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This user has reviewed 2 games. Awesome!
Nox Archaist: Lord of Storms

A meaty expansion to a fantastic game

I purchased this expansion directly from the developer's website. This expansion provides a really lengthy mid-game chapter with its own story. The new content make Nox Archaist overall a better game, and will surely satisfy to any player who already knows they like Nox. The most important addition is a very large mid-game area to explore—Thunder Keep. Set in a multi-level ruined castle and its underground area, players will fight tough new enemies, find powerful new items and magical; and solve some difficult puzzles. Be warned that some of the puzzles are harder than anything you'll see in the main game, but all can be solved if you pay attention to the clues. The solutions come naturally from the environment, and it never feels like you're trying to read the designer's mind in order to solve an esoteric puzzle. Thunder Keep reminds me of Durlag's Tower (the expansion content for Baldur's Gate 1). Like Durlag's Tower, Thunder Keep provides a brilliant challenge for veterans, while being entirely optional for newer players who aren't ready to tackle it yet. In addition the Thunder Keep, this expansion provides several welcome interface improvements and items. Nox Archaist is already one of my favorite games of all time; and this expansion made it better.

2 gamers found this review helpful
Nox Archaist

Nox Archaist is a good game

Nox Archaist is a good game. Not just good given the technology. Not just good for nostalgic gamers. It is just a good game. NA is an open-world party-based RPG where you can go anywhere at any time, if you can survive. This is true for the very start. Near the first town, you can walk into high-level areas, some of which will be a challenge even for a full-leveled and equipped endgame party. Despite this lack of barriers, you're always given plenty of warning signs of danger, so it never feels cheap. The leveling system is clever. It uses both traditional leveling from experience, plus a proficiency system where your skills improve by doing them. Want to get better with a bow? Just equip one and attack with it and your ranged skill improves. The main benefit of leveling is that your statistics improve, and you choose how to distribute new stat points. Stat points matter because nearly all equipment requires a minimum number of appropriate stat points in order to equip. The dynamic balance of proficiency/levels/equipment allows you to build your characters however you like, while offering tempting rewards for specializing. The combat system has some tactical depth, while generally avoiding being burdensome. You can also choose a quick combat option which I really appreciated when encountering lower level foes. The best feature of the game is exploration. This is a much larger game than it seems. Not only does it feature many castles, towns, dungeons, and islands to explore, it also features a mind-bogglingly large underworld full of wonders and dangers. I estimate that even after exploring the entire (and considerably large) surface area, you've only seen about 1/3 of the places you can explore. The story is fairly pedestrian. There is an evil cult, doing evil, and you're trying to find and stop it. But settlements are full of sidequests and people to talk to. Your journey is the real star here. You won't regret exploring Nox Archaist

18 gamers found this review helpful