly post a comparison shot showing the high-quality resolutions? Just curious.

[Renegen]

Can you possibly post a comparison shot showing the high-quality resolutions? Just curious.

Here are two videos, both are HD so go to their link and watch the bigger resolution. They are a good picture of the higher graphics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDkpEEvoXOE
This guy is recording as he's playing along for the first time, pretty cool and anyone can follow him to see if they like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaXtB...e=channel_page
A catacombs level against some really hard monsters.

[jankren]

Seems pretty garbage.

Im sick of the magic RPG.

Give me some more realistic RPGs like Fallout.

[The Librarian]

Thanks for that! I replayed the demo and I must say I'm beginning to like it. I also watched some other trailers and some of the locations look stunning (the prison/fortress and the fiery hell-like level). I may get this after Empire.