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There are two new reviews of Wizardry 8 online today. The first is at Khabal Gaming, a very positive one with a final rating of 80/10. Their summary reads like this:
Review of Wizardy 8
By Albert Zhen aka F@TB@ST@RD
21/12/01
Mesmerizing Game With A Cartoonish Feel
I was mesmerized the first time I laid eyes on the Wizardry series. The game plots were non-linear and every attribute had a visible impact in the way the game was played. In fact, the games were so good that I told myself that I had to try out Wizardy 8. Thus, (lucky me!) when I got the game, I immediately installed it and started playing around with it.
Cartoonish 3D Models And Un-scary Monsters
One look at the Wizardy 8's game box told me is that the graphics probably weren't the best the gaming industry had to offer, but then again I didn't buy the game merely for the way it looks. The game installed smoothly, like all games should, but the system requirements stated on the box are way too low to run the game at the playable level, so here's some advice for those with very low system specs, the game lags… so try reducing all the graphics and other things in the game, it might help a little. Still, this game really isn't for those of you with an old computer about 3 years of age.
I got the feeling that when the designers did the graphics they probably bought into the idea that the general gaming population likes cartoonish 3D models. Then again I liked it enough not to complain too much. Well the graphics does have its pros and cons. First off, you see the world in the first person perspective (All games in the Wizardry and Might & Magic series have similar in-game views.) But the lighting can be rather dim and most of the time I had to depend on my radar to see items on the ground. (Major boo boo!... I hate squinting my eyes to try and find some bullet stones spinning on the ground.) In fact, the lighting affects gameplay so much, it can sometimes slow down players who are like me.
Also, a lot of the monsters do not look scary at all! In fact, I was laughing so hard at the hilarious appearance of one of the monsters while in combat, I ended up dying! (Note, personal bias is very important here, what is funny to me might not be funny to you at all!) Conversely, some monsters looked so scary that I didn't dare engage them until much later in the game.
Soft, Unobtrusive Music
The sound and music in Wizardry 8 is generally of good quality, then again there are rarely any games with music to die for anyway. However, this game has some pretty decent music. It doesn't make you like it so much that it takes your attention away from what you are trying to accomplish, but it's not so bad that you get pissed off hearing it over and over again while you wander around in the town. The music and sound is soft and doesn't take center stage unless enemies surprise you when you are turning a corner. Then, the battle tune blares out suddenly, scaring the hell out of you! (Heh don't say I didn't warn you guys!)
Finally… The Last… And Best
Finally… we talk about the gameplay. You guys must be wondering why I got to it near the end of this review… well, its 'cos I like to save the best for last.
Gameplay-wise you can complete this game with any character and class combination. (That's if you like a Faerie samurai with dwarven mages and other weird ass combinations) The flexibilities were really refreshing. Of course this flexibility comes at a price if you decide to play a weird combination, you will end up having certain races that compliment certain professions, but also have your fair share of races which are ill-suited for their class. So if you want to be a Faerie Warrior, I guess it's going to be real challenge heh... Take a look at the screenshots of the character creation screen to for a better idea of what options you have.
The game itself is simply breathtaking. You will have to love Sirtech for making the Wizardy series appeal to a new generation of gamers. The interface is simple enough to understand and fairly intuitive, and the means by which you control your movement is plain and simple. You use your keyboard to move about and your mouse to interact with your environment. Nothing too complicated and nothing that would restrict your interactions with your environment.
I Want To Jump And Fly
If there is one thing this game lacks is the ability to jump. (And of course also the ability to fly… sigh) It would really have been interesting if they could have added those features as it provides me with more opportunities to jump into deep water and drown my party just for the fun of it... hahaha. (Yes I know I seem rather demented but too much role-playing can do that to you sometimes... hehe) Anyway it would have improved the overall playability of certain quests that required to you get to get to high places by winding and tiring roads, and would help cut travelling time so that you can get to where you want to faster.
Definitely A Game That Captures My Attention
On The whole, Wizardry 8 presents a most interesting style of gameplay. Your interactions with Non-player Characters (NPC) are rather funny too. I spent several hours laughing my head off while talking to the Callisto, who is incidentally, a ship! The thing kept saying: "You speak nonsense!" (Heh heh!) I think the best thing about this game is that you can actually freely talk to any NPC about anything under the sun, but here's the catch, you got to say the key words or they will keep saying that they don't get what you are trying to tell then... Ha ha ha!
The second review is at GameVisions. This one is even more positive, with a rating of 93%. Their conclusion:
Overall, Wizardry 8 really is a unique RPG gaming experience, and for any fan of pen & paper RPGs, early computer RPGs, and even those who are just waiting around for another adventure title like Myst and don't mind some overly-complicated fighting, you'll absolutely love the game. For everyone else, though, who enjoys the more modern style of games, I think you'll be exceptionally bored and frustrated with Wizardry 8. Note that it is an extremely niche game, dedicated to those who have been into the style for a very long time, and for what it does, it does exceptionally well. |
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Two Wizardry 8 Reviews
