Thx for the heads up! 5k keys to go! hurry!

My SHORT take after playing the beta. This is not your so called unbiased review, it's what i feel towards the game. Here it goes.


Intro:
Refer to Darkspore. I did say this is short Overall its an Action-RPG in a Space-ish setting. Think Mass Effect.

My review meat...

MP/SP?

Those who are looking for deep SP experience, don't bother. The usual story line. Here is a game that screams MP only. You can play solo though as you mouse click fest thought the maps. Since this is beta, was only about to go the highest map lvl of 3-4. Persistant internet connection needed!

2 modes of MP, Co-Op campaign and PvP. I have yet to try PvP as i'm a carebear Getting a random Co-Op game up is easy. Just click matchmaking and you're good to go. Add friends into your built-in friend list browser for buddies fest. Or manually choose from the lobby list. Nothing like the thrash MP matching of Magicka *the game is good tho*


Gameplay


There are 3 "rooms" in the game. Navigation,Editor and Inventory. Navigations is where you start/join/games. Editor is where you "edit" your squad members.Inventory...well.. obvious

Heroes is your minions, your teams that can level up. It is a RPGish game ya Currently at beta there're quite a number of selection with 3 categories. Sentinel(tank),Ravager(DPS) and Tempest(caster). Those are a general term that i give because each hero under the general class breaks down to its own specific attributes. You as the boss who also can level up with the usual purchaseable perks/upgrades

Of each general class, there're separate into plasma,bio,cyber,necro and quantum. I forgot what is it called in game.. let's just say type.

At the time of this writing in beta, i have 3 stages of of hero to choose from. that's 6 heroes for each type, so its 6x5 and i'm only level 15. Currently i can form 3 squads.

In a Co-Op campaign mode, you get to join up to 4 players for some fun. Each controlling a squad of 3 heroes. Now you would say.. oh like DoW2:retri thingy. Nope, you control only ONE hero in any given time but able to swap your other heroes in and out of the game with a cooldown to how often you can swap.

Each hero have 3 specific skills, and depending on your makeup of the squad you have additional 3 so called SQUAD skills. This squad skills can be used across 3 heroes, while depending who you swap in/out, you get the other 3 skills slots. So in total you have 6 skills.

The mobs are your usual scissor/paper/stone type where you have to match your squad make up to handle. If you deploy a squad that is weak against the map.. you're screwed at higher levels and not much help to your other teammates.

Why this is fun for me?....

Spore's character editing technology.. need i say more? Every parts/weapon you equip to your heroes will be reflected. Those who played spore should know. You can customised ALMOST everything... well not quite but heck i liked it.

Nothing like RPG for our gearing up needs. I love the stats distribution. you have the usual HP/Power(mana)/str/dex/mind/crit rating/dodge rating/resist rating. Str also increases health and if used by sentinel(type)also increases dmg and cost of abilities. so and so...

So i can don't have to throw my +10000 mind as a caster because it has str in it.. since str also increases health. Juggling the gears takes most of the time after you're out in the editor hehehe. After each map, you have a choice to either collect your reward or continue with harder level till you hit the map boss which of course gives better gears.

Granted you won't be able to see everytime how your char looks like in a battle. But once things cool down.. zoom in and marvel

I would say skilll tree wise, its not as customisable as say diablo/DS/TQ but with the huge amount of hero selections/squad skills, getting which squad for which map and to complement your buddies squad is fun.

And i;ve not even tried PvP, so imagine the complexities against other human players regarding squad selections.


GRaphics:

I like it. Youtube to see how. Bad at describing artistic stuff

Sound:

Nothing really outstanding, but acceptable.


Cons:

Its bugging at times, heroes stucked, skill slot malfunction. BUT hey its BETA. It does not always bugged out, maybe every 5 games or so? Just need to end game and rehost/join. It's probably server side issues.

To those who might like to traditional min/max stats would prolly not satisfy. My suggestion is try it!


Beta close on the 22nd APril, will i buy it? Still testing... but overall.. yeah! haha

This post has been edited by ashx: Apr 20 2011, 12:43 PM

Yupp, i've played beta semi extensively. Now i'm lvl 27 with heroes averages of 85ish. I love the way you can mix match your chars into squds for certain levels and such. Your max levels is 100 while heroes.. have no idea.. hahah.

Skill wise might not be so expansive like D2 or other tradisional slasher but it has enough "tweaks" to hooked me. Again, those who looks for meaty SP experience stay away. Those who are looking for some Co-Op fun, please give it a go Have yet to try PvP... lol

---

Added on May 5, 2011, 5:49 pmPm me your IGN, what's your level? I could help carry you if i'm high enough

This post has been edited by ashx: May 5 2011, 05:49 PM