QnD Review: Drakensang: The Dark Eye

Platform:

• PC
  Tested on: WinXP SP3, 4GB, AMD X2 4200+@2450MHz, GeForce 8800GTS, SB Audigy

What and where?

• £25 at Gamestation

In Short:

• German developer dabbles at classic high fantasy with good to average results.
  

QnD Review:
Hey! Stop the press!! This clearly isn't a "bargain" game! In fact this game has just been released (03/2009)! Well, for my defense I'll tell you that this game costs less than most full priced PC releases and it's worth a look for anyone into the high fantasy RPG genre.

Drakensang introduces nothing new. What it does, on the other hand, is that it takes all the classical elements of the "RPGs of yore", throws them into one melting pot, stirs a bit and then serves you a very enjoyable RPG experience.

You have your usual elves, dwarves, fighters and mages with the murder mystery, bad guys and gods thrown in the mix.

Based on a true pen & paper RPG ruleset, the game tends to be a bit challenging at times, but it offers you a free ranging character development system where you can take most classes (and I use that term loosely) where you want to. So a spellcaster can wield a sword or an axe and even use armor (though metal armor prevents spellcasting) and a fighter can learn spells or alchemy with it's companion plant-gathering skills.

Visually the game ranges from "Ooh-aah" (mostly nature scenery) to "ho-hum" (mostly dungeons, sewers, etc). It runs reasonably well on an older maching and is less buggier than most PC games on release.

While no The Witcher, Drakensang: The Dark Eye is still a recommended RPG snack to tide you over while waiting for the next big classic RPG.

The Good:

• Old School RPG feel
• Character skill development variety
  
• NWN style "pause combat" - you can pause at any time and issue commands to your fellows
• graphics and sound, when they feel like it
• map / quest pointer system is one of the best thus far
  

The Bad:

• challenging; sometimes the opposition is just too damn hard, forcing you to abandon something until you get some more levels below your belt (but that's "Old School" for you)
  
• graphics can also be dull at times
• gaining levels and skills is slow work
  

Score:

• price: 6
• graphics: 8
• sound: 8.5
• gameplay: 9
• story: 8.5
  

TOTAL: 8.5
(Not an average)