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Do You Like RPG's ? Then Here's a Can't Lose Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 20
Date: May 17, 2005
Author: Amazon User

You can listen to all the bad reviews here and not buy this game.... or you can ignore them and have one of the best RPG's games you can play for 40-60 hours. Ask yourself... how many of these types of game have been released for the PC for a single player? Morrowind, Gothic II and What?! We are lucky to see a company put out this type of game, I've waited years to have more Gothic II and this will do nicely. Yes there are some features missing, but having taken a lizard man for a character, I hardly miss giving him blond hair! I can't fix a broken shield, that's really too bad, maybe I'll just use one of the Other 20 I've found! No funiture in a room? Does that ruin your gaming experience? How shallow is that!? Quests broken? Ha! more like the person can't figure out what to do next, so they come here and claim it's broken! And if it's broken, maybe you can explain how I and many others have beat the game... and completed many guild quests to advance our characters.
The main complaint from reviewers here is no map, but did they mention you get a huge poster quality map in the box? Of course not, that would be too kind. The dungeons could use an automap, but if you feel the need for a map just go to Dreamcatcher's forums and look in the Help/Hints.
I am now starting the game for a 2nd go, how many games deserve a repeat play? Not many. This is an RPG, not a shooter, you actually have to think, and maybe that's the problem for those who post negative reviews.
I give it 5 of 5 stars based on it's ability to provide me Hours of RPG action with good character development and a vast selection of weapons, spells and magic items.
No, this is not Half-Life 2, nor is it Halo II, it's a huge dungeon crawl with tons of nasty creatures to dispatch and a decent plot. If you like this type of game, you can't lose, but if you look here for Halo II, then wait for Halo III.

Better Than Warcraft!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 34
Date: March 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I think Dungeon Lords is a great game because when you buy World of Warcraft you have to buy a Time card and you have to pay money to play and I think this one is better than Warcraft and Everquest.

Great game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 14
Date: September 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Excellent graphics and realisticness. Attention to detail and character development unequaled in my view.

Dungeon Lords... Its not out yet but Looks awesome

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 63
Date: September 08, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I understand this game isnt out yet however ive been keeping close tabs on it. Simply put it looks AWESOME. It seems to act like a copy of Diablo II or Sacred or anything of that nature. But it will play much like Zelda For the 64. With an "over the shoulder" camera where the fighting is action based. using the "WSAD" keys to move. and most likly the mouse to attack. It will have multiplayer and single player where you can enjoy a interesting story line... lets see when its releaced...

After patch 1.3.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 17
Date: June 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I played the game to the end once out of the box. Now I'm playing a second time through with the new patch 1.3. The play was good to start with - the patch adds the automap, fixes some quest issues, adds some spells. It still leaves the game unfinished, but not in ways that effect how fun to play this game is.

I hear all those folks who are upset because the game is unfinished. It clearly is. But this is a fun playable game even with its faults.

OK, so I can't change my character's hair. I don't particularly care about that. What *do* I care about with regard to my character? How it plays.

For instance, you have 10 races/gender options to choose from. What you choose changes the way the game plays and how the character develops. You have 4 starting class choices. You have points to spend to customize your character's attributes and skill sets. These affect the play. The play is the thing.

OK, so some of the spells don't work yet. Most do, and a few were added with the new patch. Even with some spells AWOL, there is a lot of remaining magic to play with: there are 4 different kinds of magic. They may be called schools but they are not like other games' "schools." Instead each features magic of entirely different kinds, which work differently, recharge or are created differently and play differently. Each magic is unique - the spells are not duplicated between magic types. Mastering one kind is fun. But wait! there are 3 more (now what would you pay?). This diversity of magic systems makes for the most satisfying and complex magic play I have yet encountered in a CRPG. It also makes for great tactical spell-combat. Honestly, I would like to have the few promised-but-undelivered spells, but I don't miss them.

