Drakensang: TRoT - Review @ GameBanshee

Dhruin · January 22, 2011

GameBanshee has posted a review of Drakensang: The River of Time, penned by Brother None. In general, the game is praised for the myriad of minor improvements over the original, saying the game is a "steal" at $20 for those in NA. Here's a snip:

The River of Time's main plot is linear, but that doesn't necessarily mean the game is. Where its predecessor locked off most areas after you visited them, in The River of Time areas stay unlocked once you find them (primarily done in the main plot), and not only can you travel back to any area, you're supposed to do so regularly, as new quests unlock as you progress along the main storyline.

Like Drakensang: The Dark Eye, The River of Time is not a particularly challenging game, but this open approach means that you're free to search out challenges if you want them. The Dark Eye had one such instance – the infamous rat basement – but The River of Time is full of them, and does not appear to have any level scaling. This may be frustrating to gamers not used to this mode of design, but it is an absolute delight for RPG gamers who like having to plan and think to take on a monster that is way beyond their abilities. It can make the ending areas a bit of a letdown as they do not scale either, and can become very easy if you spent a lot of time on sidetracks, but this is something I personally can live with it, it feels like the game is rewarding you for your character progress rather than character progress being made meaningless by level scaling.

More information.

Ergonpandilus · January 22, 2011

Have you agree with the review and it's a really a "steal" for that price compared to other junky RPGs out there with double the money.

Turjan · January 22, 2011

Yup, pretty good review. It's a very enjoyable game.

spiraling69 · January 22, 2011

Turjan said:
Yup, pretty good review. It's a very enjoyable game.

I agree. The only issue I am having is with how mobs bee-line to the magic user and there seems to be no way to stop it. Once you fully realize this odd game mechanic it becomes most annoying and almost a game-breaker. Otherwise, it's a solid game.

Alrik Fassbauer · January 22, 2011

spiraling69 said:
The only issue I am having is with how mobs bee-line to the magic user and there seems to be no way to stop it.

They go for the one with the weakest armor
or after the magic user first.

If I was an enemy, I'd stop the magic user as well. Before being hit with a Fulminictus. Or even worse : Before being turned (in)to stone !

Brother None · January 22, 2011

They do? In most of my mob fights they just split up over different party members, which in DSA is an incredibly stupid way to fight considering the way parry works. I don't recall anyone ganging up on the magic user except in the dark forest, if you're foolish enough to go in there, where all the beasties are set to "gang up on weakest party member". That seems to be what spiraling is describing but outside of that one area you're not supposed to go into anyway, I never noticed it.

DeepO · January 22, 2011

Didn´t have have problems with mage being targeted either. Maybe because I´ve always had Fastness of Body?

Great review.
A really good game and much better than the first one.

Alrik Fassbauer · January 22, 2011

It depends on the place, I think.
I think the crabs do it, but I'm not sure anymore.

Grandor Dragon · January 22, 2011

Good review, which reflects my opinions about strengths and weaknesses of the game.

However, I did find the combat AI more fun in River of Time.

Brother None · January 22, 2011

Grandor Dragon said:
However, I did find the combat AI more fun in River of Time.

The AI didn't seem any different to me, but I might be mistaken. The combat scenario design was much, much better though. Except for the Temple of Efferd obviously.

Turjan · January 22, 2011

Alrik Fassbauer said:
They go for the one with the weakest armor
or after the magic user first.

If I was an enemy, I'd stop the magic user as well. Before being hit with a Fulminictus. Or even worse : Before being turned (in)to stone !

The problem is that you cannot block them from doing so. Party positioning is useless in this game, as opponents will always run through your fighters that, for example, block an entrance. Collision is off, and that is a problem.

But I learned from the first Drakensang and made sure that my mage is decent at melee. The monsters are mostly picking on Fayris, anyway, as she has the least hitpoints.

Turjan · January 22, 2011

DeepO said:
Didn´t have have problems with mage being targeted either. Maybe because I´ve always had Fastness of Body?

