Lords of Xulima Preview
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The RPG Codex has published a preview for Lords of Xulima based on the Early Access build of the game. They seem pleased with the title, though they worry it might be overshadowed by the bigger budget Kickstarter and non-Kickstarter titles that are being released this year. Here's a snippet on exploration:
F: Exploration is isometric, which isn't the most immersive of choices, but the zoomed-in view, the dense fog of war and the clever level design make it very interesting. There's always something interesting around the corner, a hidden item (there's no item highlight key) or even a secret path, sometimes through what appears to be an impassable wall of trees.
CB: It's true, it feels like every corner of the world has at least something interesting to it, something that makes it worth exploring and clearing out that fog of war. The only thing I kept wishing for was edge scrolling for the camera sometimes you just want to have a good overview of the surrounding area, which the zoomed-out map can't really give you. You can also explore in any direction, or venture into any dungeon, as long as you've found the key and/or can defeat the encounters in your way. I wouldn't call the game fully "open world," since similarly to Divinity: Original Sin, to use a recent comparison enemies that are significantly higher-level can be essentially undefeatable, but it does give you enough freedom and sometimes even alternative paths to reach the same objective.
F: I also like that dungeons have a unique feel. Some are just combat areas, others a clever mix of traps, enemies and hazards, and some just one big elaborate puzzle. They aren't very long, but usually entertaining. Inside, you'll often spot traps (as long as your Perception skill is high enough). Some of them appear as red areas that can be disarmed, similarly to Baldur's Gate. But there are also spikes, which should be carefully navigated around (you can even use the keyboard for more precise navigation), or hazards, such as a room on fire, webs full of spiders, or venomous gas, that you can either endure or neutralize by using expensive magic scrolls.
CB: Some of the hazards may also include higher-level enemies that you must avoid to get through the area, such as the mushroom meadow on the first map. It helps that hovering the mouse pointer over an enemy shows how close you can get to it without being detected. A rudimentary (stealth) mechanic, if you will. I admit that the aforementioned meadow was a bit of a pain for me - at first. In my playthrough, I decided to cross it, and then crossed back. After that, the very thought of going through the motions yet again was so painful that I decided to explore a higher-level area first. Then, as soon as I got strong enough, I simply killed some of the mushrooms as well as the orc that was blocking the road that lets you avoid the valley altogether. Yay for alternative solutions!
