Excellent Combat and Beautiful Graphics, but some irritating bugs keep it from reaching perfection.
Several Months ago, the Demo for Dark Messiah Might and Magic was released to the public. While short, it offered some intense combat techniques and good character development.
Now the full version has arrived, does it stack up to the lofty promises?
GRAPHICS:
Running on an updated version of the Source engine, which powered 2004's acclaimed Half-Life 2, this game holds quite well against other games. Despite some stuttering issues (Which were also present in Half-Life 2), the game looks and runs very well, and is quite well optimized for lower-end systems. The HDR lighting is also very impressive, but is not recommended unless you've got a beefy Machine.
SOUND:
Sound effects such as Sword collisions, wood creaks, and other assorted bangs and crashes are all quite well done in this one. But the overall sound quality is marred by some hit-or-miss Voice work. There is some good voice acting, such as that of the overly voluptous Xana, or Leanna. But Serath, the main character, sounds rather apathetic for most of the game. His words sound almost as if he doesn't care about what's going on around him. However, some of the enemy chatter is impressive, Orcs taunt you with deliberately awful grammar, and Goblins make humorous little jabs at you (In fact, when you are playing through any Goblin-populated areas, I encourage you to take it slow, wait in the shadows and listen to some of their conversations for more than a few good laughs.)
GAMEPLAY:
Of course all the Amazing Graphics and Superb Sound in the world wouldn't mean a thing if the game wasn't fun. Fortunately for us, Dark Messiah is no slouch in the Gameplay department.
The game makes excellent use of the Source engine's Physics capabilities. Traps and Pitfalls abound for you to use against your enemies, from falling barrels to swinging concrete pendulums, your Sword is the last thing your opponents should be worried about.
The game also incorporates a "kick" feature, in which you can kick your enemy. It may not sound innovative or interesting, but it's a simple mechanic that adds a lot to combat. Kicking an Orc in the back and watching him fall off a cliff is endless fun. Dark Messiah also includes a serviceable Character Development system. Throughout your journey, you'll gain "Skill Points" which you can spend on various abilities. The abilities you choose will generally reflect your playstyle. There are essentially three different Combat styles you can select. These are the Warrior, who uses brute force with Swords and Shields to dispatch his enemies. The Assassin, who uses a pair of Daggers and a bow to stealthily deal with foes. And the Mage, who uses various Offensive and Defensive spells. You'll never feel bound by any of the styles though, the game is open enough to allow for any combination of the three. The weapons in the game look great, especially the "Souldrinker" you'll obtain later in the game. The only gripe is that there aren't very many. There are really only two or three different weapons for each Style, and each weapon is gained progressively, so there isn't much strategy involved in your weapon selections. Essentially, whichever weapon you obtained most recently is probably the best choice to use.
Despite the limited weapons, the combat in this game is Visceral and Immersive. The game implements a very realistic first-person experience not seen in many other games. The camera tilts and bobs as you walk, sways to the left and right as you swing your sword, making for a realistic and genuinely fun experience.
TECHNICAL ISSUES:
Ah well, it can't be all good can it? The one major problem with this game is the severe set of bugs it has out of the box. Ubisoft has a patch on the way, but it's nevertheless frustrating. Players have developed impromptu solutions to most bugs, but it's still irritating to have to do so many things in order to play the game.
One of the major problems is a "Static" issue, in which a constant Static sound comes out of the speakers. This can be fixed in most cases by Verifying your cache files in Steam. The other most prominent issue is severe Stuttering and long Load times. If you are using an Nvidia 6xxx series, it is recommended that you go back to the 84.xx drivers as a temporary fix. Another method that seems to work quite well, and for no conceivable reason, is to reduce Texture quality to Medium. It may not look as good, but at least it makes the game playable. Despite the issues with Sound, the Bugs, and the minor issues with Weapon selection, Dark Messiah Might and Magic is still a very worthwhile experience for your PC. Once you solve the bug issues, you'll find an addictive, immersive, and unique experience that will stick with you for some time.
--If anyone has any comments they'd like to share with me, please feel free to message me.