Roger The Flying Pig Developer: MagiCode Games Publisher: MagiCode Games Genre: Arcade/Physics Game Platform: iPhone(reviewed)/iPad/Android Release: 4/5/11 Price: AU$1.19/US$0.99 (iTunes or Andriod)
Overview
Introducing the first game from one-man game design company, MagiCode Games, Roger the Flying Pig. In this game, Roger the pig has the somewhat delusional dream of being able to fly. In an attempt to do so, he puts on his best red cape, scoffs down some hamburgers and makes his way to the local enormous ramp to luge at terrific speeds, catapulting himself into the air before tragically plummeting back down to earth.
Gameplay
Before flying off into the different modes of play offered in Roger the Flying Pig, it’s probably a good idea to give a basic overview of the gameplay as a whole. Firstly, Roger is a pig. The problem with pigs is that they tend to not be able to fly. In an attempt to fly, Roger has climbed to the top of a giant ramp with such an impressive incline that he’s bound to become airborne. After pressing jump, Roger leaps forward onto the ramp, building up speed before his final big jump into the air. In order to build up speed, you need to pop balloons floating about the ramp, that hold up hamburgers (sometimes other food) which when eaten will boost Rogers speed. Unfortunately for Roger, he eventually hits the ground. This part of the game demonstrates an impressive use of physics, where Roger hits the ground, bounces and spins in the air before making his final stop.
There are four modes of play for you to help Roger achieve his dream of flying. The first mode is arcade, where the goal is to help Roger fly the furthest possible distance. Within this part of the game there are a few different achievements to earn based on distance and burgers eaten. The next three modes of gaming are all challenge based, with the option to unlock levels as you progress. The first is distance. While on first glance this might seem to be the same as the arcade version of Roger the Flying Pig, this mode is a little more difficult. The goal here isn’t to go the furthest distance possible, but rather to get as close to a certain distance, marked with a sign, as possible. The next type of challenge is even more difficult than this, where you need to collect a certain number of apples. Sometimes the apples are hanging from balloons, other times the apples are floating in the air. It takes a few attempts to try and get the speed and timing right before you can manage to collect enough apples to even gain two stars. This part of the game I’d say is a little too difficult. Fortunately, the last mode is a little simpler to master. This last game mode involves avoiding strategically placed signs by timing the speed of your jump perfectly. There is another little handy boost in this part of the game in the form of cupcakes. Eating a cupcake will give you a bonus jump to use in order to try and avoid those annoying signs. Overall, the challenge-based games are fairly difficult, which makes conquering them all the more satisfying. Although this may not actually happen as I’ve found out the hard way.
Graphics and Audio
The graphics aren’t all too spectacular. There is a cartoon like quality to Roger, and all the scenery and objects fit with this design. The design is all done in a slightly whacky fashion, which is fitting to the theme of a pig flying. While it has its charm, it isn’t all that visually spectacular. I will note however that the animation of the trees moving by as Roger flies past is fairly impressive and offers an almost hypnotic effect. The audio is much the same as the graphics, somewhat whacky and fitting to the theme, but not all that noteworthy.
Conclusion
Thematically, Roger the Flying Pig has potential. While I’ve enjoyed watching the impossible feat of a pig flying, the mechanics of the game fall a little short. Some of the levels are a little difficult to master, such as the collection of apples whilst flying. The physics of the game is well constructed, but sadly, apart from bouncing off the ground, this doesn’t really impact too much on gameplay. For a first time effort at designing a game, and taking into consideration that one person designed the whole game, there is potential in Roger the Flying Pig.
A new trailer for the latest in Card Games on Motorcycles video game, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5DS, has been released alongside the start of the latest online tournament for the series.
This year the top 4 contestants of the tournament will be flown in person from anywhere around the world to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to compete in the championship round. A big part of the tournament this year will be the online quiz which will test a players knowledge on not only the card game, but also the tv series and video game.
