Still don’t know what to think about Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows? Get the in-depth break down from a gamer like you.
The Facts:
*Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows a more simplified take on the Gauntlet series.
*The “Skill Purchase System” is actually a cleverly hidden tutorial. It forces you to purchase each character’s unique abilities one at time, making you appreciate each of unique trait the characters has. Once your purchase all abilities seventeen to eighteen abilities per character, gold becomes a completely useless commodity.
*The “Level System” doesn’t really matter, it just allows to you personalize your characters by subtly tweaking either: Damage, Mana Regen, or Health. Otherwise a Level 1 character is not that much different from a Level 20 character.
*The game is surprisingly kid friendly! With no blood, bad language, or nudity – this game supports a completely immortal cast so death is no problem. Difficulty levels such as Beginner and Normal are so easy a child of 7 and up can master them even without signing into XBox Live. Finally the levels are so basic, linear, and simplified its hard for a child to get lost and not know what to do.
*XBox Live and Offline supply two different gaming functions. Offline has provides lives for your character, so playing Impossible Offline is well, Impossible. But all games on XBox Live supply Unlimited Lives, so playing Impossible Online with a bunch of friends is a challenge that will keep you and your buds busy for far longer than five hours. Try ten, twelve, or possibly fifteen!
*Each class of character is indeed different from one another when it comes down to the Special Moves. (Moves which cost 500 gold each). When playing with a full party of five via XBox Live on Difficult or Impossible Mode, you’ll find that team work and cooperation is the key. The Special Moves of each character service different functions which is easily complimented if not enhanced by your team mate’s Special Moves.
*This is game is not as RPG-like as some would have you think. No inventory or potions, and armor and weapons upgrades as just nifty new features which come in five different levels and service as more of goal to keep playing than anything else. So it’s highly suggested you don’t play alone first to get all your gear.
*Features such as Monster Generators, Food, Keys, Mega Blast, Death, and an Announcer make their return.
The Good:
*Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows lives on XBox Live. You get to actually play via Online for once, so you can enjoy constant, non-stop hacking whenever you want. As long as you play with people who have decent connections of course!
*Playing on Difficult or Impossible Mode via XBox Live provides for a long and truly intense game. You’ll find that you and your friend will be put to task of killing hundreds of guys at once who simply refuse to do just that. Late game you’ll find that most guys can kill you in just a few hits, so working together is a key.
*Food which heals our characters can not be destroyed.
*You can turn off the annoying announcer via Options Menu. (Voice toggle)
*Boss fights a seriously brutal. For all bosses one hit kill. So they offer a decent challenge at best.
*Late game is a fun show, for team working party members send hundreds of enemies flying in all directions using special moves and/or the powerful Mega Blast.
*Very easy transfer of character between Online & Offline and several other games. You never need to make a new one for a new game, just keep building the one you got.
*Optional Auto-Save function after each completed level.
*Very nifty dodge moves are easy to perform and are surprisingly powerful. They can knock down several enemies at once.
*Traps hurt monsters as well.
*Few noticeable bugs.
*HDTV function.
*XBox Live games can start from four different points in the game, not just the beginning every time.
*Makes an awesome rental!
The Bad:
*Game is rather shallow since it doesn’t really “mix-it-up” late game. Just lots more hard to take down monsters.
*Poor and unimaginative level design can actually reduce the fun at times as you sometimes get a “Groundhog Day” feeling of helplessly being forced to repeat the same rooms over and over and over again.
*Once you purchase all skills for your characters, gold becomes more of a problem than help. Plenty of chests start to hold more gold than they do food, and you’ll often desire more food than gold!
*The Announcer is whiny and annoying. The plus side is you can turn him off via Options.
*Short levels, and only about twenty in total. Though playing on Impossible Mode via XBox Live really milks them for all they are worth and thensome.
*There is no option to Save & Exit. So if you have to depart from the game suddenly, you will have to suffer the loss unless you can rush to complete the level and save your character.
*XBox Live games can start from only four different points in the game. So if you have a favorite level, you will have to work your way there the hard way via one of the points.
*No other Modes offered -- just a straight button mash hack & slash with Online. This appeals to many still, but if you are looking for a deep, in-depth action game with a serious story and function then look elsewhere.
*Only six boss battles, and bosses, on any mode, don’t last very long or require any critical thinking. It’s just more hack & slash just to a guy who can absorb more of it and deal more damage to more people at once.
*Extremely boring when played alone.