Good game/ torture device!
So, the battle for Wayland Keep is on, and it's all up to you to save everyone!
In this game you take control of a brave hero and single-handedly (more or less) defend the keep from the Empire.
It's great roll-playing fun immersed in a detailed fantasy realm, but how does it all come together?
Presentation/Graphics: 8/10
The menu screen is simple, and well laid out. It doesnt bombard you with choices, it just lets you dive straight into the game, as a good menu should.
Graphically speaking, this game ranks very highly. All the artwork is done to a high standard and is very detailed. You'll find the characters all look unique, and are styled appropriately. The game has a somewhat cinematic approach to help deliver the story and set the scene, involving cut-scenes with some really great animation and artwork, which is always better than just scrolling through a bunch of text right?
There are one or two things that draw it back however. You'll find that the graphics, as good as they are, are nothing new. It all looks great, has a good level of detail and comes together very nicely, but it doesn't every really impress you to the point of thinking "damn, this is amazing!" or at least not in my opinion anyway.
Also, There's a lot of dark colours, and although the dark colours fit the theme and style of the game, some brighter, more vibrant colours for the lightening and fireball moves and such would have really made them pop out.
All in all though the graphics are great, and you wont get sick of looking at them any time soon.
Gameplay/Control: 8/10
The game starts you off in a quick and simple tutorial, just to explain the basics of combat and movement. As new features are introduced through the game, you're instructed on how to operate them. It's mostly controlled through by pointing and clicking, however, it comes with come handy hotkey controls, and if you dont want to scroll the screen with your mouse, you've got the option of using wasd, or the arrow keys.
There really isnt much wrong with the control, its smooth and fluent, however, sometimes scrolling with the mouse can be somewhat tedious because of the sensitivity, but it's really nothing major.
You'll spend lots of time on the battlefield, facing wave after wave of the Empires soldiers, defending the wall of the keep, and gain an arsenal of special abilities to help you as you progress. In addition, you can upgrade your characters defences and increase your attack power, or reinforce the wall using points you earn during battle. You never feel like you wont be able to handle what the game throws at you, but still recognize the challenge, which is a hard balance to get right!
When you're not fighting, you're inside the camp, either upgrading as mentioned, or talking to other soldiers to gain more information about the upcoming battles, or the history of Candor (the land you're in).
Personally, I was uninterested in all the dialogue and stories, but I did read much of them, and can tell you that they're well written, and paint a vivid picture of this fantasy realm.
The problem I found was that I gradually started to find defending the keep somewhat tedious. You never really get any other objectives, so after a while, it can begin to feel repetitive, but the challenge and progression you make keep you satisfied enough to keep playing, and you do get a rewarding feeling when new abilities become available.
Sound: 7/10
The music and sound effects are all very appropriate and used well, and the sound quality is of a very high standard, but none of it is very memorable.
What the game needs is a distinctive theme that plays at key moments through the game and such. Something you can grab onto, and that will always remind you of this game every time you hear it.
So to reiterate, the sound is good, the music is appropriate and the effects are satisfying, but there's nothing that really sticks in your head.
Oh, and if I hear "the wall is under attack!" one more time, I'm gonna shoot myself.
All in all, it's a great game, and I highly recommend you give it a go!