Diabolo similarity? Yes, and yet it adds its own charm.
It should be said first that it is a small game project and that it is not up-to-date with graphics and the likes but all this does not take away the charm and fun this game offers.
To sum up what I will write about a lot more come the good and the bad things:
The Bad:
- Graphics are rather old (though I do not mind)
- Quest-types are known and repetitive after a while (but give me a game that doesn't have this problem)
- only 4 classes with a defined gender to choose from
The Good:
- additional things to do, due to the diplomatic interactions with other convents
- shared stash among all characters created
- the chance to create a new world after you Save&Exit, adjusting it to your level and preference of difficulty but keeping all items and recruits (only the additional guards, diplomatic relations and quests will be lost)
- cute little extras with buying guards for your house
- lots and lots of things and equipment to be found, a dream of all those collecting souls out there
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You start a game and are confronted with a menu that is a bit confusing at first but you will get into it quite soon.
4 classes to choose from: Mage, Warrior, Priest (though it seems to be more of a Cleric) and Rogue. Name it and Name your convent and off you go into the game.
From here on you are into the good old hack-and-slay adventures. Rescue townfolks, help to collect the ingredients to cure poisons of all sorts, slay Champion, Elite, Unique, Legendary and Boss monsters as you evolve your character. But while you are out in the wild doing your duty, you may not want to forget your diplomatic bonds with the other convents. Do you want to win in a diplomatic way (form alliances with the other convents) or do you want to slaughter them all? The choice is yours.
You get to employ up to 5 recruits if which one can accompany you on your rampage through the wilds. The others stay at your house and protect it and can join you on your raid, once you declare war on a different convent. Additionally you can buy creature guards that will help to protect your home.
While the quests usually are repetitive such as kill xxx or collect 5 xxx, there are also other quests that will effect your town. If, for example, the Armor merchant has been petrified, she will remain that way until you have found the cure. If you fail to rescue the Steward, who is one of the main questgivers, and he dies by the hands of a monster... he will be lost for quite a long time. So there are quests where you are under time pressure and that will effect your luxury of handing in quests or buying items.
An integrated shared stash lets you collect rare, set and unique items and for once it is nice that those items are not wasted. If you find a dagger but play a priest simply put it in the stash and enjoy the little treasure with your newly created rogue or warrior.
I can only say that this game is great fun and highly addictive but don't let me alone be the judge. You can get a demo and try it out yourself to see if it suits your desires as players. The little forum that supports the game should also be mentioned. Two of the offical staff are often present and answer questions or do their part in the off-topic forums, it gives you a feeling of a nice and caring community.
So all in all: Two thumbs up.