Maybe. I have the feeling it works better than in the first game. I'm not sure whether this is due to encounter design or any other reason.

Brother None · January 22, 2011

There's a Taunt skill that will at least help get the heavies off your back. You can learn it off the arena master, though you have to do his quest first.
Your experience still puzzles me though. Not the running through warriors and stuff, that's true and quite annoying, but them all ganging up on Fayris? Harsh.

Turjan · January 22, 2011

Ah, I haven't done any of the arena quests yet. As my main char is a mage, I thought it didn't make much sense.

I was thinking about Fayris' problem, and the reason might be that she usually makes the first enemy contact with her arrows. Plus, i just stepped into the Dark Forest and concluded that going there doesn't make much sense

.

Falchor · January 22, 2011

Great review. Loving the game much more than The Dark Eye. Like the reviewer, they seemed to fix most of my major gripes with the first game, and I feel almost embarrassed to be paying so little money for so much content. I hope some other company can find a way to get DSA-type games made. From my perspective, this niche (of old-school type cRPGs) seems to be evaporating... and although the Bioware games are fun, the gameplay is just a little too simplistic at times.

DeepO · January 22, 2011

Brother None said:
puzzles

The game had some pretty good ones!
Another aspect where TRoT surpassed its predecessor.

Turjan said:
Ah, I haven't done any of the arena quests yet. As my main char is a mage, I thought it didn't make much sense.

Well, do it. The quest has a pretty fun aftermath.

Turjan said:
I was thinking about Fayris' problem, and the reason might be that she usually makes the first enemy contact with her arrows.

Try the aforementioned Fastness of Body (don´t forget to adjust it via "-/+" under spell icon) and see if it changes things.
She was rarely ganged upon in my game.

Alrik Fassbauer · January 22, 2011

DeepO said:
Try the aforementioned Fastness of Body (don´t forget to adjust it via "-/+" under spell icon) and see if it changes things.
She was rarely ganged upon in my game.

Yes. Because is kind of magical armor. You should try to put at least 10 points into it, or nearly 10.

Plus, you should learn the evasion skill, too ! It really helps, at least that's what i have experienced.

If they are attacking, then the best thing is to cripple their attacking skills ! Do so with a flash of lightning, I don't know what's the right word … dazzle ? And PLUMBUMBARUM is also a good spell.

(In TDE, spell names are somtimes written in capitals.)

The buffing/debuffing schema of other games doesn't work here much, because of the different system, but you can well "de-buff" enemies - well, in a way. Through this dazzle and the Plumbumbarum, for example.

The "sparkling swarm" also does negative effects on the attacker, ans the Ironrust spell decreases the quality of the iron weapon (originally, it was to even to turn into rust, like in the ROA Trilogy).

I'm just looking through the Drakensang 1 manual I found at Replacementdocs, and they have alwys use such weird spell names ?!?!?!

Alrik Fassbauer · January 22, 2011

From the official Drakensang forums (not by me !!! ) :

Well, if you don't like the quest, you can always use the god mode:

Within the Radon Labs cinematic, do the following:
Press Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, "L", "R", "X", "Y", "A", "B"
and rotate your mouse 360 degrees.

All quests solved and unlimited health after loading the "Continue Game"

Good luck

(Although I have to agree that some quests are giving very little information about how to solve them, It's more fun to ask for a hint for one or two quests rather than every quest.)

Source : http://forum.dtp-entertainment.com/viewtopic.php?p=186831#p186831

Turjan · January 23, 2011

DeepO said:
Try the aforementioned Fastness of Body (don´t forget to adjust it via "-/+" under spell icon) and see if it changes things.
She was rarely ganged upon in my game.

Two levels with the accompanying increase in "Fastness of Body" plus learning "Dodge II" made a big difference. I still have trouble with several ogres at once, though. I will try Plumbarum next.

Alrik Fassbauer · January 23, 2011

Ogres are among the heaviest foes within the whole game !

So don't be surprised that you have trouble with them ...

Drakensang: TRoT - Review @ GameBanshee

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