Two Worlds II - Review @ IGN

[TheMadGamer]

The American gaming press, sadly, favors flash over substance with CRPGs. If a game is highly polished, has a streamlined UI, refined gameplay, and of course, really super duper good graphics, right there a game is already pushing an 8 or 9 out of 10 score, despite that the game might have shallow, boring gameplay and terrible to non-existent story.

On the other hand, European CRPG developers of the past decade have the behavior of American CRPG devlopers of the 80s and even 90s (somewhat). European developers push the envelope, try new things, and rarely stick to the safety of the tried-and-true. The result is oftentimes a CRPG that is hugely interesting. However, just like the American develpers of the 80s and 90s, oftentimes the games ship quite buggy, have a lack of focus in terms of gameplay, difficult UIs and gameplay mechanics, lack of proper documentation and so on and so forth.

For me, personally, the final analysis is undeniable - my favorite CRPGs of the last decade all come from Europe, despite the shortcomings the American press obessivley harps about:

Gothic 1
Gothic 2
Gothic 3
Arx Fatalis
Divine Divinity
Divinity 2: Dragon Knight Saga

So when it comes to IGN and their MTV-ified ADHD-riddled reviews of European CRPG games, it doesn't surprise me. I'm more interested about what the gamers at sites like RPGwatch think about the game anyway.

 

[Couchpotato]

People calm down its not the US fault that rpgs are all like Fallout/TES/ and any Bioware game ever made. Sadly that's the current standard and if anybody disagrees your labeled a heretic. Now Two Worlds II is not a game of the year contender. As stated by many the depth of field makes makes many sick and I know you can edit the game to turn it off but you shouldn't have to. The open world is a lie its populated mostly by nothing but animals and there is hardly any caves or ruins to visit. The story is not the strong part and you know the ending is how do I put it lame.

Two Worlds II is a 6/10 game at best. Its not a genre blockbuster but is a average game that give some players what they want and causes others to hate it. Reality Pump has improved the game from the original.

 

[bemushroomed]

Two Worlds II is a 6/10 game at best.

And Oblivion is a 9.3 (IGN's score)? You think that is fair?

It's not great compared to Gothic's or Morrowind, but it deserves a little better than a 6 imo. The genre (free roaming RPG's) is quite rare..

 

[Dhruin]

6/10 is fair to me - perhaps 7 on a good day. I don't see that a high score for Oblivion is relevant, unless you want to skew other scores just to ""even the score".

 

[zadokAllen]

And Oblivion is a 9.3 (IGN's score)? You think that is fair?

In one of parallel universes Bethesda released Two Worlds 2 and Reality Pump did Oblivion. Once I perfect my warp machine, I`ll give you some links to parallel Watch threads on this subject. They`re quite amusing

 

[bemushroomed]

I don't see that a high score for Oblivion is relevant

Gothic 2, IGN's review: 8.. so in their view it's worse than Oblivion, and TW2 is quite a bit worse.. I think it's kind of hard to negelect that american made RPG's recieves a lot better scores. Dragon Age is most certainly not a 9/10 game either, closer to a 6 than what TW2 is..

yeah yeah arguing about scores is stupid etc…

 

[DoctorNarrative]

The numbers are the end are just for idiots who can't read the text anyway. The reason the review is bad is because he wants it to be an easier and more hand-holding game.

 

[Propheet]

Dhruin -- TW2 has a massively addictive MP mode, and heaps of originality not found in other places. I know it's not 9/10 material, but you played it a while ago -- and also quite superficially from what I can gather. TW2 got 3 patches so far and a lot of the issues have been resolved from your playtime. In addition, on PCs it sports about the best looking graphics in the genre. Including animations. Don't know about consoles. Since Gold Upgrade, blur and bloom are non-issue on PCs. DX10 mode of the game simply rocks detail-wise. The game's physics put to shame Crysis at times, especially since they're integrated in a meaningful way -- you can use physics to reach inaccessible spots, for instance, or as (hilarious) weapons (you can play Donkey Kong if you want ). And I'm not talking about spells here. Most of the sidequests I've seen in TW2 are actually very well-written. Certainly better than any next h/s RPG out there (Sacred 2 anyone?). I think the closest competitor would be Div2 (the original release + a few patches). How would you rate that, Dhruin? Especially on PCs?
(I'm talking Div2:ED; Once we get a DLC or two for TW2, we'll be able to compare TW2 to DKS).