I read a review where someone said the dungeons did not get put in. Sorry, but wrong!! There are great big beautiful multilevel multi-themed dungeons, including one that takes days to get through. Much, maybe most, of the game is dungeon based, if you count towers, castles, sewers and mazes as "dungeons."

The chest trap puzzles are fun, and they scale with difficulty in an interesting way. It is possible to untrap a chest above your current skill level, but it is hard and requires concentration and dexterity.

The classes have three tiers. Where you might be a warrior to start and a warrior to finish in another game, in this one you get to be five classes by the end of the game. 2 base classes, 2 elite classes and one super-elite class. There are literally dozens of combinations. My new character, this second time, is pursuing a battlemage ninja style career. That means he is a heavily armored magic specialist that in melee combat fights hand to hand, martial arts style, and uses thrown weapons (shurikin). This second game plays a lot differently than it did my first time through. A new, previously unknown, area opened up, there are new quests, new skills, new combat choices. I love that! There are so many possible combinations - I'm already thinking about how I might develop a character to play through again after I finish this game.

The inventory is fixed now and you can hold and sell the excess equipment that you acquire. Speaking of equipment there is a ton of it - armor, swords, bows, shuriken, spears, knives, axes, rings, belts, necklaces, on and on with this or that variation or magic effect.

Most role-playing games when you get to a level you get some points to spend on skills or attributes. In this game, you earn points from winning each combat encounter and you can spend your points whenever you want. Immediately, if you like. It's like hundreds of mini-level-ups.

In addition to the combat related points you also get extra points when crossing to a new level. There are plenty of "regular" level-ups too. By the end of the game my character was level 46 and just as tough and powerful as you would expect.

What about skills? There are a lot of them. 30 or so are available to an individual player-character, which ones are available depend primarily on class choices. There are almost 50 overall in the game. Some open up when you win your way into an elite class. Some open up when you get to a certain point in other skills.

Combat is more than point and click, like Diablo II, but has some of the same addictive qualities. It has been much better implemented than in similar games, such as Morrowind (which I loved too). Think of a simplified version of a game like Street Fighter. As you climb in skill you can do special combos. Different combos are associated with different weapons. Or barehanded - the ninja-type classes open up a whole new set of fighting moves and animations. What combo you use and what weapon you choose are part of the strategy when fighting. Each melee weapon has a speed and a "reach." Choose a long pole weapon to kill giant spiders without being poisoned, for instance.

What else? The automap works after patching to version 1.3. I like it, it looks good, but it was fun using the poster-map too.

So. It's not done, the game should have baked a while longer. No furniture! Some of the fireplaces have no logs. I know these are important to some players, but they don't interfere with the gaming.

Most importantly, what could have killed the game for me: there are no bugs or problems that stopped me from finishing all my quests and the entire mainline story. I did encounter one mission bug, but I had read about it and knew the workaround before I got to it. This was fixed in the 1.3 patch, so you won't need to "read ahead" or even worry about it. As far as I can tell from the forums and my own experience in the single player game, there are no game ending or quest queering bugs. I have read that the multiplayer does still have some funky issues that can foul up certain quests.

Quite a few people have finished the game now - many are like me going back for more. One guy who posts regularly on the (active and helpful) Dreamscape forum is on his sixth time through. He wrote that he's found new things each time through. Others on the forum have validated this. Same thing with the Typhoon Games (they are the Asian distributor) forum.

If you love role-playing games, and your satisfaction is based on if the game is fun, with complex and addictive game-play, engaging combat and unparalleled character development choices, rather than quibbles about eye candy and frosting on top of your frosting (ok, they should not have promised it), then, chances are, you will have a great time.

One other interesting thing about this game. There are people who hate it and just love to hate it. So much that they post for months on the various forums about why they hate it. Over and over again. I see some of them have come here too. I don't really get that. If I hate it, I move on...

