Dungeon Siege 3 Released

 " Dungeon Siege 3 legionnaires have protected the nation of Ehb for centuries until they were betrayed and all but driven to the brink of extinction."

"The combat in Dungeon Siege 3 involves lots of button-mashing and dodging enemy attacks, especially when up against foes that use magic a lot." 

"Players will have weighty decisions to make that will impact their alliances, enemies and the culmination of the story."

"Action RPGs exist for this very reason: They're engineered to satisfy your id. You slash and slice your way through thousands of enemies on your way to the loot at the end of the tunnel."

"Dungeon Siege 3 takes place about 150 years after the original and each of the four characters has different abilities and powers."

"Dungeon Siege 3 has a nice little nuance I noticed in the beginning of the game: most games have the hero start out as a farmer or simpleton of sorts, but the player is never really convinced of the hero's humble background, Dungeon Siege 3  does not open the game with the hero actually doing farmwork, with the dog lying around and chickens looking for feed."

"The game is much like Diablo and other Dungeon crawler games in that it focuses on exploring dungeons and other monster infested ares and less on towns, which serve more as pit stops to the next area."

Henry Dowling South African Review


""As far as adjectives go, being called "satisfying" isn't generally considered a wildly enthusiastic compliment. I doubt it's a word that game developers choose as a benchmark for their projects, preferring to hear the likes of "awe-inspiring" or "sublime" associated with what they have created. Yet in the case of Obsidian's action RPG Dungeon Siege 3, "satisfying" is the word which most accurately describes the experience, and it's meant in the most positive manner possible. Just about every element, from the story to the combat, is handled in a straightforward but pleasantly entertaining way. All of these bits and pieces together result in a Western RPG which doesn't try very hard, but should leave you feeling... well, satisfied.""

Multiplayer concerns aside (the concern being "why did they bother?"), Dungeon Siege 3 is an almost brilliant fantasy adventure. The story has enough momentum to drag you along at a fair pace, complimented by a combat mechanic which is simple yet still encourages strategic play. Each kill, each completed quest, each big, glowing "Level Up!" that sears across the screen when you hit that next Experience Point milestone leaves you feeling... satisfied. By not trying too hard to wow us with amazing technology or diverse gameplay styles, Obsidian has scored a pretty solid action RPG hit that should have most gamers eager for yet another Dungeon Siege to follow. Satisfying indeed.
Pros:

• An entertaining, if not thought-provoking, narrative
• Visually appealing fantasy gameworld
• Fun and surprisingly strategic hack-n-slash combat

Cons:

• Limited, frustrating camera angles
• Co-op mode is disappointing, only because it could have been great

 

It's a pretty big world to explore too, spread across a variety of environments, each with a distinct look and feel. Level maps are big but never overly complicated, mostly guiding your party down a fairly linear path. Swamps suffocating in thick fog and underground caverns dotted with glistening gems buried in the rock walls, along with suitably quaint medieval towns are all portrayed with a charming visual flair. Obsidian has by no means pushed the boundaries of what is possible on current generation hardware, but the entire Kingdom of Ehb is consistently pleasant to look at. Subtle details abound, with impressive environmental textures creating an attractive but not overtly realistic fantasy world. Repeated visits to some areas can lead to a mild case of overexposure though, especially during quiet times where there are no enemies to keep you occupied, making those same alluring forests look a little tired.

As can be expected, all of this combat results in two things: levelling and loot. Kill enough pointy-eared swamp trolls and you'll soon be on your way to that much-desired "Level Up" chime, giving you a chance to improve and modify your characters skill set to suit your style. Anyone expecting an in-depth character building component here must keep in mind that Dungeon Siege 3 isn't that kind of RPG - character development as a whole is a relatively dumbed down, streamlined affair. Loot, on the other hand, is here and in abundance.

This is a dungeon crawler at heart, in the vein of the classic Diablo series, or the recent XBLA gem Torchlight, and that means loot pours from fallen enemies like a shiny fountain. Treasure chests are everywhere, from the attics of deserted castles to the darkest, dingiest corners of a forgotten swamp, just begging to be hacked open to release their bounty. Selecting which of your discovered loot to actually use isn't quite so exciting, because you basically just equip the most expensive items you own at any time. Still, just seeing those glimmering piles of gold coins and trinkets shining in the moonlight is reason enough to smash every crate, kill every monster and search every corner of the world.

We envite you to explore this dungeon crawler today visit our Gaming Store or buy it direct from the sidebar. Alternativelt explore the Demo version first before you make your way back to this blog for more updates, reviews, videos and best deals.