 

[Couchpotato]

Dhruin — TW2 has a massively addictive MP mode, and heaps of originality not found in other places. I know it's not 9/10 material, but you played it a while ago — and also quite superficially from what I can gather. TW2 got 3 patches so far and a lot of the issues have been resolved from your playtime. In addition, on PCs it sports about the best looking graphics in the genre. Including animations. Don't know about consoles. Since Gold Upgrade, blur and bloom are non-issue on PCs. DX10 mode of the game simply rocks detail-wise. The game's physics put to shame Crysis at times, especially since they're integrated in a meaningful way — you can use physics to reach inaccessible spots, for instance, or as (hilarious) weapons (you can play Donkey Kong if you want ). And I'm not talking about spells here. Most of the sidequests I've seen in TW2 are actually very well-written. Certainly better than any next h/s RPG out there (Sacred 2 anyone?). I think the closest competitor would be Div2 (the original release + a few patches). How would you rate that, Dhruin? Especially on PCs?
(I'm talking Div2:ED; Once we get a DLC or two for TW2, we'll be able to compare TW2 to DKS).

Well good luck with any dlc the way the game has been published. Its a bad pr nightmare after another. The game only had one huge patch and 2 little hot fixes.

And Oblivion is a 9.3 (IGN's score)? You think that is fair?

It's not great compared to Gothic's or Morrowind, but it deserves a little better than a 6 imo. The genre (free roaming RPG's) is quite rare..

I think oblivion and all Bethesda games are a 7 at best. They rely on modders to fix there games. Its a bad business move seems to work.

Gothic 2, IGN's review: 8.. so in their view it's worse than Oblivion, and TW2 is quite a bit worse.. I think it's kind of hard to negelect that american made RPG's recieves a lot better scores. Dragon Age is most certainly not a 9/10 game either, closer to a 6 than what TW2 is..

yeah yeah arguing about scores is stupid etc…

IGN is a console biased site. I don't even bother to visit or read the opinions of there users. Its like the other big sites that only care about the console.

 

[Propheet]

I'm hoping at least DLC will be published right. I gotta say, TW2's launch is about the most hapless one I've ever seen. Patches -- that big one added a whole bucketload of new features, convenience tweaks and rectified issues + magics rebalancing. It took them a month to prepare it, and the next one is already on the way. As is DLC.

 

[Couchpotato]

I'm hoping at least DLC will be published right. I gotta say, TW2's launch is about the most hapless one I've ever seen. Patches — that big one added a whole bucketload of new features, convenience tweaks and rectified issues + magics rebalancing. It took them a month to prepare it, and the next one is already on the way. As is DLC.

As I said one big patch and a few hotfixes.I hope the dlc is for the endgame because the ending is how do say cheesy and like a b budget movie.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Sadly that's the current standard

Could be. This sounds reasonable.


A question no-one has asked yet is this . In how far does a tester's/editor's own gaming style influence the outcome of a game's review ?

Two Worlds is inho rather something for explorer kind of gamers.
This is a playing style among others.

If an editor is *not* playing in this style - is it possible that the playing style will influence the review, then ?

That's what I'd like to learn.

 

[Propheet]

The editor states several types he ran into encounters he couldn't handle. Also stated it took him 14 hours to blast through the game. Video review shows him at level 1 in MP, only in lobby, and level 20something (judging from equipment) in SP. Equipment he wore during the brief scenes from his own gameplay (as opposed to mixed-in trailer fragments) suggests he didn't really invest any time at all into upgrading, crafting or searching for any better equipment (it's all low-level crap + bonuscode items + Sordahon's mace he likely cheatcoded in).
In short: all signs point to his being the shooter gaming style -- press on and on, never look back. The worst possible choice for open world game tbh.

 

[TheMadGamer]

A question no-one has asked yet is this . In how far does a tester's/editor's own gaming style influence the outcome of a game's review ?

The reviewer at IGN gave Taco Bell a horrible review because he couldn't order a hamburger there.

 

[Anderson]

The editor states … it took him 14 hours to blast through the game.
….In short: all signs point to his being the shooter gaming style — press on and on, never look back. The worst possible choice for open world game tbh.