Game Is Fun With The 1.3 Patch

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 11
Date: July 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I started to not get this game because of other reviews, but Im glad that I didn't listen to them. The patch adds the automap to the game and fixs the bugs. I'm playing at 1024 x 768 and I must say that the graphics are pretty darn good and the gameplay is fun. You have to be patient while you gain a few levels and beef you character up and dont use the revive option. Best to save often and just reload, otherwise you will lose advanvement points and stat points.

Im in the large town of Fargrove and just entered the Catacombs. The ambient sound effects are cool and the headless giants are a little tuff.

I'm having a blast with this game and if you like hack/slash and building up your charater then this game delivers. I like that I can be a warrior/mage and use spells, armor, and weapons :-)

The old and the new

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 17
Date: June 08, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Here are my additional comments now that the 1.4 patch is available:

With the latest patch, I am certain that my final statement below would have held true; if this game would have been initially released with the 1.4 patch fixes included, it would have been the 2005 RPG game of the year hands down. Perhaps the foremost improvement with this patch is that the stability has increased tenfold, although admittedly it may be due in part to processor, RAM, and VC upgrades as well (currently a 2200+ Athlon XP w/768 MB RAM and a 128MB FX5900, previously a 1600+ w/256 MB RAM and a 64 MB Ti4200). Regardless of etiology, I haven't had the game crash at all since the new patch. Other significant improvements include character customization options becoming functional, minimap implementation, addition of quests/areas, much improved functionality of the sleep/wait system, and the ability to now keep more than one of each item that you pick up. This last fix is from my perspective the single most gratifying fix, as it was a real drag to pick up 50 goblin swords between shops and only be left with one to sell.

For those of you who don't have the specs to play Oblivion in all it's glory (I can play it but only at the lowest settings), I strongly suggest giving this game a whirl. The AI is challenging without being impossible, the spells are spectacular, and the story will keep you engrossed throughout your adventure. The graphics are fantastic for a 2005 game, and although it is a long game, once you get into it I think you'll find that to be a good thing.

(START ORIGINAL REVIEW)

I consider myself a patient gamer, but I do have to say that this game has tried my patience to a fair degree. That being said, however, I have thoroughly enjoyed the 10-12 hours I've put into this little gem.

The first true RPG I got into was Neverwinter Nights, and I was always wanting a bit more when it came to combat. The point and click method has just never done it for me. I guess that's what really drew me in to Dungeon Lords, and I have to say, I'm quite impressed with that aspect of the game. Although there could be more done with the combat, it's still miles ahead of the ol' point and click, and I like the overall feel of it. If you've ever played Gothic I/II, the combat mechanics feel somewhat similar, albeit at an accelerated pace.

In regard to the gameplay, it is somewhat a hit and miss affair. I think the developers perhaps went a bit too far with the distance between the various areas of interest, as it just makes for more repetitive murdering of monster packs and very little else. I suppose from the perspective of experience gathering, it does serve its purpose; however, I think shorter distances with harder, more experience-rewarding monsters would have been the better choice. With respect to the NPC interaction, the story is very well laid out, and I really enjoy the mannerisms of the various characters. The journal does need some serious work, as I am often left trying to recall exactly where I was told to go. Typically, the journal gives you only the barest minimum of information, and in this game, that can be quite frustrating. With some perseverance, however, the player is able to find his or her way.

On to stability, which is a problem. I have had several crashes to the desktop and it has usually occurred in the middle of a long conversation with an NPC. This is not good, as you may not know to save the game before the conversation, and then you're stuck having to retread a fair amount. This is stated with a hefty grain of salt, however, as my system specs are closer to the minimum than the maximum, and that is quite possibly a contributor to the instability of the game overall.

Usually I would include bugs with the stability section, but unfortunately it does warrant a short section unto itself. There are many and although the patch seems to get several of the show-stoppers, I do keep hoping for another patch to remedy the many that remain. Is a crude map too much to ask? I'm having to revert to the olden days of Zork and handwrite maps on pieces of old scrap paper lying around. While this may have been OK back when there were NO GRAPHICS, it is really inexcusable in this game. Also, the lack of being able to carry more than one of any given object is a bit on the cheap side. If I want to horde 10-15 short swords to sell to the next merchant, why am I limited to only one? And don't tell me it's a feature in the interest of realism, either, as none of the characters would ever be able to carry a paltry 10% of the total equipment currently allowed without being buried alive.

