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Bought the game. My impressions of the demo were correct, it's incredibly good fun. Entertaining sword fights, great graphics, interesting plot developments, good level design.

Please tell me there's something approaching originality in the plot? The demo wasn't exactly what you could call promising in that respect. It struck me as a combat system in search of a game.

I haven´t played it very far but it seems that the plot is not that great.
I don´t like the style of the design that much either.
But that doesn´t matter because even though it might be combat system in search of a game it´s loads of fun.

White Haven wrote:Please tell me there's something approaching originality in the plot?

Don't know what the plot is yet, which is always a good thing. But you have this weird chick in your head offering amusing running commentary throughout the game, jealous snide remarks about your female love interest, and weird visions that you don't understand. Good enough plot for me.

The demo wasn't exactly what you could call promising in that respect. It struck me as a combat system in search of a game.

The demo was vague as all hell, it doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. Like I said, the level design is great and the game is good fun.

The demo tells nothing of the storyline, realy.
I rather enjoyed Dark Messiah, it wasn't as good as say Deus Ex, but it was quite fun. I plan on going back and trying different skill combinations. Also, I'll need to try the different endings, I got the impression that there are at least 3, maybe 4.

The plot it rubbish, combat is messy (I'm getting better though)...

Demon Form is plain ole fun (I'm up to the Necromancer Warrens - AGAIN).

The amount of backtracking and level replay in this is retarded.

Also, you want to talk about buggy - HOLY SHIT! BUGS BUGS BUGS BUGS BUGS GLITCHES BUGS BUGS BUGS CRASHES BUGS CRASHES GLITCHES CRASHES BUGS.

I never really did much with Demon form - I really enjoy the spells. However swordplay is crazy fun. As far as bugs, I have not seen many. To be honest.

Magic to me seemed pathetically underpowered. Most of the time the only use for it was at the "Adrenaline effect" level, especially seeing as there were no end of weapons in the game that produced THE EXACT SAME EFFECTS WITHOUT MANA USAGE.

Magic in any game that doesn't allow for non-consumable-based mana regeneration is going to be either totally useless (Dark Messiah's side of things) or phenomenally powerful. Really, allowing some sort of free mana regen would solve so many problems.

Magic is far more powerful as the game goes on. The final ability in the non-arcane tree is freaking temp invul. Granted, firebolt is really weak, but inferno is great against just about everything, charm is amazing, and sanctuary is pretty much temp invul. You sacrifice being really powerful early on is all.

Also, you want to talk about buggy - HOLY SHIT! BUGS BUGS BUGS BUGS BUGS GLITCHES BUGS BUGS BUGS CRASHES BUGS CRASHES GLITCHES CRASHES BUGS.

Eh? No reviews have said so as far as I know, and my game is completely and utterly stable. Problem with your PC?

Multiplayer locked up my machine earlier today, but I think it was more or less an isolated incident.

Vympel wrote:

Also, you want to talk about buggy - HOLY SHIT! BUGS BUGS BUGS BUGS BUGS GLITCHES BUGS BUGS BUGS CRASHES BUGS CRASHES GLITCHES CRASHES BUGS.

Eh? No reviews have said so as far as I know, and my game is completely and utterly stable. Problem with your PC? :P

The PCPP reviews talked about horrid crashes and IIRC both gamespot and gamespy mention bugs galore.

My 3 big issues:

1 - Sound glitching and visual stutters - happens COMPLETELY randomly doesn't seem to have SHIT to do with what's on the screen or in the environment or background apps - they just fucking happen.

2 - Lock-ups. Not nearly as common, but I've had a few and they are reboot required bugs.

3 - Multiplayer. I just CANNOT get into it. When I changed the res initially it crashed to desktop and locked my res at 1024 x 768 which required a reboot to repair (kept saying that it had changed the res and wouldn't have - obviously hit my video card and drivers hard). And EVERY time I try to connect to a server I get a lock up or crash to desk top.

weemadando wrote:

Vympel wrote:

Also, you want to talk about buggy - HOLY SHIT! BUGS BUGS BUGS BUGS BUGS GLITCHES BUGS BUGS BUGS CRASHES BUGS CRASHES GLITCHES CRASHES BUGS.

Eh? No reviews have said so as far as I know, and my game is completely and utterly stable. Problem with your PC?

The PCPP reviews talked about horrid crashes and IIRC both gamespot and gamespy mention bugs galore.