The online registration required for the tournament has begun today with players being required to register on the tournaments website in order to complete the online quiz to earn their place in the official duel roster. The online portion will have three rounds and a final round which are as follows:
1st Round: Online Quiz Qualifier
- Players tested on all things within the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe.
- Top 256 finishers (per region) will advance to 2nd round
2nd Round: Online Regional Qualifier
- Top 32 Finishers (per region) will advance to final online qualifier
3rd Round: Yu-Gi-Oh! Online Final
- Top four (4) players are eligible to go on to compete head-to-head in
person
4th Round: Head to Head Competition
- Players travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
o Date: July 2011
- Players duel against each other with the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World
Championship 2011,Over the Nexus game on Nintendo DSâ„¢.
- 2 winners will be crowned 2011 US Yu-Gi-Oh! Champions and will compete
against the best of the best in the World Championship later this year in
Europe!
The words gun and Batman are usually polar opposites from one another. This is due to the fact that Batman never uses an actual gun but what about the people who try to copy him? Warner Brothers Interactive announced today that they will be making Gotham City Imposters and that it will be a FPS made by F.E.A.R. developer Monolith Productions. the game will be a 4 on 4 multiplayer shooter set in the Batman Universe.
Imposters avoids the whole Batman doesn’t use guns deal by making the player’s play as customizable imposters on either Team Batman or Team Joker. Players will be “posing as amateur vigilantes or villains” and form up their character however they want to through various costumes, gadgets and weaponry. It will be an odd title to say the least and we can expect to see more from Warner Brothers at E3 when they reveal more about the downloadable title.
Capsule Computers podcast 009 is up and running, we’re finally back into the swing of things with our most recent up to date podcast. This weeks episode on the show we have Dustin, Linkage and MasterAbbott bringing you all the latest news, reviews and video game ramblings along with some background music from this years Eurovision Song Contest (courtesy of Linkage).
Listen in as we go through what we’re playing this week, such as Brink, SEGA’s THOR (XBOX) and (DS), Yar’s Revenge, of course QUAKE (that’s the only game Link plays), Avadon, Diablo 2, Gears 3 Beta, Order & Chaos and a few more.  We speak briefly about Mortal Kombat vs Street Fighter IV (MasterAbbott wants a 6 HOUR Story Mode – CAPCOM please hear my Prays), the Nintendo 3DS titles we want and also the delay of the Nintendo E-Store. The Playstation Network is Finally BACK !! Woo Hoo !!  We also go through our reviews for the week such as Brink, Gatling Gears, Bangio-O HD, Puzzle Bobble Universe 3D, The Conduit 2 and a few more.
Thanks for listening and let us know what you thought of it 🙂
Send all your video game or podcast questions, hints, suggestions and feedback to [email protected] Thanks for listening. Copyright Capsule Computers Pty Ltd – All Rights Reserved
It looks like a pretty decent deal and they’re all fairly similar across regions, have a looksy, just to be specific only accounts registered before the PSN went down will be eligible for the freebies.
The european/aussie package includes…
Two PS3 games from the following:
– LittleBigPlanet
– Infamous
– Wipeout HD/Fury
– Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty
– Dead Nation
PSP users will also be eligible to download two of the following PSP games:
In addition, PSN users will be given 30 days membership for PlayStation Plus free, while existing members will be given 60 days free subscription. Music Unlimited user will be provided with 30 days free. Sony are also apparently working on a Welcome Back offer for home, with details incoming. If you have both a PSP and PS3 with PSN accounts, you’ll get two games on each.
Sounds pretty generous right? Personally I dont know which to pick here yet.
You can view the slightly different North American package details here
Now any fan of Gears of War shoul know that the title is coming out later this year, and I’m sure that you have already set aside money or pre-ordered the game from your retailer of choice, but you may want to put a few more dollars into your reservation fund because Epic and Microsoft announced today that they will be releasing two special editions of Gears of War 3 when it hits stores.
The two special editions will run $150 for the Epic Edition and $80 for the Limited Edition. The Limited Edition (seen above) will contain a COG Service Medal, a COG flag, an exclusive Adam Fenix multiplayer skin as well as a few Fenix family documents that you can read over.
