JeffBarentine

Part 2. Edit from my previous post. Yes, you can play through the game, by selecting levels with the previous leveled perks. So, disregard that comment. The rest I hold to in my initial review.

When Terraria was released, I passed. I kept seeing ads and still passed. It wasn't until I saw what people were making in the game (i.e. Super Mario and Bowser Pixel Art) and saw a video of Toby Turner playing that I decided to pay $10 for it on Steam. I started playing at around 9pm. It is now 3am and I just stopped for the night; although it took great effort to stop. Here is the layout: A random world generates from the size you choose (small, medium, large). You start with the basics tools and set off to spelunk in a 2D platform game that seems to have endless depth. The difficultly increases the deeper you go, reminding me a little of Dante's Inferno. It has a definitely feel of Castlevania 2, with the night bringing worse creatures and a curse. So, you fight off the monsters while trying to explore deeper and deeper. What you don't realize is that you have built a town from the mud, sticks, and stone. This brings a nurse and a merchant at first. Only when you have crafted your first golden sword do you realize that you are addicted. You must go deeper to see what else lies in wait. What treasure will you find? What heights will you build to? *sigh* Sorrowfully, I have to work tomorrow and this game will be in my dreams. Simple, yet it is only limited by your willingness to explore and by your imagination to build. This has so much depth for such a simple little game.

So, the common complaints are controls, loot, storyline, deviation from Dungeon Siege 1 and 2. I will agree a bit with the controls had I not had an XBox 360 controller to use. The controller made this game very enjoyable with regards to a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler. It is easy to switch between powers and move around IF you have the controller. I would avoid the mouse and keyboard completely. Second, the loot is a bit typical with 4 classes (white, blue, green and the rare orange items). I had armor at the end that gave me wings of fire (rare). However, most items are based on the character you want to build. i.e. One that heavily blocks or one that is fast and attacks full-on. As far as the storyline, ignore the comments of predictability. You are given choices and the storyline changes based on those choices. The ending sequences are like Fallout 3, based on what you accomplished and the decisions you made. Finally, while this is a deviation from the standard Dungeon Siege combat system, it is enjoyable if you manage to have a controller. I know, why use a controller on PC. Because, I have the option to do so. This game is not for everyone and many diehard Dungeon Siege fans will hate it. However, as a stand-alone game, it is rather enjoyable and easily addictive. The biggest part will be playing a 4 person squad in multiplayer. So, why did I give it a 9? Simple, the messed up keyboard and mouse controls that force you to use the controller. And, at times, you will find the camera at odd angles and unable to see anything except a wall. I purchased this game and received Dungeon Siege 1 and 2 free, so it was worth $45. However, if you are going to buy this game only without 1 and 2 attached, I would not spend over $35 on it. Overall, I do not regret buying this game or using the controller to play it.

Absolutely the best in the Fear series. This is the Fear that I have been waiting for since the inception of the series. The A.I. of the enemy troops is brilliant. They flank, flush out with grenades, and work to put you in the most tactical mindset I have ever seen in a game. The weapons and controls (XBox 360 controller) are the best I have played so far in a PC FPS game. Everything feels perfect, the fighting, the atmosphere, and the A.I. "GET THIS GAME!!!" It is flawless.

Piranha dumped JoWood because they blamed them for a buggy game. However, on my Alienware Desktop that I ordered last year (2010), Forsaken Gods crashes non-stop in the first 5 minutes. No matter what I do, it will not run. However, the original Gothic 3 runs okay. Bugs taken into account, I am glad I got this as a bundle for $5 with all existing Gothic Games on steam. Gothic 1 is great. Gothic 4 is definitely fun. Other than that, I would avoid the other Gothic games all together. Piranha thought they were improving on a buggy game, but ended up creating a worse one by changing things and adding more bugs. This game is simply non-playable.

Many PC Gamers have utterly missed the point about Crysis 2. What this game has shown is, few have taken into account. For example, while it does run on DirectX 9, it does so beautifully. Crysis 2 shows PC gamers that DirectX 9 is still way under utilized and still has potential in gaming today. Check any specs when running a game with DirectX 10 and you will see that it runs at a lower fps than DirectX 9 or DirectX 11. Crysis 1 used ether DirectX 9 or 10. However, the lighting, water effects, and shading that Crysis 2 accomplishes with DirectX 9 is simply astounding and reveals a fundamental flaw with PC game developers. Rushing to use a new technology, such as DirectX 10 and 11, often keeps developers from pushing the limits of previous technology. My second comment is about the graphics. I ran both Crysis 1 and 2 on Very High. While some of the scenery textures in Crysis 1 were more noticeable, this was due to it being completely jungle warfare. Of course gamers will notice a difference in graphics when everything is plant life. However, in the city, I have noticed very little to compare, texturally speaking, to the original. The city buildings and characters in the game are wonderfully textured. I feel that Crysis 2 is smoother and utilizes the hardware much better than the original. The textures seem to impact the fps far less than Crysis 1. And, anyone who doesn't notice that the suit looks 10x better than it did in Crysis 1, needs to look again. The volumetric smoke is so realistic, I watched a car burning for several minutes. As far as linear versus sandbox play, I will say that gamers are missing the point again. This is urban combat and options are limited compared to fighting in the jungle or on an island. The simple reasoning is, you are in a symbiotic suit. It is directing you rather than you controlling it, as you did in Crysis 1. Also, it is up to you how to approach each situation. Do you take the soldiers out one by one stealthily or do you wage open combat with all at once? Do you take a shortcut through the stores, or do you take the walkway above? The suit shows you the best route to go, often recalculating for some obstacle. It is a beautiful combination of symbiosis and free will. Overall, I did not buy this game outright until a few weeks after release. This is because I was discouraged by the reviews. However, I really feel the bigger picture is being missed. 1) DirectX 9 has potential and was never pushed to its limits, until now. 2) Island terrain will never compare, texture-wise, to urban terrain. 3) Sandbox-jungle warfare is far different than semi-linear urban combat. 4) Developers are not pushing current technology enough without skipping right to next-gen, often leaving behind some of the greatest potential in gaming and resource utilization. I give it a 10. I just wish they would have done this with Crysis 1. Which I now play on DirectX 9 and find it, still, quite amazing.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Take the linear play of Fable and openness of Two Worlds, and you have got Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga. The graphics are great and on par with Two Worlds II and the atmosphere and music are perfection. I find myself smiling a lot while playing this game, whether it is the ability to read minds or simply trying to find everything on the maps. The player is encouraged to explore, while not getting utterly lost in the direction similar in games like Dragon Age or Oblivion. While the geamplay is linear, your options at the end of each quest is not. You have choices and either choice rewards you with experience; good, bad, or neutral. I've had a blast with this game and the cinematics are incredible at times. I would definitely say it was worth the $40 I paid for it. Games I like that are similar to this are Two Worlds, Fable, and Dark Messiah Might and Magic, although this game clearly surpasses each of these. The only reason it does not get a 10 is that I do not believe anygame could acheive this rating of perfection. So, 9 is the highest I would give anything.