Driftmoon - Preview @ Destroy All Fanboys

Here is a hands-on update from the Driftmoon beta as reported by Destroy All Fanboys.

When we last left our hero (in a previous demo build), an important item was acquired, a relative was rescued and there was a nice air of “this is really going to be even more fun!” at the expected abrupt ending. Picking up right from that save, the game gets funnier and a bit more challenging as new enemies and plenty of nice surprises awaited with further exploration. One thing new players will NEED to learn (other than adjusting to the top-down camera angle, but there’s a potential slight options tweak being considered) is the importance of moving or activating certain objects in the game world to uncover assorted secrets. I found a new room in the old dungeon I was on the way out of by extinguishing a torch (hey!), and there were a wealth of cool items under chairs, chests, wooden boards and heavy rocks (among other places)…
Some new enemies in the new area included tough smoke-producing beasties that block your view until you step into those billowy (and possibly smoky-smelling) clouds and have to fight for your life. The Karma system is also working well here, as you’ll come across a few tempting opportunities to add handy items to your growing inventory that might seem like a good and greedy thing to do, but you’ll end up paying for it in one of a few ways. Side quests are ample and so far, take place with a minimum of annoyance (as in none at all). You need to be a bit meticulous to find some of the folks or creatures who need your help, but expect some well-written exposition as you meet new friends (or potential foes).

More information.

One thing new players will NEED to learn… is the importance of moving or activating certain objects in the game world to uncover assorted secrets. I found a new room in the old dungeon I was on the way out of by extinguishing a torch (hey!), and there were a wealth of cool items under chairs, chests, wooden boards and heavy rocks (among other places)…

That actually sounds very cool amid the torrent of exploration-oriented RPGs that fail to fully appreciate the joys of the simple 'Easter egg hunt.'

One thing I'm confused with about this game is that after watching some youtube videos of it as well as reading some editorial quotes on the developer's home page as well as on other gaming sites they read as if the game has alraedy been released. Was this game released in prior years and now getting some kind of facelift or has it just been in beta for a really long time and is going to be released officially for the first time soon? What's the status of this game?

Originally Posted by TheMadGamer
That actually sounds very cool amid the torrent of exploration-oriented RPGs that fail to fully appreciate the joys of the simple 'Easter egg hunt.'

One thing I'm confused with about this game is that after watching some youtube videos of it as well as reading some editorial quotes on the developer's home page as well as on other gaming sites they read as if the game has alraedy been released. Was this game released in prior years and now getting some kind of facelift or has it just been in beta for a really long time and is going to be released officially for the first time soon? What's the status of this game?

They did kind of a "buy the beta" approach, similar to what Mount & Blade did. So you could buy the game for a lower price for quite a while already.

Originally Posted by GhanBuriGhan
They did kind of a "buy the beta" approach, similar to what Mount & Blade did. So you could buy the game for a lower price for quite a while already.

Interesting. Never heard of that approach before. Thanks for clearing that up.