The more expensive Epic Edition (seen below) contains everything that the Limited Edition does plus more than a few extras. It will contain an 11 inch Marcus Fenix statue that any Gears fan would love to have sitting on their desk, a 96 page book written by Tom Bissel that talks about the art and design of the shooter as well as more documents of Fenix’s and an Infected Omen weapon skin pack. These special editions are quite impressive and it shows that Microsoft is really standing behind creating statuettes of their exclusive characters after the release of the Halo: Reach Legendary Edition that contained the Noble Six team statue.
The PlayStation Network has been coming back online across the globe. Most of North America is back online as well as other countries seeing some resurrection of the system, but one country is saying no. Japanese gamers are looking at a bit more of a wait because the Japanese government has a few questions for Sony before they let them turn their network back online.
According to reports from Engadget, Japanese officials have concerns about Sony’s counter hacking security measures. Mostly because they aren’t actually in place yet supposedly, so Japan has decided that until there is concrete evidence that the system is safe and that users’ information is not going to be at risk. With Japan raising questions against Sony for this re-launch of the PSN, it brings the question as to whether or not the PlayStation Network is actually still safe at the moment.
It’s finally out, we haven’t forget about you, and we are sorry for making you wait for this 008 podcast. We are back on the wagon now and ready to take you through the weeks latest news at full throttle.
Listen in as we go through what were playing this week, 3DS, 3DS, 3DS !!! We speak briefly about our interview with iPhone Developers Briso Interactive for Double Dragon, BloodRayne, Megaman Universe getting cancelled and a whole lot of other cool stuff.  We also go through our reviews for the week such as WWE All Stars, Okamiden, Monster Tale, Combat Of Giants Dinosaurs 3DS and a few more.
Thanks for listening and let us know what you thought of it 🙂
Send all your video game or podcast questions, hints, suggestions and feedback to [email protected] Thanks for listening. Copyright Capsule Computers Pty Ltd – All Rights Reserved
I’ve been quite busy this week organizing our appointments for this year’s E3 which starts on the 7th of June.  So many great new games on the cards this year and also Nintendo’s BIG announcement of the Wii 2 has a few of us here at Capsule Computers very excited. Anyway, what have I been playing you ask ? Well the same old games this week unfortunately. I’ve been kicking locust’s ass in the Gears Of War 3 Beta which sadly ends on the 15th of May. I ended up unlocking all the weapons, executions and skins along with characters like Cole and Anya that will unlock in the retail game once its released. I finally got my hands on the Hammer of Dawn this week which was quite enjoyable to use allowing me to decimate the locust scum quickly and easily.  My overall experience with the Gears 3 BETA has been pleasant (APART FROM THE FREAKS USING THE SAWN-OFF SHOTGUNS), finding a public match was very quick, I never lagged out and game modes were fun to play. Hopefully EPIC Games can take all this valuable game data and fine tune the online multiplayer experience even more making Gears 3 a major player on Xbox Live leader board once it’s released.
Other games I’ve played this week included Gameloft’s Order & Chaos. I wish I could take this game with me everywhere I go but you need to connect to a Wi-Fi point. Standard 3G just can’t handle the sheer size of this online MMO game, but it’s still keeping me busy with the little time I have. I’ve also been playing my 3DS, it’s like a daily ritual now. I go for a walk, find some Mii’s using Street Pass, I jump into the Mii Plaza and start up Puzzle Swap and pick up some new Puzzle Pieces, then hire me some heroes to aid my newly found Mii’s on their quest to rescue my own Mii from the clutches of the EVIL Ghosts! It’s a great 10-15 min break and something you all should do if you have a 3DS.
Anyway. that’s all from me this week. I’m off to go check some emails and get ready for E3, only 22 days left to go! Woohoo! Have a great week.
