PCWorld reviewed The Warlock of Firetop Mountain - a PC conversion of an old gamebook:
More information.
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Warlock of Firetop Mountain - Review @ PCWorld
- Thread starter HiddenX
- Start date
Having been a backer and put nine hours already into this, I'm seriously considering attempting a review of my own which I would certainly humbly offer up to the 'Watch for a story. I'll see how my mental energy goes over the coming week or so. 
In short:
Pros:
- Strongly faithful to the source material. Nostalgia will ring true for readers.
- Fun, bouncy and addictive game-play with many paths possible through the Mountain, expanding on the book's one true path.
- Reasonable variety of characters encourages replayability via the souls mechanic which unlocks different character tiers. (More higher skilled characters to choose from…)
- More DLC content still in development
- The engine shows great potential for future games.
- Unique turn based grid combat system rewards observation, positioning and experimentation.
Cons:
- Some bugs still remain; product still needs some polish.
- General linearity in scripted encounters leading to quick familiarity and a sense of repetition upon replay, which is critical to earn the souls required to unlock higher skilled character tiers.
- Combat can become tedious; possibly relying on too much player skill over character skill.
- Group combat rules for traditional Fighting Fantasy not fully implemented. (No blocking skill checks)
- The Maze of Zagor isn't really a maze.
That'll do for now!
In short:
Pros:
- Strongly faithful to the source material. Nostalgia will ring true for readers.
- Fun, bouncy and addictive game-play with many paths possible through the Mountain, expanding on the book's one true path.
- Reasonable variety of characters encourages replayability via the souls mechanic which unlocks different character tiers. (More higher skilled characters to choose from…)
- More DLC content still in development
- The engine shows great potential for future games.
- Unique turn based grid combat system rewards observation, positioning and experimentation.
Cons:
- Some bugs still remain; product still needs some polish.
- General linearity in scripted encounters leading to quick familiarity and a sense of repetition upon replay, which is critical to earn the souls required to unlock higher skilled character tiers.
- Combat can become tedious; possibly relying on too much player skill over character skill.
- Group combat rules for traditional Fighting Fantasy not fully implemented. (No blocking skill checks)
- The Maze of Zagor isn't really a maze.
That'll do for now!
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Having been a backer and put nine hours already into this, I'm seriously considering attempting a review of my own which I would certainly humbly offer up to the 'Watch for a story. I'll see how my mental energy goes over the coming week or so.
In short:
Pros:
- Strongly faithful to the source material. Nostalgia will ring true for readers.
- Fun, bouncy and addictive game-play with many paths possible through the Mountain, expanding on the book's one true path.
- Reasonable variety of characters encourages replayability via the souls mechanic which unlocks different character tiers. (More higher skilled characters to choose from…)
- More DLC content still in development
- The engine shows great potential for future games.
- Unique turn based grid combat system rewards observation, positioning and experimentation.
Cons:
- Some bugs still remain; product still needs some polish.
- General linearity in scripted encounters leading to quick familiarity and a sense of repetition upon replay, which is critical to earn the souls required to unlock higher skilled character tiers.
- Combat can become tedious; possibly relying on to much player skill over character skill.
- Group combat rules for traditional Fighting Fantasy not fully implemented. (No blocking skill checks)
- The Maze of Zagor isn't really a maze.
That'll do for now!
You got me with turn based
I should probably qualify that statement and call it what it truly is; a "simultaneous turn-based" combat system So aye, turn-based, but of a specific type. Basically you make your move or attack a square of choice and the monsters do something at the same time! (Move, turn to a side, attack…) then the game stops and lets you make your next choice.
Edit:
Bah! Who needs combat animations? I don't need to watch a table-top miniature swing a weapon. Spend money on improving the content and the mechanics/systems thanks.
So aye, turn-based, but of a specific type. Basically you make your move or attack a square of choice and the monsters do something at the same time! (Move, turn to a side, attack…) then the game stops and lets you make your next choice.Edit:
Bah! Who needs combat animations? I don't need to watch a table-top miniature swing a weapon. Spend money on improving the content and the mechanics/systems thanks.
I watched a brief amount of someone playing this and while it looks somewhat interesting it also looks very simplistic, which would get repetitive quickly, and the hopping while moving was a bit off putting because I'm guessing that table top gamers don't move their figurines like they're playing a children's board game (could be wrong here as my history is more pnp oriented).
I don't understand, you say "Combat can become tedious; possibly relying on to much player skill over character skill. " and yet combat is turn based? how does that make it rely on player skill if combat is not twitchy?
@ Wolfing. Best read my qualifying statement. The combat is simultaneous turn-based.
The player needs to pay attention to how the enemies move, the direction they face and in general observe their patterns over time to make best positioning for combat ability usage. This isn't something your character does obviously, thus it relies upon player skill.
There's some guess work involved to begin with, but over time you become proficient in predicting where enemies move and to take 'em out efficiently FF style.
@ Voqar
This is a fighting fantasy derived game and to those who know the system, it is indeed very simplistic - that's part of its genuine charm in that it returns role-playing to a basic and essential level. That said, I've enjoyed my time with it a whole lot more than with a few modern cRPGs, namely Dragon Age: Inquisition which was full of some of the most horrid filler and dull busy work I've ever seen in a game.
I've managed to complete the game with two more characters from the epic tier, the Rhino-Man named "Twenty-Three" and the elf Gilfane. Both have their own individual quests within the mountain, the latter of which is quite possibly the best and most compelling additional content that I've experienced so far.
The player needs to pay attention to how the enemies move, the direction they face and in general observe their patterns over time to make best positioning for combat ability usage. This isn't something your character does obviously, thus it relies upon player skill.
There's some guess work involved to begin with, but over time you become proficient in predicting where enemies move and to take 'em out efficiently FF style.
@ Voqar
This is a fighting fantasy derived game and to those who know the system, it is indeed very simplistic - that's part of its genuine charm in that it returns role-playing to a basic and essential level. That said, I've enjoyed my time with it a whole lot more than with a few modern cRPGs, namely Dragon Age: Inquisition which was full of some of the most horrid filler and dull busy work I've ever seen in a game.
I've managed to complete the game with two more characters from the epic tier, the Rhino-Man named "Twenty-Three" and the elf Gilfane. Both have their own individual quests within the mountain, the latter of which is quite possibly the best and most compelling additional content that I've experienced so far.
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