GameBanshee Forums

For those who already have the game:

The last game was extremely linear, and that frankly killed it for me. How nonlinear is this game? Rather like BG2, would you say? Go anywhere, do anything, accept five quests simultaneously and do 'em when you wish?

Does combat require a lot of fancy movement and coordination to work? I frankly stink at arcade and elaborate action games. What can I expect?

Hey Fable, I don't have the game yet, but there is a pretty good review of the game over at Gamespot that you can read if you haven't done so already. Here is the link:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/vtmb/index.html

Thanks, but it really didn't answer my questions. I still don't get a feeling for whether the game allows me to accumulate plenty of quests and seek my own path, nor whether I can just stand still, hack away, and still win.

I just got the game last night, so these are not authoritative answers, just my first impressions. (I'm at work right now, and things are busy- so this might get a little stream of consciousness. Apologies in advance.):

Linearity: The game is constructed in hubs, and it seems as though you must complete certain quests to open up new hubs. Within each hub there are doors that are locked, and cannot be opened unless the character is on a given quest. In this way, the game does seem somewhat linear. Conversely, I can't help but feel that some of the decisions and alliances I've made are affecting the way the story unfolds. I could be wrong, but I'm definitely looking forward to playing a second, less diplomatic, character (I had originally intended to have a few parallel games going, but I've been too engrossed with my first character's story to want to take the time to make a second one).

Combat: I've found the combat to be problematic. I would have hoped that I would be able to talk my way out of more situations than I have. Sadly, my pretty-boy Toreador has had to undergo his fair share of combat. So far I've mainly done melee (my first attempts to use the firearms were somewhat frustrating). The main problem with melee is that it forces you into a cumbersome third-person perspective. In theory, you can use WASD in conjunction with the left mouse button to make combo moves, using Tab to block your opponent's attacks. In practice, I often end up clicking and pushing buttons like a madman while desperately trying to get the view lined up so that my character will actually land a punch. This might simply be a reflection on my lack of skill- but would really have like to try it in first-person perspective.

Other: I've run into some audio glitches, bad cutscene animations, and strange design decisions that occasionally make this game seem fairly unpolished, considering how long it was delayed. It would also have been nice to have dialog with generic NPCs, even a simple, "Hey, how're ya doing?".
On the other hand, I am LOVING this game. The atmosphere is fantastic, some of the NPC dialog is hilarious, and I'm really curious about how the storylines will play out. I played until the wee hours of the morning, and would be playing it still, if I had had the good sense to call in sick today. Sigh.

Those are my first thoughts, for what they're worth. Hope they're helpful!
'Bye!

[QUOTE=windandrain]The main problem with melee is that it forces you into a cumbersome third-person perspective. In theory, you can use WASD in conjunction with the left mouse button to make combo moves, using Tab to block your opponent's attacks. In practice, I often end up clicking and pushing buttons like a madman while desperately trying to get the view lined up so that my character will actually land a punch. This might simply be a reflection on my lack of skill- but would really have like to try it in first-person perspective.[/quote]

This proved especially useful, since I tend to get carried away in realtime combat and end up twirling in place. Bioware's system of pausing to enter tactical battle commands then allowing your characters to fulfill 'em while the dice are rolled in the background for success: that's my speed.

Those are my first thoughts, for what they're worth. Hope they're helpful!
'Bye!

Yes, they are. I appreciate all the helpful comments I'm getting.

I agree with what windandrain wrote. It sometimes had that linear feeling since some doors won’t open until you have the appropriate quest going, same goes for some of the characters, they appear only when you need to talk to them. I don’t know the reason for that, maybe it’s a way to protect them so you don’t go on a killing spree and slaughter important characters.

Still, you can have several quests going at the same time which removes some of the linear feeling.

The only thing that really bothers me is first and foremost the melee combat systems. You are forced to play it in third person view. I wish they would have let you decide what you thought was best, first or third person. The second thing is the music, you can’t turn that off. IMHO you should ALWAYS give the player options. That way you’ll cover all bases. Those who want A gets A and those who want B gets B. Everyone is happy.

A minor detail is the movement, it feels like you are running on ice. You stop running/walking but always glide a bit before you come to a complete halt. It can be a bit tricky when you have to walk carefully on narrow beams etc.

Maybe a patch will resolve some of the issues. Nevertheless, it’s a great game, I’m having fun playing it. Definitively worth getting.