This is more of a "here's what to expect" review than a criticism. All that has been said of this game is true. It is one of the best CRPG games ever released. But what most people don't mention is some of the aspects of the game which might make it not suitable for many of today's gamers. That said, it is not for the "high speed, get to the end as quickly as possilble" crowd. There will be a lot of repetition. Going over the same ground; killing the same monsters over and over again; talking to every single person in the game, often more than once. Taking notes...yes, you WILL need to have a notebook and have to write down every single clue you get. This game is a true quest, unlike the mission oriented quests we've been used to in MMO's and other RPG's over the years. You have to go to many different locations, often more than once. And there's no map with a shiny circle pointing out where you have to go or who you have to talk with. You'll get clues from just about everybody, IF you know what to ask about. And, at times, it can get very frustrating. For example: you're moving along nicely heading east in your ship towards Buccaneer Bay and suddenly the wind changes and you're dead in the water..then about 6 sea serpents attack your little boat. and before you know it..you're gone. There's no booting up a previous saved game because it only saves your present position when you quit. Movement can be a pain at times. When you get into deep forest, you see nothing around you but blackness. As you move trying to find your way out, you often run into packs of wandering monsters and you'll find yourself in the combat window....again. Even though you get items and chests from the monsters, after a while you just wish you could move to your desired location without running into them all the time. But that's one of the endearing aspects of this game. You have to work hard for what you want. For example: ff you don't use cheats or walkthoughs which are plentiful online, you could spend hours just mapping the moongates and trying for figure out just where the heck you are in that big world. Oh, and there is no auto mapping, nor is there an automatic map telling you where you are in the world..if you want to know that, you'll have to use a special item, available in only a few, hard to reach places. This game DOES NOT hold your hand..ever. Combat can be tedious after a while. It's turn based. You move, the AI moves. Every encounter takes place in a separate window where you have to move each of your 1 to 8 characters into position to use whichever weapon or spell you have readied. The AI is not friendly. Enemy spellcasters will use some nasty spells on you. And when a character dies, you have to spend large amounts of gold getting him resurrected in a town. You don't regenerate hp automatically, you have to use heal spells or rest, either in an inn in town. or in the field, which can be dangerous because you are subject to attack while resting. Early in the game, you'll be asking yourself, "how in the world do I get ahead in this game?" My advice is to look online for hints...hints, not walkthrus..A walkthru will basically destroy any fun you might have with the game. Trying to find the location of crucial items is one of the things that makes this game so great. The "AHA, I've got it" feeling you get when you uncover the Rune of Sacrifice, for example is great. And you realize that this is only one of many goals you must achieve to get to the level of Avatar. By the way, none of the points I mentioned above do I consider negatives in this game. By today's RPG standards, it's not player friendly. You are dumped into a world with no idea where you are, how to survive and what to do. Basically, what I'm saying is this game is not for the "World of Warcraft, let's do this dungeon in 30 seconds and get out" crowd. It's for someone who wants to take his time, enjoy the experience, stop and smell the roses, uses his noodle and maybe have one of the most interesting gaming experiences of his life. THAT is old school RPG gaming.
