Latest Previews
Midnight Club: LA - MultiplayerFar Cry 2 - MultiplayerGears of War 2 - Hands OnNeed For Speed UndercoverMirror's EdgeUser Reviews
There are currently 0 User Reviews for NightcasterWrite your own review for this game today and you will receive 100 Gamer Points.
Click here to register
Nightcaster Preview
Chris Leyton
00/12/0000
The Xbox is currently in need of a good action game, has Nightcaster got what it takes???
Nightcaster is very much an action title with RPG elements, something that the Xbox catalogue is currently lacking, so we decided to take a look at whether this should be on your shopping list or not.
Players take the role of Arran, a young boy from the village of Perth, whose life changes whilst harmlessly indulging in a good old game of hide-and-seek. Finding a suitable hiding place in a cave, Arran encounters a mythical talking orb, who enlists his aid to fight the ever-growing threat of the Nightcaster; a malicious creature who threatens to engulf the world in complete darkness. To stop the threat, Arran must collect the four essences of magic and fight the Nightcaster, the only problem is that it will take years to accomplish.
From the start Nightcaster is very much a traditional linear action/adventure romp, levels contain chests, scrolls, the type of thing that youâd expect. The most important item that youâll find will be the magic spheres that enhance Aaranâs magical capabilities and grant him new spells. Various enemies populate the levels that youâll have to dispose of through spells and physical attack, whilst youâll also encounter a number of NPCâs who siperse vital information. At this point you may feel that the game offers nothing new, however an innovative feature is in the time itâs going to take you to complete your quest.
The quest will take place over many years, and through this youâll see Aaran grow up from a little boy to an old man. This is not only a graphical change, but will influence the way you play the game. At the start Aaran is inexperienced in both magic and physical attacks, as he levels up and grows older Aaron will becomes more skilled in each area, until you reach old age where the emphasis is placed on your magical ability. Itâs a novel game mechanic, which changes your approach substantially throughout your adventure.
The controls are also different from what youâd expect, using the left analogue stick to control Aaron, the right stick controls the orb and allows you to switch the viewpoint to a top-down perspective allowing you to aim spells more effectively, very reminiscent of the classic Gauntlet. The left trigger cycles through the four different types of spells available to you; fire, water, light and dark and the right trigger will fire your selected spell. Enemies are colour coded to signal which type of spell is most efficient against them, however the control system proves to be a little awkward and tricky when faced against a number of opponents.
Visually Nightcaster isnât one of the best Xbox titles youâll see, ranging from the good to the downright awful. Spells are cast amongst some glorious lighting and particle effects, whilst Aarans character model is well constructed and the change of age is carried out well. However environments sport low detailed textures with relatively low polygon counts, something that also plagues the unimaginative enemies and NPCâs that youâll encounter. On the whole Nightcaster lacks the visual splendour weâve come to expect from Xbox titles.