Senior Editor: Travis Bruno
This weekend I spent a large amount of my time playing Brink for the Xbox 360. I’d have to say its a great game for the most part and it is obvious that Splash Damage at least got some sort of inspiration from Team Fortress 2 as many of the classes are quite similar. It is unfortunate though that the allied AI is very poorly designed and that the online modes that the game focuses on entirely are so laggy. There was an update released today for the Xbox 360 version so hopefully it will fix some of the problems at least. With the PSN down for so long, my PlayStation 3 has been doing practically nothing besides collecting dust but I did spend some time with Hyperdimension Neptunia for the sake of getting a decent RPG experience again.
Besides that I got my hands on The First Templar and Lego: Pirates of the Carribbean. Haven’t played either one a whole lot though I can say that the Pirates game is definitely one of the best looking Lego titles that they have ever released. Also it is about time that they let you select whatever character you want in Free Play during the level, should have been something they incorporated right from the beginning. As for The First Templar it looks like it was an Xbox original port as far as graphics go. There really isn’t a whole lot to say about the title because unfortunately there isn’t anything that stands out, just a hum drum action adventure with a Templar setting. Poor 3DS and PSP collected dust this week, though I know everything will collect dust next week with L.A. Noire coming out.
Senior Editor: Dustin Spencer
During the past week I got a small flood of new titles which are varied for the most part. Of course, Brink came out which I picked up, and so far I am really enjoying it aside from the lag. I guess I could best explain it as Mirror’s Edge meets…well, your standard shooter with classes. Interesting concept but there is certainly a lot to learn. I am currently playing two different versions of Thor, one on the DS and one on the Xbox 360. The DS one is awesome (so far) as it reminds me a bit of side-scrolling beat-em ups from the 90’s with both screens in full use. The Xbox 360 one…yeah. Uninspired gameplay, choppy framerates, and just bland overall. The reviews for both should be up soon so keep an eye out for that. I also finished Gattling Gears for the XBLA, which was twin-stick shooting at the best I think I have ever seen it so you can check out that review as well (review link here, will be up tonight).
Continuing my 3DS collection a bit, I picked up Dream Trigger 3D, which I thought would be an arcade shooter but instead it is a little bit of a different experience which I can’t quite put my finger on. I guess you could say if you combined Lumines and REZ maybe? Finally, Mighty Milky Way was released for the DSiWare, and being a huge Wayforward fan, I had to grab it up quickly and it certainly is an interesting little game.
Editor: Jared Hilliers
So I have a back catalogue of games like most other gamers, but mine is that bad that I have some from 2008 to catch up on, like Metal Gear Solid 4. I’ve travelled back in time with Snake along with the original Dragon Age, why? Because I really don’t like leaving anything unfinished, even if the game was free. Most of these games I got halfway through and walked away from for some reason, like being scared of a boss or something stupid like that, but hey, the laughing octopus in MGS4 freaked me in out with surround sound in the dark.
Back to the year 2011, I’m looking forward to LA.Noire, which comes out this week. It’s a home grown game (Sydney based) and some people I went to University with worked on it (trippy!). Plus the most memorable game I played in the last 12 months was a Rockstar published game as well (Red dead anyone?), so I’m betting this game is going to have a big impact this year.
Editor: Roger Ma
Surprisingly, I’ve recently just re-picked up playing Pokemon Gold on my old Gameboy Colour which brings back alot of old memories (my game’s just passed the 100 hour mark). Asides from this, I’ve also been playing Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer with some friends; it’s basically us vs. bots which is unexpectedly very fun as it is just getting and using Killstreaks – a lot of helicopters! Also, my mates and I are still trying to crack 69 stars on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Spec Ops, those juggernauts are very very hard to kill, we’re stuck on Echo.
Editor: Michael Marr
This week I, I thought I would try my hand at a game that I have always heard about, and most certainly know about, but never played or experienced personally. Prepare yourselves for a shock: this week, I began playing Half-Life 2 for the very first time. Believe it or not, I originally purchased the Orange Box in order to play Team Fortress 2, and I was also interested in this little known number called Portal. However, in the 2 odd years since I first got it, I never really thought to turn on Half-Life 2 to see what all the fuss was about…until now that is.
