Digital Entertainment Newsnews and reviews of video games, DVD, Blu-ray and whatever else we have time for.
Avadon: The Black Fortress
We need more RPGs like this
Tags: Avadon Categories: PC Reviews, Reviews
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Jun 1st, 2011
Avadon: The Black Fortress is a role-playing game that took me back to the days when games came on massive “floppy” discs in Ziploc bags that were traded in the school library. Yeah, nostalgia can be a funny thing. Retro can be cool but it is a double edged sword where things can also wind up being out of date.
First, let’s get the negatives out of the way, because they are up front and noticeable, but they don’t detract from the game’s enjoyment.
First, the audio is lackluster. The opening music swells and gives a great feeling for what is to come. Then … not much. The dialogue is sparse and the music even more so. Many of the sound effects are recycled throughout the game. Eventually I took to throwing some CDs on to have something going on in the background. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s noticeable.
The second, and perhaps most noticeable mark against the game is its graphics. Avadon: The Black Fortress looks like a game from 20 years ago. The pixels are jagged, there’s a lot of black on the map and draw-in occurs all the time. At no point will you not see what is going on, but Avadon: The Black Fortress certainly will never be confused with a modern looking game.
This is where that double edged sword comes in.
While having dated graphics can put off many players, it also does the game a a great service. Not only is Avadon: The Black Fortress able to be played on newer machines, but it is able to run quite nicely on older PCs as well. There is also plenty of detail in the world, with lots to explore and examine. The graphics are such that players will easily see what needs to be picked up, where they are going, and so on. Also, without a heavy emphasis on visual trickery, the developers have focused on gameplay and story.
I was reminded in many ways of the old text adventures, as well as some of the first graphic RPGs. I say this with as much admiration as I can, because Avadon: The Black Fortress is an absolute blast to play, as fun as Dragon Age or Elder Scrolls. While it doesn’t quite have the number of hours or level of detail those games have, it also doesn’t have the same budget. Avadon: The Black Fortress is a lot of game for the money, and even more so when you consider it was created by just a few people.
Starting out, players have the choice of one of four classes. There’s the Sorceress (magic attacks) the Shaman (healing and use of nature), the Shadowwalker (stealth and cunning) and the Blade Master (self-explanitory). These each have their own skill tree but the story is the same, so it really comes down to personal gameplay preference and style. Helping the player make the decision is the background for each character as well as displaying their strengths and weaknesses. This makes the game accessible to those that haven’t played a lot of RPGs, or those that think Fallout 3 or Mass Effect are the epitome of the genre.
Each class has their own skill trees to advance through, as well as their own special attacks and skills. Leveling up is done in the fairly standard (modern) method of being awarded skill points and using them to unlock abilities and skills. Other points are used to enhance and boost skills or perhaps increase the player character’s health. There are no surprises here with the way the role-playing mechanics work, it’s all just as expected and satisfying (if a little slow).
Combat is turn-based, which might frustrate the more twitch-happy RPG players that have been introduced to the genre in the last few years. There are advantages to the speedy gameplay of action-RPGs (like Fable) but Avadon: The Black Fortress allows players to think things through. Both forms of gameplay are valid and equal, it’s a matter of taste. If you can’t stand turn based combat, then Avadon: The Black Fortress isn’t for you.
Oh, and the loot. Lots of stuff to find, and not just from slain enemies. Make sure to look around everywhere. While the story is fairly standard, it doesn’t come across as cliché. Perhaps because there is a lot of depth that went into not just the plot and setting but the characters as well. It’s almost as if this were meant to be a book.
It’s not too long before you get another person to join and the heart of the game begins with some good old fashioned monster slaying. A few other choices are presented as well. Text adventure, old school RPG, novel-style writing, yeah, there’s a lot of great stuff mixed in here.
I’m not done with the game yet, but I might be close. I’ve logged in about 30-some hours, but I’ve taken time to explore every nook and cranny and check out as much of the dialogue options (of which there are many). Avadon: The Black Fortress is easily one of the best RPGs you can buy for $25.
http://www.spiderwebsoftware.com/avadon/index.html
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
|
+ Story and characters are engaging + Solid gameplay + Not having bleeding edge graphics allows for a wider range of PCs to play the game + A lot of game for the money from a small developer |
9.0 |
| What Doesn't | |
|
- Audio falls a little short - Dated graphics |
|
| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| If you like RPGs you owe it to yourself to buy this. If you're on the fence, they have a demo available. Just get it alrready. | |
[ Post the first comment | View related posts ]
Tags: Avadon
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Jun 1st, 2011 and is filed under PC Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
