PC Game Review: The Dark Eye: Drakensang

Drakensang is a PC role-playing game that was released February 24, 2009. It is one of the newer PC RPGs to be released lately, and received very little press coverage from most review sites. It is developed by German studio Radon Labs and published by dtp entertainment in Germany, THG in North America, and Eidos Interactive in the European Union. The game sells for roughly $30 new in the United States of America.

Overview

The games focus is around combat and role-playing, using "The Dark Eye" role-playing system, developed by Ulrich Kiesow. The rules were published in 1984. This makes Drakensang a unique PC RPG, as it uses a system which differs substantially from the traditional Dungeons and Dragons system which has been mimicked by most of the genre. The game features in depth character creation and leveling, an in depth skill system, a sophisticated combat and spell system, and a decent story for keeping players interested.

Character Creation and Progression

At the beginning of the game, players are given the task of creating their character. Players can customize the gender and archetype of their character. Based on archetype, players can choose between being Human, Elf, or Dwarf as their starting race. The archetypes include typical warrior classes, from those that absorb damage to those that deal heavy damage. It also includes a variety of rogues, spell casters, and mixed classes which play off the traditional RPG stereotypes. Archetypes give each character a set of special abilities and traits to master, but do not limit the types of weapons or armor that a character can wear.

Furthermore, players can choose to create their character in "Expert Mode". This allows for players to customize their talent point distributions, enabling them to choose which skills they wish to be proficient with. This can greatly enhance the customization of each character. While it is suggested that the player be familiar with "The Dark Eye" rules set to do this, it tends to be fairly intuitive and easy to see what talents benefit which attributes.

In order to level, players must gain adventure points. Adventure points are gained by performing various actions, from defeating to accomplishing quests. With every level, the player character gains leveling points. These can be spent to raise attributes, to raise and learn new talents, to learn new spells, or to learn new skills.

Skills

Every action in Drakensang requires the use of some attribute or talent. This includes talking to non-player characters, facing down a terrifying dragon, picking locks, etc. The skill system is large, reminiscent of games like Neverwinter Nights. However, being based on a different system, the game has several unique talents and skills to its own. The importance of talents and attributes is greater than in many Dungeons and Dragons based RPGs, as every action utilizes them in some special way.

Combat

Combat occurs in real-time, playing like similar games such as Neverwinter Nights 2, Baldur's Gate, and the like. Players choose from a set of actions to perform while engaging foes, being able to control characters within a party of four individually. Items can only be used from the quick bar. However, most other skills and abilities are context sensitive, with the exception of spells. This makes combat flow smoothly, as the player has all items available to them on screen without having to go through menus. However, the limitation to spells, skills, and items being on the quick-bar means that players must be prepared before a battle, or will have to delve through the menu system to find the required tool.

Like many of these games, characters have health, some form of mana, some form of stamina, and the like to fuel living, powering spells, and powering special attacks. A host of special status affects can affect characters, from poison and burning, to temporary attribute and talent bonuses and other related conditions. Unique to the game is the concept of wounds, which if a character takes four of, will result in that player starting to die. The game ends if the players whole party is defeated, which results in the death of every character.

Story

The story is atypical of these types of games. The hero, or player's character, receives the call to adventure by letter from his friend Ardo. This spirals into a story in which the player character must now become the legendary Dragon Champion. However, in order to do so, they must collect four pieces of a legendary armor, splattered around the world. However, upon finding the final piece, the player must defeat an evil sorceress who has stolen it and plans to use its power to bring a great evil into the world.

Graphics and Sound

The games graphics comparable to many PC RPGs of the same kind. While not as impressive as recent releases from Bioware and similar companies, the game still delivers. Likewise, the sounds and environments are well crafted and really help to immerse the player in the game world.

Final Conclusions

The Dark Eye: Drakensang is a unique PC RPG which delivers where these games tend to. Fans of games such as Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and the like will greatly enjoy the game. To PC RPG enthusiasts, the game plays well and gives a different system and set of rules to play with.

Pros:

+ In depth character creation and archetype system allows for unique classes and choices at the start
+ Tactical game-play and combat system is well polished
+ Useful and different talents make the game more intriguing to learn the system
+ Well adapted, if cliche, story
+ Lush and well adapted environments really bring the game to life
+ Combat flows well
+ Elegant, if not a little complex, menus and systems make it easy to find most things in game

Cons:

- Limited races and class restrictions
- Cannot customize the look and feel of the characters, being limited based on race and archetype

Final Score: 8.5 / 10.0