I gotta say, it’s a GOOD game. BUT. But, but, but… I don’t think it’s as great as people make it out to be. I mean sure, it’s fun, the story is enjoyable and the action well paced, but given all the hype I’ve heard about this, I was expecting a digital embodiment of perfection. Then again I remembered that Portal already swooped in and attained that title for itself. Oh, speaking of which, I FINALLY got enough free time to finish off playing Portal 2.
Besides that, other smaller plays on my list included Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising (for a review), Left 4 Dead 2, Pokemon Soulsilver and Dragon Age 2.
Editor: Ben Webb
What have I been playing this week? Hmm… Lemme think….QuakeLive.
Yars’ Revenge PC – Awesome game, absolutely loved it! Only problem is that are a few bugs, namely on the second level where you can’t use the mouse! Luckily I have a X360 controller handy. It’s weird though: all the other levels work with the mouse fine, but hopefully ATARI get around to patching the problem.
Puzzle Bobble Universe – Got a review up for this one, it was fairly entertaining and can be quite ifficult at times, read my review for my full impressions.
Avadon: The Black Fortress – An Indie RPG about dudes called hands who have authority similar to that of a Specters in Mass Effect. It’s an alright game I guess. Expect a review up soon if it’s not already up.
I also got back into Diablo 2 recently, so I’ve put a few hours into that.
On another note, has anyone been watching Eurovision? Man it’s been pretty fun this year and can’t wait for next years contest!
Editor: Michael Irving
With the sequel coming this year, I thought I’d dig Prototype out of hibernation. I got it about 2 years ago, played for maybe an hour, and for some reason never picked it up again. And while it’s a fun concept, like GTA with more verticality, I found it endlessly frustrating. I tried really hard to enjoy the game, but there’s a ridiculous amount of stuff to keep track of. Traveling around the huge city can be a nightmare, as, for example, you have to release the glide button and press jump to get a mid-air boost, and half the time that drops you to the ground. And i always get slaughtered in combat, as I frantically try to remember the combos, or even the basic attacks. I end up jumping all over the place, attacking the wrong targets, picking stuff up instead of punching, assuming I have my shield thing active when I accidentally pressed the button to cancel it. I’m not a rager at all, but this was the closest I’ve ever been to throwing the controller into the TV.
It’s unfortunate, i really like the idea, and it looks fun, I just can’t get into it. But I remember having the same problem with Just Cause 2, and I ended up loving that, so maybe I need to give it another chance. I’m just worried about my TV’s welfare…
I also finished Oddworld: Abe’s Exodus this week, the second game in the Oddboxx. I’ll move onto the third this week, but I’m a little unsure of how the series will transition into 3D.
Editor: Kelly Teng
This week, I’ve been going back to World of Warcraft because…well, let’s face it, we all have a soft spot for WoW. I’d forgotten how great the 80-85 instances were, but I’d also forgotten how playing WoW means minutes turns into hours and before you know it, a day has passed you. I’ve also watched American: The Bill Hicks Story for review (awesome documentary, anyone who loves comedy should watch this). I also got Top Spin 4 back from my friend and played a little bit of the career mode again. No matter how cool Virtua Tennis 4 is, I still have a soft spot for Top Spin; with Rafa beating Nole in the Rome Masters, I figured I could exact my own form of vengeance by beating Nole in the game.
Other than that, I’m really just biding my time until L.A. Noire comes out. Anyone who has been following L.A. Noire will know how exciting this release is, and anyone who has even seen my posts on this site or spoken to me will know just how excited I am for this game. I’ll also be doing a film noir DVD review special in celebration of L.A. Noire’s release, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks!
