Rise of the Argonauts - Review @ IGN

Dhruin

Dhruin

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The first major review for Argonauts is out, with IGN taking a look at the X360 version. Despite noting some interesting ideas, the stripped-back RPG elements, combat and minimalistic HUD all come in for criticism, as well as performance problems on the console. The score is 6.2/10 and here's an early excerpt:
Trimming the number-crunching aspects in which the obsessive-compulsive and RPG hardcore so ravenously revel while keeping in lengthy, fully-voiced conversations between characters and an accessible real-time combat system seems to be an appeal to the mainstream. By removing the typical RPG genre complications and adding a simple combat engine with a heavy emphasis on passive abilities and the mechanical repetition of light and heavy attacks, block, and dodge moves, the game can't fully satisfy action or RPG appetites. It feels like Liquid sacrificed too much for the sake of its genre fusion.
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Joined
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Wow, an actual conceit by a megablockbuster mainstreamzine that simplifying, streamlining, and extruding serious/heavy RPG elements to pander to the intellect-lite mainstream gamer is a bad thing? This must be a mistake, how did it slip by the editor? HAHAHA
 
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I have noted the critizism against dumbing down games in several of IGN's reviews recently. I find it to be refreshing. See the video review for Prince of Persia and Silent Hill: Homecoming for example.
 
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I can't say how it makes sense to "dumb down" a game by removing number crunching to appeal to the mainstream. There's a little game called World of Warcraft that seems to have done OK for itself. Once I hit 70 in that game and started raiding, I made all my gear choices wth the aid of various multipage spreadsheets. Complexity and numbers don't hurt a game's popularity.
 
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