Avadon: Ouch too easy!

I just woke up again from a rat gnawing on my leg. Before I woke up from a wretch making squealing noises and... missing every attack.

I'm a few hours into this game now in the KVA. The dragon is happy. Other than one rather epic encounter (boss battle) this game is total snooze (literally). I'm finding myself longing for the deadly encounters from Geneforge 4.

I also can't say I love the world here either. Its just... bland. The codex is interesting but the backstory really isnt. the NPC's really arent. There is nobody to hate. No Miranda, no Alwan. No.... crisis to care about.

I'm going to continue of course, just sharing...

Don't force yourself to continue a game that you're not enjoying. Life is too short, and there are better games out there.

There are some very hard boss/group fights later in the game.

I'm figuring things will pick up a bit. The dragon caves were quite a bit more challenging, which I ran into pretty much right after I posted this. I am going back to the Geneforge series right after this though. I'm a glutton for punishment

Nice thing about Geneforge is that the world and shaper skills are unique in the cRPG field, rather than generic medieval...

Agreed. I'm around level 14 now in the second act of Avadon. Still too easy. I never even have to refresh my vitality because my party can carve through each segment on base attacks. So far there has been maybe 4 battles where I thought I might lose someone. The latest boss battle was super easy.

At least playing on hard, the game did get reasonably challenging. However it doesn't allow open exploration to the extent that other spiderweb games did, which means you can't wander into an area that's way too hard for you. When things got really hard in geneforge it was often because you were trying to progress too quickly, and the solution was often just to level up in some easier areas first. That doesn't happen in Avadon. There are some quests that they give you before your ready for them, but they tend to be the exception rather then the rule.

Unfortunately vitality never serves as a useful mechanic that adds to game strategy. All it does is encourage you to stick to your basic attacks in easy fights. If you do that you will end the game with 20 vitality potions and with vitality never having been a relevant factor.

I personally enjoyed the story and the world, but that's obviously pretty subjective. It was more unique and political then his usual stuff. Obviously geneforge was pretty unique too the first time it came out too. By the fifth time he told the same story, not so much.

There weren't any impossible fights, except maybe 2 in the end (the Redbeard one and the dragon), but things weren't overly easy either at some key encounterss. But the lack of exploration certainly helped in the matter, as there weren't any level inappropriate encounters at any time. (I played on normal difficulty).

I found the re-use of areas a bit on the annoying side. True, different acts added new locations and all the new quests were in those same new locations, but still I find the practise disturbing, hope that a sequel brings the Geneforge style map.

The world is certainly interesting, with all the political agendas and different cultures and everything. The story was definately lacking, though, and the open ending that screams of a sequel is just wrong.

Overall, Avadon was enjoyable and fun for the most part, but somewhat lacking in certain areas.

I would have found a sequel interesting, but it doesn't sound like there is going to be one. Vogel is remaking his Avernum series again now, so it's likely that the next 5+ years are going to be full of remakes.

Given the way the avernum series ended, his rush to remake it is kind of ironic....

I assume his plan is to alternate between remakes and new games in the Avadon series. He usually alternates between his IPs. Given that Avadon seems to become his greatest success yet, and how averse he is to taking risks with new IPs, its a given that tthe series will continue.

Hopefully your right. I'm enjoying the evolution of his game mechanics, but I'm not looking forward to a 3rd slog through the same avernum adventures. I'm pretty sure that Avadon was succesful more for it's gameplay then it's story/world though, and the fastest way to pump out more games with the same gameplay is to recycle your old games with new mechanics.

The thing is that when he alternated between geneforge and and avernum, he was alternating between very different game systems and it kept people a little more fresh. If he alternates between avadon and avernum, he's going to be alternating between the same game systems.

Who knows maybe we will see a remake of geneforge to alternate with the remake of avernum.

I am actually looking forward to the Avernum remake more than I am the eventual Avadon sequel. I always wanted to play Avernum 1, but by the time I got around to it I was a bit spoiled by the minor improvements 2 and 3 had (quest log, races, etc) and never went much in it. And by the looks of it, marrying the Avadon engine with an overland map will be quite good. As long as he ditches the level cap.

My guess is he will indeed alternate between Avernum remakes and Avadon sequels. But Avadon needs much improvement. First of all, I always thought we'll get to see some of the more interesting areas in that universe, but we only got to explore the rather bland and run of the mill places.

I'd be interested in Geneforge remake/s, but I do believe it is too soon. Maybe by Avernum 3 remake/Avadon 3 come by he'll get around to that.

The area retreads are a big turn off. Going back to the KVA was annoying, but this is my 3rd visit to Khemeria. Really? 3 times without a new area? I really enjoyed the Beraza Pit, it was a heck of a battle, I think I was in combat mode for almost 40 minutes?

While I don't dislike Avadon.. this is no Geneforge. Avadon reminds me of Drakensang, which was 'good' but lacked something to approach greatness and sometimes felt like a chore. I think it is the area retreads, the often pointless mob battles (that encourage Vitality hording) and the merely OK story and NPCs.

Still worth the money and time though.

I didn't mind the area retreads as much. They created a constantly evolving story, and when you actually set out to adventure it was always in a new zone.

Don't want to give away any spoilers, but I thought that in the country that has the shadowy beast which you are hunting down, the constant returns to the area do a very good job of conveying the message that they are trying to convey.

yeah I'm back there again and like you said, its a new zone. No complaints.

Finished Avadon. In the end it was pretty damn good, and pretty difficult in the final stretches. I was chewing through potions and crystals to survive a few encounters. I liked the moral ambiguity I faced on a few occasions and the consequences of my actions. I still think Geneforge 4 was better, but like I said.. pretty damn good. Nice job again Jeff!