3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
The (expected) next-in-line D&D computer game
Date of Review: Dec 28, 2000
I've played D&D since 1978, and have played all of the SSI Gold-and-other-color-box sets, starting with the Apple IIc version and graduating to the PC. I've role-played with every intellect level from morons to geniuses, and this game falls somewhere in the middle. After deliberating for the longest time whether or not I needed a distraction like this in my life (I have a wife, a child, another one on the way, a full time job, and I go to school), I decided, "well, heck, it's D&D! And it's a new computer version!" I probably never should have bought it.
The game is HUGE. Five CD's fill the wallet inside the box, intimidating your first peek into the box. Installing it is rather easy, deceptively so.
Your first major disappointment is the irritating character creation system, where you have to 'randomly' determine a character's stats. Thankfully, you choose your race and class beforehand, and your stats reflect the minimums required (so if you choose a Paladin, your Charisma is always at least 17). However, the rolls exceed even the most patient person as you scroll through terrible after terrible character, at times maddingly so (like having a character with 15+'s in every category, except one, where it's a 3). I'm not a 'power gamer,' but I find it helps to have characters that are better than average - after all, what's the point of being a hero in the first place - in order to help you get through the game and not get stuck in one place. Thankfully, there is a 'save' feature, where you can hold onto a particularly decent set of rolls, but want to continue in case you can do better. Believe me, you have to have some Patience to get what you want here.
The intro is immersing and interesting, changing slightly depending on what character type you choose, and then you find yourself in the adventure. Your path is easily determined, since you start in the town of Candlekeep, can't leave the town, and everyone pretty much tells you what you need to do next. It's pretty much a 'Fed-Ex' mission at the beginning, where you fetch X to get Y to give to person Z, etc., etc. Sooner or later, you get to go out and have the real fun.
Unfortunately, the game is linear. I found that it is not nearly as linear as the old Gold-box games, but its paths are predetermined nonetheless. Go off the path into an area that you weren't supposed to be in until much later, you'll end up dinner for some beastie in no time. If you want an example, in the beginning you head to the Friendly Arm Inn to recruit a couple of additional members to your party. Instead of going there, head north to the farm. Have fun with the Ankhegs! Throw a party as your characters are torn limb from limb in no time!
To be fair, the quest isn't as prodding as it could be, in that you determine the path from other NPC's and the 'visions' that you have (too much bad mead?) that will set you on the right path. As you progress you feel that you are part of a real story, like a book - indeed, the game is divided into 'chapters' to be certain that you feel this way - one that is easily read and entertaining to a degree.
I found that I would tire of the character that I would create, plus I would feel hamstrung by the NPC's that I came into contact with. I like having a certain mix in my parties, including a thief, cleric, and mage - all human to make level progression caps disappear - and the remainder demihuman to help balance out the party. You'll find that some of the most useful characters are paired up, and if one goes (by dropping them from the roster), the other does too. That is realistic, but frustrating. Party balance is never what I want it to be, and I find myself saying that things would be better if I had such-and-such a character...and restart. I've probably restarted a dozen times.
The combat system is innovative, although I was skeptical of it when I played it. I wondered how real-time combat would be effective in a turn-based system...but it works. The pause feature is the crowing piece of this system, allowing you to stop the action, issue orders such as movement, attacks, hiding in shadows, casting spells, etc., and then un-pausing to resume the action...all the while being able to pause it again when you need to. Quick slots help you use items quickly instead of having to dig through your bag to find it. In this regard, the system is inflexible - rightfully so, since it isn't realistic to be in combat and start looking for that knife +1 you put in your backpack. When you access the screen during combat, even paused, the game will restart - and you'll suffer the consequences.
Character AI's are annoying as well, since with them on, the characters will often go off and do their own thing...especially in combat. I found it best to turn it off and deal with keeping an eye on the characters. The only useful combat function of the AI is that the character will attack the next monster once the one he/she's working on is dead, instead of standing there doing nothing which they do if the AI is off. This is relatively minor, and something you should do anyway to be sure your weaker characters aren't trying to go toe-to-toe with a dragon.
The characters for the most part are interesting, but some of them will get on your nerves quickly. The male ranger elf and his female fighter/druid companion that you find in the Friendly Arm Inn at the beginning of the game are the best/worst of this; the female is a great addition to the party, while the male's constant whining and scardy-cat attitude tends to wear. (After clicking on him to direct him to the attack, hearing him gasp out in surprise as if on a ton of caffeine and stutter out a respose got old after the hundredth or so time I did it.)
Resting and memorizing spells is difficult, since even if you want to memorize only one spell, you have to rest eight hours and not the four or so that I'm used to. That eats up a lot of time.
The voices and portraits are surprisingly limited (three voices for males, three for females) and unoriginal, but there are many sites online where you can download new voices and portraits to better customize your game to your liking.
All in all, this is a great step forward for the computer RPG genre, and one that I hope is followed through with in a few years with even more improvements. It was fun to play, if annoying at times (especially having to change out discs all the time), but it makes me wonder that if the D&D system has gone this far in the twelve years it's been in computer games, how far could it go in the next twelve?