That is sad, 14 hours. If you're going to review an open world RPG, especially one with a variety of MP components, you ought to spend a lot more than 14 hours on it. I think you're right — this is a guy who just blasted through the game, fast as he could, and missed a whole lot. Poor job.

 

[Corwin]

I spent FAR more than 14 hours just on the first chapter of TW2!! Anyone who reviews after such a short time is being totally unfair to the game and should be locked in a room with nothing but Dungeon Lords to play for the next 12 months!!

 

[DoctorNarrative]

I think oblivion and all Bethesda games are a 7 at best. They rely on modders to fix there games. Its a bad business move seems to work.

Well since reviewers base their reviews on the console versions, and before any mods would be out, and the sales are mostly on the consoles where mods are not done, I think the core games are actually what is getting the praise.

 

[Couchpotato]

Well since reviewers base their reviews on the console versions, and before any mods would be out, and the sales are mostly on the consoles where mods are not done, I think the core games are actually what is getting the praise.

Well the console version didn't come out till late in the xbox era and was only for the pc. There recent tiles are for the console and pc. You can guess which one is the port despite what they say.

 

[Dhruin]

Gothic 2, IGN's review: 8.. so in their view it's worse than Oblivion, and TW2 is quite a bit worse.. I think it's kind of hard to negelect that american made RPG's recieves a lot better scores. Dragon Age is most certainly not a 9/10 game either, closer to a 6 than what TW2 is..

yeah yeah arguing about scores is stupid etc…

First, the review sucks - I want to be clear. I just think the score isn't that far off (probably by accident more than anything).

Yes, American (or rather - large, well-marketed) games have a bias. This is common in all media - films etc. It's a shame but it's also a reality.

In terms of Gothic vs Oblivion vs - from their perspective as a mainstream site (you don't have to like it but that's what they are), do you really think Gothic's control scheme, presentation, polish and hardcore gameplay aren't barriers to the average gamer? Oblivion is reasonably polished, accessible and, yet, huge. If I were to recommend a game to my average-gamer nephew, I have no doubt he would enjoy Oblivion over Gothic.

Actually, I think we spend far to much time ripping Oblivion to shreds when it really is a pretty decent game with a couple of obvious flaws for hardcore players but that's another post for another day.

Dragon Age is an 8.5 for me…just goes to show you can have different tastes.

Dhruin — TW2 has a massively addictive MP mode, and heaps of originality not found in other places. I know it's not 9/10 material, but you played it a while ago — and also quite superficially from what I can gather.

Yes, absolutely. I don't like MP and I've only played 10-ish hours - noone should base a purchase (or not) on my limited opinion.

TW2 got 3 patches so far and a lot of the issues have been resolved from your playtime. In addition, on PCs it sports about the best looking graphics in the genre. Including animations.

Yeah, don't care.

Most of the sidequests I've seen in TW2 are actually very well-written. Certainly better than any next h/s RPG out there (Sacred 2 anyone?). I think the closest competitor would be Div2 (the original release + a few patches). How would you rate that, Dhruin? Especially on PCs?
(I'm talking Div2:ED; Once we get a DLC or two for TW2, we'll be able to compare TW2 to DKS).

I admit I might not have seen the good stuff yet but the early game is full of empty areas (except for a ridiculous plethora of animals to grind) that suddenly spawn chests and the like after you get the quest. It may well get better, I accept.

DKS…8? I'd be surprised if 2W2 can offer some of the things I love like a sense of awesome height, artistic design and a sense of humour but, again, I may be wrong. I'll try 2W2 again when I'm in the mood and will stand corrected if I'm wrong.

To clarify again - the IGN review is indeed terrible.

 

[DoctorNarrative]

Well the console version didn't come out till late in the xbox era and was only for the pc. There recent tiles are for the console and pc. You can guess which one is the port despite what they say.

My point is Bethesda do not count on mods to make their games good, the core games of Morrowind, Oblivion and Fallout 3 were all highly praised and sold extremely well on the platforms with no mods at all. The vast majority of people playing their games do not mod them one little bit.

Not saying we should agree with those people, I am just speaking in terms of what makes the games popular... it ain't mods.