Editor: Alexis Ayala
I’ve been playing a very new game to me. It’s called: Move to Sydney from New York. But seriously I haven’t had too much time to play much of anything aside of some Halo: Reach with my (17 year old) brother in law (who owns me… because he’s 17) and rocking out hard with some iOS games. I’ve maintained a healthy addiction to Game Dev Story for the past couple of months, which if you haven’t tried yet I would only recommend if you’re willing to give up your entire life…because that’s whats going to happen…because it’s digital crack. I’ve also been going through the fantastic Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP which is really the first experience on iPhone that I’ve had that has really shown me what the platform is capable of. Sword & Sworcery is a game that’s not possible on other devices and really takes advantage of all the features of the iPhone (or iPad). I’ve also been playing through World of Goo again. This is the 3rd time I’ve purchased World of Goo (Wii, Steam, iOS) and its been worth buying every time. What a fantastic game! And last but not least I’ve just started to go through Portal (Steam for Mac) again. I’m going through with the commentary this time to prepare myself forPortal 2, which I’ve already purchased but wont be able to play for another 6 weeks or so (which is when my stuff arrives from New York).
So obviously I’m looking forward to getting all my stuff from New York. My wife and I have an apartment furnished with a blowup mattress, a couple of stools and a barbeque (which is the first thing I bought when we moved in… priorities you know). Feng shui isn’t difficult when you have 3 items. However, I’m foaming at the mouth waiting for L.A. Noire and the chance to finally play Portal 2. It’s funny, waiting for your own stuff to arrive feels like the way Christmas felt when you were a little kid. I just can’t wait!
Editor: Darren Resnekov
I’ve been playing Portal 2 on Xbox360. Having never played the first game, I didn’t know what to expect. Aside from the lack of blood and guns, I found it to be a very welcome change from the current titles available. The puzzles and environments are amazing. Going to begin Brink after hearing mixed reviews about it – I am keen to see what all the hype is. I’ve also been playing more Fifa 11, and I reviewed Socom 4 which had its good elements in the stealth missions and AFL Live which requires more patience than a high school teacher.
Developer: Spiderweb Software Publisher: Spiderweb Software Platform: PC Price: $25US (Buy here) Release Date: May 10, 2011
Overview
Avadon: The Black Fortress is an independently developed role playing game for the PC. The game features decent story elements and plot lines with some interesting events and characters. Graphically, it is reminiscent of more classic role playing games and the very generous system requirements reflect this.
Story
The story in Avadon seems very simple at a glance and may remind some players of some plot elements found in some of the more mainstream role playing games, like Mass Effect. In fact, the your character and some companions also share in a status very similar to that of a Specters in the Mass Effect universe.
The player character is known as a hand, which basically has the power to do as he or she sees fit in a certain situation and can ignore the law if needed. Hands are sent in to do the work of other characters who have ranks that are also named after other body parts.
Like any role playing game, the first mission/job/quest will have you exploring somewhere close to where you started and killing monsters that are so beneath you that it feels anti-heroic. In fact, the entire first mission is a role playing game trope, with you exploring a dungeon full of rats and only having to fight a slightly tougher foe towards the end. However the story does build up from this and it does lead to an interesting plot element, but, I ultimately found it too full of itself to take seriously.
The story itself is told though text, and lots of it. The story isn’t told by much other means than through it. It often feels like you’re walking from one chapter to the next, with combat being thrown in to keep you occupied. For example, there is a quest where you have to save a farmers cow heard from being killed by goblin things, who have a base all the way over the other side of the map. Sure you can kill the goblins without talking to the farmer, but you don’t experience the story changing unless you explicitly talk to a character about that plot point.
I think that the story of this game will be engaging to some players and flat out boring to others, much like most stories actually. But I think it’s more likely to be disengaging because there is not really much effect, visually and eventfully, on the game world within the story if you ignore certain quests or complete certain quests other than some dialogue and quest rewards.
Graphics
Avadon: The Black Fortress has a very classic look to it. The character sprites, tile-set and even the artwork are all very retro RPG in their design.
Lets talk a little about the character sprites shall we? Each class has it’s own sprite, one sprite, only one; that’s one unisex sprite per class. I wouldn’t mind it normally as the playable characters all keep to the gender of their classes, but some of the NPC’s, especially the ‘ShadowWalker’ class NPC’s, seem to use the same sprite, regardless of gender. I understand time constraints and the low budget of independently designed games, but it can really un-immerse the player from the story, which graphics are supposed to help convey.
