A question from someone wanting to like the game, but turned off by his quick, 30 minute experience to date...

Combat seems too simple. Hack and slash. Everyone runs up to you immediately so ranged combat is useless. No formations. I'm used to Wizardry 8 which imho has a lot of depth to combat. Am I missing something?

[ 11-22-2003, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: leptomeninges ]

Most enemies in the game are equipped with melee weapons themselves, and therefore they will naturally try to engage you in close comats. There are some that will attack you with ranged weapons.

I consider it only natural that the enemies will try to battle with you on their own terms. And if they use melee weapons then close combat is after all the preferred solution. Your main objective would then be to distance yourself from your enemy to be able to use your ranged weapons and spells. This you can either do by running away from them while attacking them with your ranged weapon or by keeping an object or a body of water between you and the monster. This is quite easily done since you can outrun every monster in the game with no difficulties whatsoever. (You cannot outswim all, though).

Especially in the early stages of the game one has to use evasive maneouvers and think strategically about battles. Later on one usually resorts to the hack and slash method.

I agree with you that combats can be a bit (or somewhat) tedious. However, I clearly think the other qualities of the game more than adequately make up for the mediocre combat mode. After all the combats are not meant to be the main issue of the game (although there are quite many of them) rather than the gameplay, the plot, and the puzzles of the dungeons.

So if the combats are the main issue for you, you will probably be bored. But if you are more interested in a good story, good puzzles, and marvellous dungeons, then this game should definitely catch your interest. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Well you try and play a game with a single Pixi Warrior. That way combat becomes a lot more dangerous. Keeping your distance as the enemy strikes, getting in range after that to deliver your own blow and then creating the distance again. In the words of Cassius Clay a.k.a. Muhammed Ali : Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee!

[ 11-22-2003, 06:22 PM: Message edited by: Norin ]

You cannot outrun that dragon that you can occasionally see flying around, and he even breathes fire at you! What's his name...Erathsmedor, or is that a different dragon? I'm pretty sure this guy can fly faster than you can run ;)

Yes, that dragon is Erathsmedor and although you can't really outrun him, its not really an issue, since during the periods which he absent mindedly breathes upon you, he doesn't chase you to the utter death. You can also avoid the majority of the damage fairly easily with good fire resistance and good dextral dodging. ;)

As to the combat having a lack of depth, well I think Bsftcs has handled the question well enough. I'd probably just add that it does depend on what you're looking for when you turn to Wizards & Warriors for RPG entertainment. I am not taking it all seriously nor comparing it to the lofty elite classics that I've loved over the years and its been a very nice light hearted adventurous romp and change from what I'm used to. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'll agree that whilst its not as meticulously detailed and polished compared to some bigger RPGs, its charms and particularly the early dungeons and PnP style narration and atmospherics during exploration more than make up for this. Thus, I think that every now and then it doesn't to lower one's expectations and game for the mere fun of it. ;)

Noble Regards,
Cerebrodragon

[ 11-23-2003, 04:36 AM: Message edited by: CerebroDragon ]