I did this on request of a CUG member. I appreciate you guys liking this enough to actually ask me to do one. It means something that I'm trusted enough to have my opinion considered, so I'm trying my best.
This game has been very difficult for me to review. Whether or not someone likes an action RPG is very dependent on how a person plays video games and what he/she enjoys. I will try to stay as neutral as possible so that you can get the best perspective possible. Also I would like to apologize for my last review on Unreal Tournament. While the game was good, I did not give it enough time for the bad to sink in and outweigh the good. Many problems such as lack of community raised later as well.
First I would like to start off with story. As you have probably heard by now, the game’s storyline is entirely based on Norse Mythology and it is a trilogy. This brings up several problems with the first installment of the series already. Norse Mythology is incredibly boring until the story escalates towards the end – Ragnarok. This promises amazing second and third games, but this game is merely an introduction. For those of you who don’t know Ragnarok is a great war in which the Aesir battle the fates, and is essentially the end of their civilization. Now the fact that they place the game in a sci-fi setting makes the story and the graphics much more entertaining, as well as the game play, don’t expect a massive Halo-esque storyline that will sweep you off your feet from the first game on.
Second on my list is the graphics. The game plays a good portion of itself through cutscenes. There are many, many cutscenes. I would give a rough estimate of twenty to thirty of them, not including small enemy entrances and such that can be seen in the demo. One downside to this is lack of memory on the disk itself doesn’t allow for amazing cutscenes, so they all take place with graphics no better than the game normally has. I found myself cringing at the lack of design in some of the scenery of the cutscenes because the game was not designed to be viewed with an up close viewpoint. While playing the graphics do seem well done because the camera is zoomed out and you can’t see any small details. Everything is nice and shiny, also the sheer amount of enemies they can fit onto one screen without breaking framerate is incredible.
That brings me to my next topic, gameplay. I’ve read several reviews myself talking about the gameplay. One unique part of the gameplay is the dual-analog stick combat system. While this gives the game depth and sets it apart from other standard action-RPGs, it has much room for improvement. Take for instance the fierce attack and the finisher attack. They both involve pushing both sticks in the same direction, but the fierce only works from distances, and the finisher only works up close. While that may seem good on paper it doesn’t work well in gameplay. This is mainly fault to the analog stick itself and the lack of precision it offers. Sometimes when you are up close, but you point it in a slightly different direction it will still do a fierce attack which can do more harm than good.
The targeting system can also use improvement. I died several times later in the game because of the lack of control it offered when targeting someone with your gun, which can be incredibly frustrating. The game also offers no penalty from dying. While that sounds bad, it actually plays out well, not that they could come up with some penalty other than your own disappointment that could improve the game, it is still not a major issue. The enemies also scale to your level which creates problems and solves problems at the same time. One issue it brings is that during co-op play if there is one player that is higher level than the other, it automatically scales with the highest player making that player seem overwhelmed while the other player feels helpless. This also means that the challenge has to come from quantity instead of quality, but it also means that you will never be overwhelmed simply because you haven’t leveled at the pace the game has set for you, and it also gives previous levels more replay ability. Gear drops also scale with your level, meaning that no matter what part of the game you are playing you will get drops that will match your level.
The game is incredibly addicting as I have already clocked eighteen hours on the game just days after the release, but it is also very short. I completed the game in about twelve hours time, but I’m still not finished at all so to speak. You will only make it to thirty out of the fifty levels on the first play through, not to mention there are five different classes that each play incredibly different, and if you are the type that will spend countless hours just to max out your level to get the best and coolest gear in the game to show off, then this game will give you much enjoyment. The game should definitely have more skills in the tree that allow more clearly defined roles for co-op play. You will make it to the last skill in your tree fairly quickly, and if you are focused on it enough you can even get your sentient weapon before level twenty.
Now onto multiplayer. The game basically screams five person co-op. While the developers promised four person co-op, that magically disappeared with the release of the game and there is only two person co-op. You can team up for any portion of the game by using tokens gained through completing the levels in single player. There are several arena challenges that can be difficult to complete alone as you get better loot if you complete them in under forty seconds. I’m sure in the installments to come you will find a better co-op system and tanking, healing, damage, and hybrid roles to fit that co-op system.
Looking back the game was obviously rushed in the last stage of development, and has much potential yet to be unlocked. The game is still very addictive if you enjoy RPGs and gearing out your character with the coolest stuff. I can already tell it will consume quite a large portion of my life to come. While the gameplay is repetitive it doesn’t get boring easily.
I give this game an 9/10.
PLEASE give me all of your feedback, what I should do, what I shouldn't do, and if it was helpful at all or not. Anything good or bad that you say helps me to help you. Thanks.
B.net - http://www.bungie.net/fanclub/156526/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=25331228
Subject: Too Cool, Too Human - Mezzleview 
Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:33 pm
