Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements Review
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Combat in Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is not unlike that of Oblivion. The right trigger is used to attack while the left trigger is used to defend. You can map different weapons and spells to the directional pad (double-tiered when holding down the right bumper) for quick access. The game was built using the Source engine and Havok physics engine so as you might be able to guess, interactive environments play a potential role in combat. You can pick up crates and barrels, and toss them at enemies. You can kick out support beams and cut support ropes in an attempt to crush enemies with collapsible structures. You can kick enemies off ledges and into spike walls, and you can even douse an enemy with a jar of oil and then light them aflame (and then watch as he runs frantically into his buddies, setting them ablaze too). There are countless ways to eliminate enemies without unsheathing your weapon and they are all wonderfully satisfying, that is until you've kicked your hundredth goblin into one of the many spike walls.
Combat aside, there's not an awful lot of variety in the game. Although there are more than 35 weapons, each character class can only use between 8 to 10 of them, and for the most part they're variations on the same theme; weapons with chilling effects, weapons with fiery effects, sacred weapons that are effective against the undead, etc. The selection of armor, shields and rings is also rather sparse. You'll end up finding the same items several times during your quest. I very much appreciated the ability to forge new swords along the way though considering the potential of this idea, I don't think its use was fully realized here. The monster types are also none too varied. Instead of having just one type of Goblin, why not have several ranks of Goblin, like a Shaman or a Chief, that way at least you're not fighting the same Goblin type over and over. There are some nice boss battles along the way though, including numerous encounters with a Cyclops, a Giant Spider and even a few Dragons.
