Wednesday, 12th June 2013

Eschalon2
Game Eschalon Book 2
Released 2010
Developer Basilisk Games
Available GOG Steam

Eschalon Book 2 is a traditional turn-based RPG game. You can play either a male or female character, and choose between playing as a fighter or mage or thief. The game is presented as an isometric third-person view, with dynamic weather which affects gameplay (so firebolts don't work so well when it's raining.) Dialogue is text-based rather than spoken.

The plot carries on from Eschalon Book 1. It's a standard quest for powerful object, but there are plenty of side quests and NPCs to talk to. There is a nice range of dungeons to trawl through, locations to locate, and enemies to fight. The graphic quality (I played at 1028 by 768 resolution) is great, one can play as a dedicated mage which I prefer unlike the first game, and I enjoyed playing. Definitely looking forward to the third game.

The ending was a bit of an anticlimax, at least for my mage who could cast Invisibility. The last boss General Ghorr became gore rather too easily. But there had been some good battles up to that point. Striking a good balance is difficult, the first game again was too easy at the end.

The second game also seemed to be incomplete. You can reach the entrances to dungeons only to be told your way does not lie there. The end scoresheet you get said I had achieved no challenges - I didn't get any challenges to achieve so that was confusing. Dialogues didn't always reflect actions - so if you talk to the guards you must pass to get to Durnore after already passing you get nonsense. But overall this was a good game.