Customer Reviews

Wizardry: The Forsaken Land

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

There are those of us that can remember the old days, playing the first three Wizardry games on the PC. Wizardry: Forsaken Land reminded me of that old-school style. I actually have a hard time putting the game down.

First, let me highlight what I like about the game. Character creation was good. I've played a number of 'console' RPG's that don't put enough emphasis on picking the right race and class. While this game is not on the level of say...Daggerfall, or the PC versions of Baldur's Gate, it certainly is enough to satisfy most hard-core RPG lovers. Both priest and wizard spells fall into the same category of not so many spells it makes your head spin, but enough to keep magic-using lively.

Control is simple. Dungeon crawling is of the stepped variety; altough you can look around by using the Analog stick, you cannot actually MOVE with the analog control. If you want to examine something, you just press 'X'. Random encounters occur by running into a monster you can actually see. There is also an in-game map to keep you from getting lost. In fact, the dungeon crawling is what reminds me the most of the old Wizardry games.

I also really liked the way you unlock chests. When you try to open them, they require you to punch buttons on the control pad in a certain amount of time.

Graphically, the game is on-par with most PS2 games. You get a nice feeling of actually being there. The monster battles also have good look and feel allowing for many monsters on screen at once.

Battles are GREAT!! You have a choice of the normal individual actions, such as attack, spell, and defend, but you also have a number of Allied Actions. These special commands can make use of multiple party members to quell the effects of a Rush, or automatically counter-attack, and stop the attacker, with characters from the back row. This system really makes fighting like a War Simulation Game and use requires you to use strategy, rather than just having everyone attack all at once, over and over and over again.

On the could be much better side, I have to admit that I don't like the Magic Stone spell system. The amount of spells in the game is okay, but I'd like to see more of a spellbook style than having to use Magic Stones to learn and cast spells.

As I mentioned previously, dungeon crawling is the traditional style. This seems rather outdated and a little fustrating at times. We don't move in 10' x 10' blocks and I think most of us feel that RPG's should be moving out of that system. Graphically, it looks like the game engine could hold up to complete analog control, so Atlus, listen up!

The inventory system could be a little more polished as well. No weight encumberance, no 'slots', just a big bag that allows you to carry about 12 items. Considering the depth of play in other areas, the inventory system just seems...crude.

Finally, for a DVD-ROM video game, I was disappointed by the lack of speech. So far, I have yet to hear a single voice in the game; all dialog is text. What's the use of having such a large media format if you're not going to use it? While you could make an argument that voice-overs in the U.S. are usually really bad, and maybe it's best that Atlus stuck with text instead of speaking, but I think most of us have come to expect more from these kinds of games, and personally, I was disappointed.

However overall, it IS a good RPG for those of us that remember that old-style playing. If you played the old Wizardry games, you'll like this new one, and on a console at that! Or if you're a Final Fantasy or similar enthusiasts, and you've already beaten FFX, then by all means pick up a copy of Wizardry for you fix until FF XI comes out.

The good: Feels like Wizardry, especially in character creation, leveling, and dungeon exploring. Deep spell lists for higher level characters. Lots of magical equipment. "Chance" interactions with other characters in out of the dungeon amusing. Fun watching your characters increase in power. Monster graphics in combat are excellent.

The bad: Zero speech. Out-of-combat static "painting" characters during dialogue, again not speech. Everything is text message. Translation is poor, with everything written awkwardly in the past tense. Example: "He stopped talking" is often written, when "He pauses" is clearly better, and in the present tense. Simplistic combat strategy will have you clicking "X" a lot, cycling through too many battles mindlessly. Can't explore the town phsyically, you essentially click to get to a location. Confined adventuring in one location, a dungeon, a la the Wizardry series.

The ugly: The music is inappropriate for an RPG, especially the "hard core" fantasy world of Wizardry. Techno-ish? And bad at that, too! Sound effects are loud, repetitive, dull, and even annoying as you click through windows and every single treasure chest. Horrible fantasy names like "Ricardo" and "Sara" hurt your suspension of disbelief.

Bottom Line: This mediocre RPG would have been more palatable on a different system, about two or three years ago. A good game for the hard-core RPG fan, or fans of the series, yet otherwise this game doesn't keep up with its peers on PS2 like Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Final Fantasy X. The PS2's capabilities - information storage capacity, 3D graphics, sound quality - were clearly not maximized for this average RPG.

Although some individuals have been rather hard on this title for its lack of flashy CG animation and voice acting, Wizardry cannot be simply characterized by the features that have turned most recent RPGs into thoughtless, mind numbing affairs. Wizardry is a throwback to the day when one actually played an an RPG! As a fan of the series since its early days on the PC, I am happy to see a Wizardry title that has recaptured the spirit of its first incarnations. With large, puzzle-like dungeons filled with secrets, a score of diverse enemies to battle, and the near endless strategy that comes with one of the most extensive character management systems on a console, Wizardry is certainly a prize.

In short, this is not a Final Fantasy style game, but rather a welcome return to what RPGs are supposed to be: an exercise of one's mental acumen. Wizardry is a solid game for those in the know. It's always better to "play" an RPG than watch it.

I have played countless role playing games on various consoles throughout my years so I would consider myself faily well versed in this genre. While this edition of Wizardry may not compare graphically/musically to our well respected Final Fantasies for some reason this is one of the few role playing games where I was compelled to keep going until all hours of the morning. I rate a game on how far I get into the game so keep this in mind when I review it.

