Depths of Peril

dteowner

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Can you believe we don't have a single non-news thread on this game?

Anyway, since we have several veterans around here, I had a question. I'm putting together a "games to play / to buy" list for myself and trying to decide whether to include DoP. I seem to remember someone saying that the demo didn't really offer up much of the covenant interaction, so I thought I'd ask something before chasing down the demo.

I'm up for a good Dungeon Siege 2 mindless hack-n-slash, but I'm not really that interested in a frantic rts-esque experience. I spend all day frantically jumping amongst a dozen projects--I don't really want to do that for fun. I can button-mash or I can maintain 3 or 4 "fronts" ala HoMM3 or Civ2, but I don't like to be forced to do both at the same time. It's laziness for sure, but it is what it is.

Is DoP for me? Mercy buckets in advance.
 
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You could always download the demo and check it out.

I haven't played it myself, but the descriptions of the game don't really do anything for me. It sounds more tedious and frustrating than fun.
 
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To be honest, dte - I don't know. I simply love the game...it's not the sort of epic RPG that leaves an indelible impression but it is the sort of fun, replayable "time killing" game I can come back to while others are playing Peggle or whatever.

The demo limits you to level 6 or 7 (can't remember), which is fine. The problem is that DoP is highly random -- you might see very little of the "real" game or you might get the whole enchilada.

I think it probably takes about 3 games to have any real idea, so here's what I would do: grab the demo and play it through to the level cap twice. You'll get to learn the basics and try the minute-by-minute gameplay. Then start another game and crank up the aggression of the other covenants -- they'll probably kick your ass quickly but you should get some idea of how it comes together.

Make sure you make getting recruits a priority. You'll get text messages in the status area that someone is available to recruit - drop what you are doing and go get them; they make all the difference (just yell for advice).

It isn't an RTS experience - there is absolutely no base building and the only real resource management is getting new recruits and watching your cashflow but it is fast-paced. You can be deep in the field monster-slaying and suddenly have a perfect recruit become available and then suddenly a rival launches a raid. Good fun. :)
 
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Points of reference-
Majesty- multiple fronts of troops, but place your flags and sit back and watch it happen, manage accordingly
Warcraft2- multiple fronts of troops, give orders to one group, jump to the next and give orders, jump to the next and give orders, jump back to the first because they screwed up, jump to another group and give orders, try and find the group getting attacked, jump to wrong group 17 times, attacked group is already dead, and so forth

Does that give a little more detail to my RTS comment? I won't bother telling which one I'm aiming for. ;) From your review, I'm concerned that DoP leans toward the latter.
 
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DoP leans toward neither. You control only one character, your hirelings (you can have up to five IIRC) are computer controlled.
 
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Think much more Diablo but with a simulated multiplayer head-to-head competition.

To expand. Imagine a Diablo, but instead of just leveling and following a thin story, it's a small multiplayer game with you versus 4 or 5 other mates. The ultimate aim is to kill them all off and be the last man standing.
You have a "covenant house" but there's no base-building -- that's just a starting point and houses the "lifestone"; kill everyone's lifestone and you win.

There are NPCs in the gameworld that can be recruited - you can take one with you adventuring and the others stay at the house as guards for your lifestone.

The easiest way to get better gear is go adventuring Diablo-style, so off you go hack'n'slashing getting stuff and gaining levels. Of course, your mates are doing the same. Once you get some recruits, you can take one with you, which makes your adventuring easier (especially with a good combo -- say, you're a tank and the recruit is a healer)...or maybe you decide to go it alone and level faster? Do you swap your recruits around occasionally to level them all up evenly, or stick with your favourite? Do you share the loot around nicely to equip your guys or just sell it off for cash so your avatar can afford the very best?

At some point one of your mates decides he's been hacking-and-slashing at a faster rate than you, so he decides to attack your lifestone. Thankfully, you've got an agreement set up with a different mate and he joins in to help you out - you beat off the first guy together and then decide you'll hit back and take out the aggressor while he's depleted.

All good. Off you go playing Diablo-style again. Only, the other two that stayed out of the fray so far decide it might be a good chance to take out your friend. Do you decide to honour your agreement and help him out or take the chance to get ahead yourself...?

Finally, replace the multiplayer and mates with just you vs the AI.

So, mostly Diablo - but with a big competitive twist.
 
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Sounds like I might be able to handle the pacing, then. I think I'll give the demo a spin some time soon. Thanks, folks.
 
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Also, dte, there's a difficulty setting where you can adjust the number of covenants and their level of aggression( at least I think the demo has this)--I use it constantly in the full game to vary the experience. You can use the same character and retain all your stats, levels and equipment but generate a new world each time you play if you wish, or continue from the point you left off.

It's very easy to regulate how frantic the game is by adjusting the covenant slider, so it can be all about a single-player questing and monster slaying experience with a few diplomatic sops thrown to the covenants to content them, or it can be an all-out you against them confrontation of raids and alliances and betrayals. It's entirely up to the player. It's not very RTS at all--more hack n slash with a strategy AI to contend with. :)
 
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