Finally, the graphics are quite good but the sound is very average. I have noticed some clicking sounds that are definitely not intentional, as well as some abnormal sound variations, which do detract from the overall experience.

After reading the above, you may ask why I gave the game 4 stars? It's simple. The game is really fun to play. I am enjoying it immensely. If the bugs were taken away and it ran flawlessly on my system, it would be the game of the year.

Cheers,

H

I'm having fun with this one

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 12
Date: November 22, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Perhaps some of the previous reviews have been for an earlier release, but I'm having fun playing the latest release (1.8). Granted, there are bugs, but most of what I have experienced were eliminated by adjusting the video/sound settings to recommended values. I still have an occasional freeze, however, that requires restarting or even rebooting. Plan to save the game frequently, just in case.

As for the game play, there is lots of combat. If you find yourself lingering in an area, mobs can and will spawn, and often they can be a bit overwhelming. When first starting the game as a new character this can be especially true. You may find yourself a bit challenged by this, but here is where your tacticts will pay off. As one of the other reviewers mentioned, the mobs tend to circle around you as you fight, and the mousing to keep them in front of your weapon is a constant hassle. I found pushing them into walls and corners to be helpful. When I got lots of mobs all at once, I found using doorways to limit their their attack to just one or two at a time was successful. There are also occasional pathing problems and you can use this to your advantage albeit somewhat of a cheat.

I found that the as you increased personal stats and skills the result were directly correlated to better outcomes. Perhaps the reviewer who questioned this was paying at a lower level. The frequency of hitting a target seems to be directly related to higher Dex and Weapon skills ... at lower levels you swing but miss a lot. When you do hit a mob, a box showing the damage done and the mob's remaining health is briefly displayed. I've seen no problems in this area and I'm almost finished with the game. I've also found no chests that didn't open as long as you got the lock-pick panel. There are chests in the game, however that do not give the lock-pick option, but I believe it is by disign, not a bug.

I also suspect that the random encounters are automatically adjusted somewhat for your current skills and levels. I can't be certain that this is true, but it seems that as I've gained levels, the number of Mobs spawning has increased, or the level of the mobs has increasd or both. In any event, the game has remained challenging.

The game seems heavly weighted toward hand-held weapons rather than magic. You must develop magic skills, but the battles are won through hand held weaponry. the throwing and bow skills are necessary but in a limited way. And it's a good thing too, because I've yet to find a decent damage wielding bow in the game.

The 1.8 download is available on the web site, so getting a "used" copy of the game shouldn't pose a problem. The maping feature in 1.8 also works just fine by the way. If you get stumped there is a good site at GameBanshee that has everything but only displays what area you click on. This is good because the site is the ultimate spoiler, leaving nothing to "discover" so be careful on what you call up.

Fun game but patience required.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 9
Date: June 22, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game is a solid overall RPG but is a little buggy. I've seen some bad reviews but the game does not deserve some of the poor reviews it has received. The game is loads of fun with good character development and an interesting story line. The primary frustration comes because there are so many places where you have to accomplish certain tasks in order to proceed to a new area or new level in the game. In addition, the lack of a good map or journal in the game means you are lost a good portion of the time. The first person fighting is great and as you develop your character their are many ways to fight the numerous different types of enemies you encounter. If the developers had thrown in a few more interesting NPC's and had them explaining your path forward better, I would have given this game 5 stars. The only games that get that rating from me are Morrowind and Gothic 2. Still, this is an excellent game if you are patient as the story line develops.

Dungeon Lords

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 9
Date: August 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Great game even though you have to update it!!!!
They should have not released it before the updates and waited to test it before all the errors in it. Hours of fun...!!!

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