The tile-sets are very two-dimensional (as are the characters) but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t undetailed. In fact, the most impressive looking things in this game are some of the tiles. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, which can be found early on in the game. In a certain desert region, there will be lots of invariant sand. sure there are pathways and walls to mix it up, but it is largely invariant.
The artwork in this game is where it truly shines. The character portraits, the profile view of the character from the inventory screen, the map screens and anywhere else that the artwork comes through; are all kinds of pretty and awesome. The art team on this game have done an amazing job of realising the characters classes and portraits, as well as also making them incredibly nice to look at. The art is probably the strongest asset in this game, and it is very well executed.
Audio
Audio, sound, music; it is all very largely forgettable in this game. I mean, the sounds aren’t bad or anything, but they’re also not good either. They do their job, but they do it at the cost of interest, which is what they really need to be generating in a role playing game. And having a memorable theme in a memorable area would help solidify some interest, as well as help people remember what that obscure role playing game was back in the day. Do you think The Legend of Zelda would have been as memorable as it is today had it not had the overworld theme? Probably not.
Again, the music is largely forgettable and I found myself relying heavily on Windows Media Player to get me through the game. Each area actually didn’t have any or very little music in them, so it was pretty quiet. The only place that seemed to have music was the title screen and menus. A wasted opportunity to make your game memorable developers! I know that it may sound pretty pedantic, but, music always helps a performance and can sometimes carry it. Would The Dark Knight have been as great without it’s surreal ambient themes? Probably not. And what of Daft Punks score to Tron Legacy? Would the movie have felt the same with a generic symphonic piece instead? Probably not.
The sound effects in the game are pretty basic effects. They certainly sound similar to what would be happening in the game, but they were pretty underwhelming to me personally.
Again, I understand the limited budget of an independent developer and I can see how this would impact the quality of the audio, but on saying that, some home-made Foley effects with a gaming microphone would have recorded almost as well as a small recording booth, especially if you have the right audio drivers and codecs installed.
Gameplay
Gameplay wise, Avadon is somewhat strong. Not quite as strong as the art, but still, at least halfway up there. This is where the game very closely follows classic role playing game mechanics.
Much like the more classic title, it is a point and click style game, where you click on a visible area to move there and your character will begin to walk to that area, stopping only when combat is engaged. Walking to an area doesn’t take very long and if you’ve already been somewhere, you can move your screen to that location and have your character walk there from anywhere else in that section of the game.
Combat is triggered when your character moves into a certain range of an enemy unit and it can see them. The combat in the game is turn based and anyone who has played dungeons and dragons will have a pretty close idea as to what the combat feels like turn wise. Of course, each class has it’s own skill tree that can only be climbed as you level and these skills become available in combat. Some of them are quite deadly, while others make your combat party larger by summoning pets and the like.
As you level, you get to increase your stats and skills. I found that it is best to build the one stat that your class is good with, as opposed to trying to even out all the stats. I found that it made it much easier to take enemies out as they were always going down in close to one hit, as opposed to being able to stack on me while I did bugger all damage and then being killed.
Clicking on an NPC will take you to their dialogue, which, if its an important character, will allow you to read into their lives story and also any quests they might offer you. The one complaint that I have with quests is that the quests didn’t update to tell you to hand them in immediately after completing a major objective, so you must pay very close attention to what it is that you are doing, or else you might find yourself walking around in circles. It seems that the triggers for these quests are placed at various points, rather than at the completion of certain tasks.
Overall
Avadon: The Black Fortress is a very decent role playing game by a pretty decent independent studio. The game has it’s flaws, but then again, so do some really big AAA titles. The game will definitely appeal to the hardcore fans of classic styled role playing games, as well as gamers who were born too late for the era but would like to take a glimpse at the past while still remaining in the present. The game also works for Windows 7, which is a definite step up from some of those older games.