My 3 big issues:

1 - Sound glitching and visual stutters - happens COMPLETELY randomly doesn't seem to have SHIT to do with what's on the screen or in the environment or background apps - they just fucking happen.

2 - Lock-ups. Not nearly as common, but I've had a few and they are reboot required bugs.

3 - Multiplayer. I just CANNOT get into it. When I changed the res initially it crashed to desktop and locked my res at 1024 x 768 which required a reboot to repair (kept saying that it had changed the res and wouldn't have - obviously hit my video card and drivers hard). And EVERY time I try to connect to a server I get a lock up or crash to desk top.

That's weird. I don't bother with multiplayer myself, but I've had no bugs of consequence in the single-player game. It's definitely a game I'll play again with different skill sets. I don't agree with Gamespot's review at all. Meh. PC.IGNs was much closer to the mark.

I disagree with Gamespot too. The game's really fun, and I can see myself going through it multiple times to try different characters. I've only had a couple of stutters throughout the game, and the only time it's crashed is when I tried to minimize the application.

I'm going the stealthy route on my current play through, and it's loads of fun stabbing people/throwing knifes at fleeing goblins. I don't understand how some of the mobs don't see me sneaking up on them, though. As much as I love my lightning daggers, it would be kinda hard not to notice them glowing in the dark and making a loud buzzing sound.

I went the good route and cleansed my soul, since I'm a pussy.

Well when I run at suggested settings it is buggy as hell, but when I disabled anti alasinf used 16bit color and stuff like that it works sorta, not great but better

Wow, i reached the point where i have to take up my backpack. Everytime i try to do it the game hangs and i can´t continue.
And i was just starting to enjoy the story.

The one things that kills game performance is textures set to high. The loading times especially drop down to normal HL2 loading times when I went from high to medium textures.

salm wrote:Wow, i reached the point where i have to take up my backpack. Everytime i try to do it the game hangs and i can´t continue.
And i was just starting to enjoy the story.

I just got past that point last night- I was expecting a crash at some point and I tried to replicate the reported bug of trying to pick up a weapon before you've gotten your backpack, but all it said was that I didn't have a backpack and to find it and move on. It must be that because my PC and its components are so frakking new that the bugs are some obscure hardware related issue that through luck (or sheer brute force of this mean-ass machine) I've avoided.

I'm enjoying the plot, myself. While the "twist" was somewhat predictable, it was IMO not 100% certain, and things aren't very black and white so far. I'm genuinely curious about Arantir etc, involvement with necromancers, those dragon order guys, etc. And the chick in your head isn't annoying, I find her highly entertaining

Vympel wrote:

salm wrote:Wow, i reached the point where i have to take up my backpack. Everytime i try to do it the game hangs and i can´t continue.
And i was just starting to enjoy the story.

I just got past that point last night- I was expecting a crash at some point and I tried to replicate the reported bug of trying to pick up a weapon before you've gotten your backpack, but all it said was that I didn't have a backpack and to find it and move on.

Ah, this was a reported bug? After waking up without my equipment i started to walk up a trail in the cave. An Ork came, i panicked and pressed something. Suddently i was holding the Soulreaver (i think that´s what it´s called, the sword that steals HP from enemy and ads them to your own) in my hands, It just came out of nowhere. So i hacked away and killed all the Orks. Now the damn thing hangs everytime i pick up my backpack and the last relevant savegame before this shit happend is somwhere in the beginning of the fucking spider cave. GRRRRR!!!

You shouldn't have a weapon... thats whats up. You're supposed to hit V and become a soulreaver

Yeah, that's weird. You're not supposed to be holding a weapon when you push V. You kill them with your demon claw thingies. I had Soulreaver in my backpack but my stats aren't high enough to equip it yet.

Nah, it didn´t pop up when i pressed v it came up when i pressed the attack button in nondemon mode (at least i think that´s what happened.).
Ah, well, now i´ll only have to play most of the spider cave again.

Thanks Arkane Studios.

*walks off mumbling something about frogs and nuclear weapons*

Wooo. I've just had my fourth crash to HORRIBLY ARTIFACTED DESKTOP in as many attempts (seperated by reboots) after having the same thing happen twice last night. I'm back in the Necromancer's lair and it just won't stop crashing.

I haven't got the game myself yet, I enjoyed the demo but felt like there wasn't going to be anything particularly exciting beyond that in the full game.

However, for those having technical problems there is a tweaking guide up here which also includes a section on troubleshooting some of the more common problems, hope its helpful.