Kyshakk Koan BenS Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I just finished this last night, after an incredible amount of hours put into it. Got both endings (and even felt dirty about the Darkside Loyalist ending). I'd just like to say this was my favorite Avernum game. I've liked them all--yes, even Avernum IV--but this just blew me away. What I liked: Battle Disciplines were fun w/out being broken. The writing was crisp. The boss battles were just so memorable. The bits of humor throughout. The thrill of exploration. Moral quandaries. Choosing sides. The screenshot art was fantastic! How Jeff's games continue to favor shades of grey over black and white; if you know what I mean. Icon-art (when speaking w/ X). I loved all the optional stuff, like Lark's monster quests, and the 4 artifact dungeons. How the lich in the Pit of Abominations revealed a hand behind the creation of the Rockhounds plaguing the Vahnatoi. How natural ecologies played an underlying theme in the game, and affected the perceptions of the various races. The challenge felt real throughout the game. I never felt overpowered and underchallenged. The new encumbrance rules. Minor criticisms: Not much, honestly. B/c I'm more anal-retentive than most, I would have preferred the sprites to match up by gender Other than that, I have the feeling there are a few too many skills, both secret and not secret (e.g., I might not have Magery in a game where Spellcraft is already available). And why not lay out the "secret" skills in the manual, so players can choose to build their characters accordingly? I've played many of these games where I only stumbled onto a secret skill by accident. Players might like to plan ahead for their character creation. Just a thought. Anyway, this was just a fantastic effort, and I enjoyed it immensely. P.S. Thanks for the old-time D&D nod. "Vesna" the lich. Heh heh heh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Articulate Vlish NickLemming Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 My favourite was a certain chitrach... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Dintiradan Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 By BenS: Quote: P.S. Thanks for the old-time D&D nod. "Vesna" the lich. Heh heh heh... Please tell me there's an artefact known as "The Head of Vesna". -------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 Now to gain the powers you must remove your own head and place it on in place of yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chittering Clawbug ewan Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 Lastly... ...I played (the first time, anyway) as 4 nephils and a slith. That made it *really* hard to get motivated to go Darkside, given that my role even at best would pretty obviously be peon/untermenschen. Would have been ideal to have, maybe, a Loyalist subplot with the possibility of raising the profile/status of nonhumans in that setup? Too late, I know, but there are few enough gripes with what was really a great game . *** EDIT: Oops - see below: for 4, read 3. No 5-character party (!); one Slith tank, one nethil swordsman; one priest/archer and one mage/thief. I guess I can buy the 'darkside route is for human parties' - and yes, I noted the text mods, but they were very obviously not sincere on 'his' part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 How did you get to run a party of 5 characters? Dorikas while being old school Empire in his disdain for nonhumans does change his dialog if you have them in your party. Besides this game really screws over humans with regard to gaining battle disciplines. It costs more in skill points and takes longer before you can get them all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan BenS Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 Quote: Originally written by Randomizer:Now to gain the powers you must remove your own head and place it on in place of yours. I see there are a few D&D players here, familiar w/ that joke module from WOTC. The funny (scary?) thing is that you just know some people didn't get the joke until it was, um, too late Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan BenS Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 Quote: Originally written by NickLemming:My favourite was a certain chitrach... Ah, yes, the GIFTC. It was too endearing for me to hurt it. An in-joke on an in-joke, as it were. I wonder if they'll return for Av VI... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnificent Ornk Student of Trinity Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Naw, A6 will introduce SLUGs: Stupid Little Unfriendly Giants. In other news, goblins will have been genocided by X with his level 4 Anvil spell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Aoslare Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Dude. Genocide would have been the perfect answer to the chitrach mess in A4. At least for parties. Most singletons probably couldn't survive the average 798 unblockable damage you'd take from genociding 227 chitrachs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody Locmaar Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Wasn't the lich's name Vecna? I even considered going to the attic to look for ye olde AD&D stuff, but I'd rather ask here first. edit: Duh! Just read the sub on the picture. Double duh!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenderfoot Thahd Necromis Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Doh you mean I wasn't supposed to remove my head. LOL Yeah I almost had to look that up, too. Though on the secret skills. Keep them secret. Good part of the game IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Darkdread Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 I finished the game being loyal to the empire, now I'll try the other one. Is there going to be an Avernum 6?? cool!! I wish one could choose the aid that will be summoned by the mage. I hated when I needed a ranged attacker and got a pustulant zombie instead, or when I was fighting a fire resistan foe and got a fire lizard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Khoth Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Quote: Originally written by Elastikon:Dude. Genocide would have been the perfect answer to the chitrach mess in A4. At least for parties. Most singletons probably couldn't survive the average 798 unblockable damage you'd take from genociding 227 chitrachs. Unless you're playing a game where genocide works properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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