How can a game company dare to publish this load of bat excrement?
The gameplay is incredibly simplistic. The AI is one of the stupidest I've EVER seen in any game of any genre. You stand back and shoot one soldier and the other simply watches!... If you run away for a bit, the soldier you're firing at simply forgets you and goes back to his post half dead!
The story is as boring and predictable as can get. Incredibly WORDY, a lot of fluff for a superficial core.
I honestly haven't found many alternate ways of progressing. It's all layed out and feels like you're playing connect-the-dots. All missions are talk to this guy, talk to the other. He sends you here you go there, you kill this you bring that. No mystery, no drama. Simple marked targets for your missions, there;s no way of getting lost, so the immense maps seem pointless. All it does is take you longer to do the stupid tasks, with very predictable rewards.
There are potions, yet no way of creating more. You depend on whatever the drops contain. There are 5 or 6 types of herbs and veggies that cure you, but there's really no point to that since they all have the same effect to a lesser or greater degree.
Combat system: There is none! A few special moves per weapon class and recharge so fast you can basically hit with a power-blow, run away (or around a hut) while the enemy follows you blindly like a moron once your power blow is charged up you turn and hit again, rinse repeat and the guy is dead, guaranteed. It makes you feel like an idiot and not a God.
On every map you can simply kill all the guards, pirates, thieves, collect the look and sell off the loot, which NEVER changes in price, all traders give you exactly the same amount. You can sell a tomato to a blacksmith and he'll pay you just as much as the grocery trader. Oh but you can't kill any of the key characters, how convenient! Guarantees your missions will not be stuck or rendered incomplete. In fact I can't find a way of NOT completing a mission!
Horses are pretty much overpriced and useless. Other than going from point A to B faster. Combat on them is quirky and limited. Although you hit harder, it's much easier to be on foot and maneuver away to kite the NPC and kill him at a distance.
I've killed dogs and chickens. you can obliterate an entire flock of chickens while the owner stands there, does nothing at all. The NPCs just seem like complete and utter filling with no salt or pepper.
This is an old school game and a BAD one a really BAD one. It's a hack and slash and a poor rendition of one at that! I'd rather play Diablo all over again .
The graphics are OK, nothing to call home about. The sound is fine, although the music gets old VERY fast.
There are so many excellent RPG options that have been available for years that truly, for a game company to publish this load of bat-excrement in 2008 is simply a waste of artists programmers and suits.
Oblivion, Two Words, The Witcher, Diablo, Baldur's Gate... the worst in any of those games outshines the best that this game can offer.