I wouldn't say the story line is all that original but it is interesting enough to keep you coming back for more. I hadn't played a game in a while that took the elements of D&D which I really like (namely character class and weapon class) and simplified them a bit so that just about anyone can understand and enjoy it without needing to understand all aspects of the game. Basically you create your character how you want them to be. Granted there isn't a gigantic selection but enough to give you a good variety and make you want to create your own little army. I have heard of complaints about music and graphics but they are unique and intriguing in their own quirky way. The music was never bothersome and I felt it gave a good mood to the game without being distracting or annoying. The graphics I don't think were meant to be all that special, they serve their purpose and aren't there to win any awards. The combat system is a lot of fun in my opinion! You learn new and creative ways to take out your opponent whether it be a single ghost or an entire horde of orcs (12+). Any game where I can obliterate 10 or more guys in one attack is ok by me. The game is challenging, fairly long, and has a good atmosphere to it while offering a variety of weapons, challenges, and characters.

So to summerize all this, I would have to say that this game is worth buying as long as you don't expect too much from it. This is a game that was meant to be fun and I think it lives up to this expectation.

This game is for true, hard core RPG players. Many gamers won't remember what the first RPGs were like (Phantasy Star, Shining in the Darkness, The Bard's Tale), but this is a definite throw back, and a great one at that. A warning, however; this game may not be for all gamers. While the graphics are good, much of the game is done in still pictures, and a good deal of reading is nessesary. But, if you've been yearning for a real, TRUE RPG, then you'll love this game. You create your characters from scratch. Race, occupation, good, evil... All are chosen by you and affect how your well your party performs. Again, while this game is not for everybody, true fans will love it.

This is an RPG for true fans of the genre. Over the years the RPG format has been skewed for a less patient crowd with each game trying to add some flashy gimmik to impress those that have no imagination or patience. This may work for the easily impressed, but the true sense of adventure or character development is lost. If I wanted to play a game with button mashing to get some character combo I would play Tekken, not an RPG. A previous reviewer called this game a disgrace to the Wizardry series, but I disagree. While the story is different the game play and character devolopment is similar to the original series. This game is basically a dungeon hack similar to some of the original RPG's. I would recommend this game to any true fans of the genre who can get by with reading a dialogue without needing a video sequence to accompany it.

I felt like I was playing a Dungeons and Dragons Campaign instead of a video game. You have the traditional D&D classes, races, similar spells, and a huge whopping dungeon. Sure, you can't go anywhere else but the dungeon in the game, but there are multiple levels and town-affiliated quests. It has more than enough content. Spell components (and scrolls) matter, inventory matters, disarming chests, random traps, identification of new items (which may be cursed), and most importantly (what makes the game great) trust matters.

I'll repeat: *Trust* matters.

I've gone through a terrible amount of normal roleplaying with humans where an idiot playing a character (usually a spellcaster with supposedly high intelligence/wisdom) in my party goes and does something stupid. It ruins the experience, because either you ignore it and keep playing or have a pointless argument with hurt feelings. This game takes care of that in a wonderful way, and I really feel the same sort of roleplaying 'rush' without the dice.

In this game, if you don't treat your allies right (like keep getting them killed), they won't trust you, and your party can't perform allied attacks (necessary for later levels). I was skeptical too, but the trust factor really makes the game for me. The story is about as developed as an average D&D campaign (not much). The game is mainly about exploring, leveling, and staying alive. An enormous amount of NPC encounters inside the labyrinth add humor.

You've heard the good, but now for the bad. Sounds can get repetitive, menus could have been improved, and combat takes too long. The graphics are fine; they accurately convey a dungeon exploring expedition's experiences.

A major downside is no fast-forward for combat. By the time you're level 10, the monsters in the first areas of the dungeon are no challenge, but it still takes time to walk through their areas (even with shortcuts). You still have to select everyone's actions, and even using allied 'Rush' still means the encounter wasted thirty seconds of game playing. Additionally the menu system inside the Vigger's Store could have been way improved, as I probably WANT to sell everything I just had identified, and no, if it is a cursed item, I don't wish to equip it, thanks.

Overall, if you like D&D dungeon crawls, and don't mind video games having a lot of stats and items to keep track of, buy this game.

This is deffinatly one of the better RPGs that I have played. The character interactions are cool. The whole trust system and the group attack and defences are outstanding and add a whole new dimension to this type of RPG. One of this years best.

This is your classic RPG of building of characters, finding treasures and slaying everything in front of you. In less than a week, I have probably played more than 30 hours on this game and I'm not even close to completing it!!! The spell system and side quests bring a whole new dimension to the game. At the same time, you don't have to follow the quests and just build your characters up. It doesn't make you follow one path, which is what I never liked about the Final Fantasy games. Your only path is building your characters up and going further and further down into the dungeon. ROCK ON!!!!

I love this game. I love the mood of this game: spooky, foreboding. The gameplay style is interesting, and the way the customization of characters goes is something new. The story is original and kind of captivating. I pretty much love everything about this game. But, for some unexplained reason, I don't ever get incredibly far into this game. It isn't because it is too hard; something about it keeps making me take breaks, and then going back to play it only I've forgotten what is going on. This is an unusual case for me, but regardless.....I think the game is worth a look whether you are into the Wizardry series, or you just like RPGs.