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A:EftP - Very, very first impressions


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It's out! Yay! And I've already done my first two hours of exploring this third edition of one of my most beloved games ever. This little thread is the place where I will share a few thoughts and sensations that accompany me with the playthrough, as I hope it will serve as a casual feedback to the most respected Spidweb team and because Avernum turns me into a little child who has to squeal his pleasure in everyone's face.

 

First off: I like it! I would still be playing if I hadn't had such an exhausting day (I was actually on my way to bed when I discovered the release). I'm still giving myself some time to adjust to and evaluate the new game sense though. But let's start at the beginning.

 

I was cautiously excited during the download, since things I love tend to disappoint me in the end. Everything went super smooth, the startup screen appeared soon after, and the mood was immediately set - and well-set at that. Dig the graphics, dig the music. But the cursor... it sparked a subroutine in the back of my head about the gaming industry, some of Jeff's blogs etc, essentially pondering the selling-out of identity for success. I hoped, hoped hoped so much, that this Avernum would still be Avernum-y. I was by no means pessimistic, only this cursor bugged me. It shouldn't sparkle and shower weird stuff (ignoring possible Twilight sidejabs here). I wonder why it does that. Anyway, starting the game.

 

Four characters, portraits, classes, alrighty... and of course, Aldous, Mycroft and Cordelia. And that second slot chick. Guess it can't be Sschah. For the first time ever, I'm actually sticking with those names. Nostalgia makes me more classical (less creative?) than I was back when I played the first trilogies, it appears. I look at all the portraits, and am pleased. They are very nice, although most of the small ingame-avatars look expectedly familiar. Twice, I misclick and have to go through all the options again to get back to the portrait I want for my first character, and I wish there was a 'back' arrow like there used to be somewhere. When was that? Never mind, setting everyone on 'custom'. Aha... no point allocation here. Who knows.

 

Excitement building up - ...

 

Wait, what..? A cave? It's dark. And green. Why is it dark? Where am I? What the... No portal? No greeting party, no nothing? No thinking. Go on, there must be an explanation. Going on, going on... nephils. Huh?! Going on. I must have been misteleported, so I have some monsters to kill before I get back to the grand and legendary portal of my childhood! ... but no. Just some generic dude on a skribbane trip, a few generic mobs and a couple generic helpless people to make up the first obligatory dungeon of this game. I don't like it. Not one bit. It feels murky and in no way credible, it's awkward. It did give me the opportunity to peruse the character and combat systems at the very least, and... hm. I'm not sure what to say. I am positive towards it, for sure, but not entirely convinced it will work for me personally as the game goes on. I'm extremely happy that archery was heavily buffed, but melee now seems like less of an option as a specialty. The battle disciplines I can't figure out which ones apply to which. The perks look nice, though the index is crude. I have a hard time connecting to whole levelup window, I'm not exactly sure why everythings is distributed the way it is. Were I not as experienced as I am in RPGs and the like, I feel I would be pretty confused if not overwhelmed by now. Priests seem way more powerful than mages. I'm already thinking of making a party of pure priest/archers. But hey - dispel barrier!! Whoooo!! Focus of my thrive to adventure on for so many hours of gameplay, it's back. Now, as I write this, I think back to the times when you could create barriers yourself and let a slightly melancholic smile creep upon me. Good thing being a nerd is cool now, thanks to hipsters and Starcraft 2.

 

I emerge to Fort Avernum. No, no portal. The anticlimax almost feels like an actual anticlimax. Sigh. I still recognize the layout of the Fort, that must be Tor and Thraine? Thlaine? Thwayynne? down there to the left. I talk to a few guys, walk around a little, loot some stuff, and go talk to Tor. He tells me about the caves, and... there it is. The Avernum-feeling. Ahh. No time to spare now, turn off the cellphone, turn off everything, turn off the parts of my brain that deal with irrelevant outside world nonsense, I'm back in the caves and all shall know my glory! You heard me right Erika! There best be a deli sandwich waiting for me when I come to destroy Hawthorne! (No sexism intended, I just love Erika and I love sandwiches)

 

Surprisingly good loot in this Fort. Over in Silvar, which apparently is 7 miles away now (How would cavequakes change this? Possible scenarios in my head seem very implausible), there is even more. I have 900 coins already and am in the position to buy out both the armorer and weaponrer, and feel very well-equipped. Down I go into the sewers of Silvar, another made-up quest just for this remake. Hey, worms! Much better than rats. Not. But whatever, let's mess some dudes up! A nephil is spawning them, another generic, less-than-perfectly implemented villain I can't take seriously. Thus, my fighter dies. After my WTF-face faded, I kill all in the sewers in one very slightly annoyed sweep and return upstairs, noticing the teleportation pillar thingy room on the way. Makes sense, liking it.

To revive Aldous, I have to leave Silvar entirely and then return, which I think shouldn't be the case. He should be revived when I return to the town level. I now want to return to the mayor to claim my reward, but on the way someone hums by the pool. Another smile creeps over my tired but incredibly handsome face, it's the talking statue! I press 'tab', but remember that not as many things are shown this way anymore. I want to press 'talk', but yeah. I start to actually use my eyes and mouse, and see: a sentinel. A giant, reddish, stone sentinel from Avernum 5. That's the talking statue. It looks absolutely nothing like the other statues around it! Nothing at all! It's not even funny! At this point, I go into WTF-mode for real and decide to save and quit.

 

I lean back, take a sip of my diet water and let the impressions sink in. Were my first minutes of Avernum: Escape from the Pit as gloriously perfect as I would have liked them to be? No. Was I disappointed? Certainly not! It feels like Avernum, it feels like Spidweb, it's fun, enticing, pretty and the atmosphere still tingles in my tissue. I will buy it, and tell everyone else to buy it, maybe even do a LP on Youtube or something of the sort, but for now I will get some rest, play more of the demo tomorrow and continually (continuously?) ... and continue to update this thread with the experiences I make with this game.

 

Last words: thank you, Jeff and conspirators, for another addition to humanity's arsenal of amazing games. I wish you nothing but success and adoration for this and all your future products!

 

So long, and thanks for all the mushrooms.

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