Completed on Very Hard in 17 hours in Single Player
Quick Overview
So
what got my intrigue about this game was the developer. I have always
been a fan of Obsidian for the fact their RPGs are generally very well
written, have great characters and lore and feature fun and active
player choices. On those fronts, this game did not disappoint at all.
In more depth
Companion
The
characters are well developed and your companion delivers the right
amount of commentary during gameplay and during conversations to the
point you appreciate them being there but also don't want them to just
shut the hell up.There is an 'Influence' tied in with each companion that allows powers to be unlocked if you fill the influence meter. The influence is gained by being a great leader to those companions in your actions and conversation tones. The companion I preferred (Lucas) was a diplomat and felt people should be heard and given a chance, before being cut in half, where as my starting companion had a much harsher and warrior like attitude.
This adds a nice level of depth already to the companion next to you, assuring that they are not just another icon on the map.
Combat
Enemy
and location variety is great. I really enjoyed the pace in which you
move from one area to another and the different enemies you face within.
You are never in one area for too long, and this is coming from someone
who did every side mission he could find. From elemental magic
attacking enemies to long range bow to big towering tank like enemies.
It's all there to test your skills.One thing I will say against the combat is, playing as Katarina, a rifle and dual wield pistol packing badass woman, who fights from distance, the roll for me was very OP. The roll dodge basically puts you in a invincible frame state and the amount of 'cool down' before you can roll again is almost non existent. Some tougher fights can turn into a rolling game due to that but there is strategy in that you have to decide when to stop rolling and make an attack.
There is also the environment variety that can change and affect how you fight as some areas are tight, where as others have space to move around.
Story
The
story is well realised and did not disappoint an Obsidian fan. Though
not their most ground-breaking work; it's solid, well written and well
told.It really gets you thinking about power and how people gain it and hold on to it. And also why they want it in the first place. As with most Obsidian games, there is no clear good or bad. There is only intentions, inspirations, and actions. It's up to you as a member of The Legion, a great historic order who have been massacred and lost many, to decide many people's faith as that is the role of The Legion. It is also you who decides and helps decides how The Legion should rebuild itself. Do you face the ugly truths of the past or hide them to make The Legion appear a something greater than what it is?
As a member of The Legion, who historically decide on disputes of the land, it is your job to settle some disputes and call some of the shots. There range from a land ownership dispute to deciding the faith of an ex-Legion member who causes chaos to ultimately deciding what to do with the person you have been pursuing for the whole game and many more throughout your journey.
Your decisions and the outcomes are explained in nicely drawn comic like pages, elaborating on the waves your decisions have made and perhaps how it was received by the public and the fellow Legion members. This is a nice way to acknowledge and feel the weight of your decision.
Gameplay
It
might seem odd I have left gameplay for last but this is actually a
fairly simple affair. Simple in its execution but done well and is
addictive similarly to how a loot based ARPG games can get (think
Diablo, Torchlight, etc). There is the three grades of items, many
skills and proficiencies to pick and upgrade, many stats to think about,
another upgrade system which is tied to 'mastering' the skill. You have two sets of weapon sets, main and secondary. Main is usually your damage weapon and secondary is crowd control. Each weapon has three powers along with character based defensive powers. So it has most of the depth you would expect from such game and really I feel this is best experienced by playing the demo which you can get right here on Steam. I have mentioned the depth demo might not express in this little overview section.
To End...
So, overall, this is a very solid game in all its functions and I have thoroughly enjoyed my 17 hours with it.
It gets an overall;
VERY GOOD
7/10
7/10
