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TVG leaves Aranna and heads to the Northern Wastelands in 2K Games' original Dungeon Siege for PSP...
Having dipped a toe into the muddied waters of Aranna in the Dungeon Siege II expansion, Broken World, 2K Games has released its first fully fledged instalment in the fantasy franchise with the release of Dungeon Siege II: Throne of Agony on PSP. Marking the first time that the series has departed from the PC, somewhat obvious given the fact that Microsoft Game Studios previously owned the brand, Throne of the Agony continues the story of the world of Aranna after the fall of Valdis at the end of Dungeon Siege II.
Beginning the adventure with the decision to create a new character, a description that practically verges on being fraudulent given the distinct lack of actual character creation (players get to choose from one of three main characters, and one of two 'Followers'), players then board a boat to the uncharted territories and prepare for the adventure ahead. As with any RPG, character development is then progressed through the standard fare of Experience Points, with further Class Advancements made available when a character reaches levels 30 and 60. At these points, players can then choose which of the available Hero and Legendary classes to take. For instance, Allister the Battlemage can choose to become a White Wizard and ultimately an Archmage or Arcane Champion...or become a Lich or Death Knight by following the vile Wizard branch (in other words, take the path to the dark side...please feel free to groan in your own time). Each of the three main characters available to choose from has their own back story and reason for travelling to the north, from Allister's attempts to find his love, a female ranger called Sidara, to Serin the Shadow Stalker's visions of a black tree, though the 'bread and butter' quests remain identical.
Considering the dramatic change in platform choice, the PSP isn't the first choice system to produce even hack 'n' slash RPGs - Untold Legend aside - the gameplay holds up pretty well. Everything that you'd expect to see in a dungeon crawler, from loot collecting, facing hellish demons of nightmarish proportions, and collecting food for pathetic locals, is there. The quests themselves are a something of a mixed bag, and for most part are very clichéd and typical of fantasy RPGs; looking for the bodies of missing farmers, hunting down a roaming bloody-thirsty beast, or vanquishing the Necromancers that have set up shop in a ruined Abbey, are typical fare for the adventure. If you don't fancy taking on the adventure by yourself however, it does feature a Co-Operative mode, allowing two players (and their AI-controlled Follower) the opportunity to unearth the adventure over the PSP's Wi-Fi Ad Hoc function. It's worth noting that levelling up the main character seems to take a lot less time than the usual PC/console-based RPGs, perhaps due to the handheld nature of Throne of Agony, giving players a much needed boost of motivation early on. That said, the strategy seems to compound the fact that there isn't much of a challenge in terms of difficulty in the game. It's actually quite difficult to die, especially in the first few hours of gameplay, which can make the trudge through the Northern Wastelands all the more of a chore. Save games can be made at any point in the adventure, and the near continuous presence of NPC Followers means that you never feel like you're character will be overwhelmed by an onslaught of potent enemies, further streamlining any sense of difficulty.
If there's something to be said about Throne of Agony, it's that it accomplishes the transition from PC to PSP with flying colours, in terms of both the control system and the game's visual style. In fact, the careful planning in creating the interface and control system as a whole is one of the most impressive aspects of Throne of Agony, betraying its status as an original title for PSP. The ability to auto-aim enemies, negates some of the fiddly controls that have dogged any number of PSP games in the past (especially ports), and offers quick and easy access to every detail that you'd expect from an RPG. Character progression, inventories, and books of lore, creates a depth of knowledge for players, all together helping to forge as best an immersive experience as it can - despite the game's shortcomings. Quick access to Health and Mana potions is enabled with the PSP's d-pad, whilst the left shoulder button's single-hit health top up has obvious parallels to short cuts on keyboards. At least the control system of Throne of Agony can't be accused of slowing down the action in this action-RPG.
Visually as well, Throne of Agony not only manages to retain a flavour of being a Dungeon Siege title, but actually uses the PSP to great effect. It's a really good looking title for the handheld, with plenty of detail and gloss in the environments and characters alike. Travelling between towns and other key locations also features something of a neat detail, allowing smaller versions of avatars to roam around the world map, with the names of the localities emblazoned in stylised text floating above (with typically evocative names like "The Corrupt Forest" and "The Mysterious Catacombs"). Despite using every pixel available on the PSP's much drooled over widescreen, displaying a high level of presentation, Throne of Agony nonetheless fails to really look or feel particularly epic on the handheld. The gaps in loading up towns and environments don't help matters either. Thankfully, the score to the game creates a more grand experience, and wouldn't be out of place in any RPG on any format. Dramatic at times, and somewhat folksy at others, Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony's soundtrack oozes the same slick production values of the visuals, but succeeds in create an epic atmosphere to the player's exploits...
Despite being an impressive enough handheld title, the experience in the Northern Wastelands does become quite repetitive, thanks mostly to samey gameplay and storylines that are difficult to care about. There's the distinct lack of a hook to the game; the quests are clichéd, and there is very little to motivate you as you make your way through the harsh and dangerous terrains of the Northern Wastelands. That said, in small doses, Throne of Agony could provide that hit of RPG gameplay when it's most wanted - like if you're away from home for a couple of nights without World of Warcraft, or Neverwinter Nights.
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Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony
Game Information
Available On:
PSP
| Release Date: | Players: |
|---|---|
| Out Now | Wi-Fi Ad-Hoc (1-2) |
| Publisher: | Genre: |
| 2K Games | RPG |
| Developer: | PEGi Rating: |
| SuperVillain Studios | 12 |
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Added:Sat 24th Feb 2007 23:48, Post No: 1
Thanks for the info im about to get dungeon siege throne of agony right now.