I really didn't pay any attention to the hype.... Until i got the game... And then i was simply BLOWN AWAY!!!!
At first: It actually matters what kind of a hero you choose. Your choices when creating the character will affect his past, present and future, how others will treat you and the quests you will be able to do! Not to speak about the options you have to change your characters looks and background at the start of the game.
Also the power-ups and contributions you can choose at a level-up are plenty and will affect your skills and moves effectively! As you progress you will learn new powerful and fun moves, offensive and defensive....
A nice surprise in the game is the ability to control a group of characters you will meet in the process. Again you have the choise to recruit someone or leave him (through your actions and dialogue). This feature gives you the advantage of fighting a lot of foes at once, will managing the individual fighting tactings of your groups characters.
The graphics are very impressive and realistic, while, at the same time, you can run the game in average settings with a pretty weak graphic card (it runs quite well on 1280x800 and all settings at Medium with an nVidia 8400M GS!!!). You will witness some beautiful landscape in a nicely built (and HUGE) world.
The sound really delivers with a nice dramatic soundtrack that gets intense when it needs to! And the voice acting is awesome, which makes you feel you are interacting with real people...
As for the dialogue, your choices really matter and you can make friends or enemies through talking to them, which affects the flow of the game. And it will give you a lot of laughs!
The story of the game is one of its strongest features: it will DEFINITELY SUCK YOU IN, while you play a big part at it by making choices. And it is delivered in a great way, through impressive cinematics full of surprises.
From what i've heard the game goes on for a lot more than 100 hours! Thats how long real RPGs should be!
Now, i have only been at it for about 15 hours and, while a lot have happened in the game, i feel like i just started!!!
Now the gameplay is perhaps its strongest feature!
From what i've heard the game goes on for a lot more than 100 hours! Thats how long real RPGs should be!
Now, i have only been at it for about 15 hours and, while a lot have happened in the game, i feel like i just started!!!
As for the fighting system (point and click) is much more than you'ld imagince. As i said you can apply tactics in (and out of) battle and use powerful moves you unlock through the game...
The replayability is strikingly big! Once you complete the game (100+ hours) you can start all over again, with a different character, with a different background and have an almost new experience through the game!
To sum it up:
Graphics - 9.0
Sound - 9.5
Story - 10.0
Gameplay - 10.0
Total Playtime - 11.0 (!)
Final score: 10.0 - A fun, addictive, enjoyable and completely AWESOME experience!!! The folks at Bioware have done it again...