What is nice is that there is a surprising amount of depth to the character, as there is more to him than aimless slashing. His default attack combos are series of 3 hits, which each have different arcs of his swings and cause him to move around while he attacks. A player can effectively maneuver his way through a group of enemies hitting different targets with his attacks. Conversely, a careless player will likely find himself being flanked by his enemies if he fails to pay attention to his own movements.
Overall the game’s production and presentation values are very high. There are countless details that suggest the team that designed the game put loving care into their product. Map areas are filled with dynamic effects, from fires burning in a destroyed mansion to the sounds of animals in the woods. The music is also quite suitable, shifted from tranquil orchestration when walking between locations, to more exciting tracks when the fighting beings. As well, every single menu in the game, from the opening screen to character sheets, looks absolutely gorgeous and is well laid out and informative.
The one issue with gameplay, which was hardly a problem with the demo but could be for the finished product, was the overall linearity of the maps. Each area could basically be described as a series of hallways with gorgeous backdrops. The player is constantly walking forward, and sometimes takes a corner to find a hidden chest, then resumes walking forward. Action and ambushes only ever seem to be come from one direction as well. Even the town that the player reaches in the latter half of the demo feels like a long hallway, as instead of being able to freely roam an open area, it is built more like an expressway interupted only by two angles.
If the entire game plays out in a similar fashion, it will become a problem, as the developer is obviously trying to convey something grand in terms of story and scope, but it feels limited by the lack of ever being able to go and explore, or have to head in another direction.
One last gripe is the fact that during cooperative play, only one character is able to speak, while the others have to sit and vote in the hopes that the first player will make a choice that is appropriate for the party. For the player in charge of the discussion it is fine, but for the others it can be a nuisance.
All in all, the Dungeon Siege 3 demo was a blast to play. Provided that the final release allows for some exploration and choice, the full version should be something worth waiting for. Dungeon Siege 3 will be released on June 19th 2011.
Source : http://xboxfreedom.com
