Oldschool, hardcore, real fun.
We all know what this game is about, don't we? Every RPG fan played Realms or Arkania or at least heard of it. I am sure there those out there who have actually played the original Pen & Paper game too.
As I remember Realms of Arkania 1-3, they seemed a bit difficult for me at that time, but it was worth playing with. It was something that got a hold of you and did not let go.
Anyway - a great many years have passed since Shadows over Riva [Realms of Arkania 3] and finally we have... well RoA 4 or Drakensang.
The great thing is that it is still the very same concept, in the same Fantasy world. An Old-school Role-playing Game dressed for 2009.
Ok, maybe I am exaggerating. The graphics are certainly good, but not great. There are a lot of small details however that make you forgive the developers that game does not use Cryengine.
The cats, chickens, pigs walking around freely... fireflies and flies everywhere - dust dancing in rays of sunlight in dark halls and caves. All these small things make the game look pretty much alive.
Sounds are OK, though nothing special. Characters and NPCs do not talk as much as they do in other recent RPGs. That does not mean there is no dialogue - it just means you have to read a lot.
The game-play is nothing new to RPG fans, and is well-known to Realms of Arkania lovers. For the D&D guys however it will take a little getting used to.
Aventuria is not as magical as most D&D worlds are. Magical things are not as powerful and you certainly don't bump into any of them around the corner.
There are a lot of smaller side-quests in the game, and more than enough playable NPCs to choose your party from, that are willing to join you through your adventure.
I found the game itself still a bit challenging, so be sure to choose wisely what character you start [Human, Elf, Dwarf - Fighter, Spleccaster or Rogue type...], and which NPCs you are taking for a spin. I found that everything you can use [forge, brew, conjure] is worth using if you want to be successful.
I would lie if I told you that I am through the game. I have played the demo and I have played the full game for quite some time now... It seems I only have the last of the 3 dragon quests [not to mention side-quests] before me, and the game will end soon. [My party is level 9-10 and my main character is an anvildwarf] At least that is what I think now :)
I will definitely try it once again after a month or so, with a different type of career - just because it is so interesting and so much fun.
All in all, I enjoy it very much. Looking forward to the coming sequel... And I would definitely recommend the game to anyone willing to spend some quality time playing an RPG.