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(More customer reviews)Way back in 2002, developer Arkane Studios unleashed a little game called "Arx Fatalis," inspired by classic titles such as "Ultima Underworld," upon an unsuspecting public. The end result - pure greatness. A true, bona fide, and highly overlooked classic in the roleplaying genre.
In 2006, Arkane released its second game, "Dark Messiah of Might & Magic," for the PC. It was a spinoff of the once popular roleplaying and turn-based strategy series that was nonetheless a departure due to its first-person, action-adventure gameplay. It wasn't met with cheers by the gaming press as was "Arx," but it wasn't lambasted either.
2008. Enter the Xbox 360 port and/or adaptation, now with the added subtitle "Elements." Gaming critics everywhere can't be bothered with that old adage, "If you don't have something nice to say..." If they are to be believed, this game sucks @$$. That's right, GameSpot reviewer Brett Todd was so unimpressed he dismissed it with a 3.5 score out of 10. If you can believe everything you read, that should tell you to stay clear of this one.
And if you were to do so, that would be a real shame.
"Elements" casts you as Sareth, a mysterious and unenthusiastically voiced wizard's apprentice who is about to unveil his destiny and save the world from sinister forces. But as this is a fantasy game, that goes without saying, doesn't it? At any rate, the story is predictable but not entirely uninteresting despite so many abundant clichés, and, worst case scenario, it should keep you interested until the credits roll.
As Sareth, you may specialize in one of four classes as opposed to the PC version's free-form adaptations. You begin the game by choosing his career path. In other words, you select whether or not you want him to be an in-your-face Warrior, an Archer who kills at a distance, a Mage who specializes in casting magic spells, or a sneaky Assassin who takes his enemies by surprise via stealth. The selection of these highly specialized classes vastly affects the way the game is played, and should add ample incentive for hardcore types to revisit the material again and again. That, alongside the option of good and evil decisions, multiple endings, and a single player campaign clocking in at over 9 hours on the first play-through, is reason enough to warrant a purchase if you're a fantasy enthusiast.
The game is linear, however. Very linear. There are sometimes multiples ways to attack a problem, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Still, the game's structure provides a tight, action-focused gaming experience with just a smattering of lite (and I do mean LITE) roleplaying elements. In fact, the game's biggest flaw may well be its identity crisis. It's not an RPG, and it's not an FPS. To compare "Elements" to Raven's "Hexen" would be apt. The emphasis here is on killing things, not leveling up. Even though you do level up and gain experience, it's really, essentially an artificial system.
The combat is good. Using the game's physics to kick unsuspecting foes into massive chasms or into raging fires is undeniably fun. In fact, using your environment to aid you in slaying your enemies is where the game really shines. Of course, a pretty diverse set of magic spells and archery options do their part in diversifying the experience, but melees have a good solid feel to them as you parry your opponents' attacks and line up your own. Using adrenaline can even net you slo-mo fatalities like impaling your enemies and then kicking them brutally off the point of your sword.
The game is powered by Valve's Source engine, still doing its thing. It nails atmosphere, which isn't surprising given that "Arx" was one of the most atmospheric fantasy games ever made. Be it dark, brooding crypts or cliffside Orc cities, it all looks pretty good. That said, character models are basic and not the most impressive. I mean come on, despite the artistry on display here, the Source engine is beginning to show its age. The audio is pretty solid, though, apart from some uninspired voice acting and an incessant tune that always plays during the game's loading screens (and trust me, it will drive you mad the deeper you delve into the game and the more loading screens you must be subjected to!).
If anything really stunts this game, it's the lack of polish - which shouldn't be an issue given that this is a port of a game that's over a year old already. Glitches are commonplace, some of them absolutely infuriating and unforgivable. For example, on several occasions I got stuck on pieces of the environment and had to reload a past save to continue. At another time, the game's audio went completely mute for no apparent reason. At first I thought it was an issue with my TV, but strangely when I exited to the title screen, the music was back again. This problem persisted until I shut down my 360 console and rebooted the entire thing.
Other issues include the occasional vague objective or two, some dopey developer decisions, and the inability to really guage the choices that will make your character lean toward the evil side of the spectrum until it's already too late. Still, these niggles aside, which are certainly worth mentioning, this is NOT a bad game - and believe me, I've played my share. As time passes and more and more solid games are dismissed outright by reviewers like Brett Todd, I'm convinced that these people don't really LIKE video games at all. Maybe they should go out and get a different job.
Your ability to enjoy "Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements" ultimately depends on your ability to accept it for what it is. It's not quite an FPS, and it's not quite an RPG. Both its strengths and its weaknesses lie somewhere in the middle. Sure there are a few flaws and glitches, but none of it breaks what is an otherwise satisfying adventure game. It's got nothing on Arkane's previous effort and bears little resemblance, for better or worse, to other "Might & Magic" titles, but if you're a fantasy fan who loves first-person hack and slash... your game has arrived - at least until Bethesda summons up the next chapter in the Elder Scrolls series.
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Dark Messiah of Might & Magic X360
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