Gamernode: Previews - Dark Messiah of Might and Magic Preview

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic Preview

When Ubisoft acquired the rights to the Might and Magic franchise for $1.3 million from 3DO in 2003, fans were elated to see that their favorite fantasy franchise would not be buried like its creator. Deciding to take an action/RPG spin to the franchise, Ubisoft contacted Arkane Studios to handle development on Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. It may be a daunting task for Arkane Studios, since they're a relatively new company, but don't let that fool you. Their debut title, Ark Fatalis, was a solid dungeon RPG. 

A demo was released yesterday (story) which features two levels from the full game, the tutorial and the first level. The demo's tutorial gives you some small background story on who trained you, and also teaches you how to play the game. You'll find yourself playing a young apprentice named Sareth, who has been assigned to take down a rising Dark Messiah who will, presumably, bring all kinds of hell, fire, and brimstone to the world of Ashan.

After completing the tutorial, you'll get your first experience with the game's class system. As of now, five classes have been announced: Assassin, Archer, Mage, Priest, and Warrior. You're given six skill points to distribute to a few skills. Most of the skills are locked for demo purposes, but you can still read them to see what's upcoming. Want to be a thief? Spend some points on your thieving skills so you can decrease the volume of your footsteps, backstab unsuspecting foes, and pickpocket oblivious enemies. If you want to be a fighter, invest your points into the charge attack, and lunge forward with your sword raised. The different character classes really add freedom to the game.

Melee combat in the game is something Arkane Studios is working heavily on, especially when it's combined with the game's engine (which I'll touch on in a little bit). Having combat in a game is one thing, but having it look presentable when your character fights is another. Safe to say, the combat looks very good. It's fluid, fast paced, and you have to be on your toes. Using the directional keys while attacking allows for different attacks. These different attacks can be readied beforehand, and you can see your arms positioned differently. Wielding two daggers, for example, you can get into a stance of holding your daggers in an X and slashing horizontally. While wielding the sword, you can hold it in a stabbing position, raised next to your head. Depending on how your enemy is positioned (on the ground, for example), your attack will change to perform an instant kill. The game also features an adrenaline counter; it fills up as you're in combat, and once it peaks you can perform a special attack, like a nice, juicy beheading.

Powering Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is Valve's robust Source engine. Arkane Studios did some of their own tweaking to the engine, namely improving AI, full body physics awareness, enhanced HDR lighting, and more environmental manipulation. I have to say, the Source engine continues to impress. The shading on textures really makes caves appear very gloomy and damp, the HDR lighting really enhances the sunlight, and the physics are top-notch. Nothing brought a smile to my face like kicking a helpless goblin off of a cliff, or seeing a grungy orc face-to-face while our swords were clashed together and sparks were flying off the steel.

Arkane went all-out to include the environment in the gameplay. Traps are plentiful, and items lying around can easily turn into a formidable weapon. Spy an orc near a cliff edge? You can pick up a nearby box and hurl it at the orc, sending him to his death. See two orcs on a wooden platform? For the stealth player, this can pose a challenge. But if you're crafty, you can spy a hanging metal plate, and with one arrow from your bow it will come crashing down into the platform, sending the two orcs to their demise. Other things like spiked walls, fire, or stairs can easily be used to your advantage, as well. Find an oil flask, splash it onto an orc, and shoot a fire arrow (done by just knocking back an arrow and holding it in flames); instant fried orc.

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic will also ship with a multiplayer mode, currently being developed by Kuju Entertainment. As of now, there are two modes known by the public: Warfare and Crusade. Warfare involves two teams (up to 16 players on each side) trying to take over each other's castle. Crusade will also be team-based, but each match (win or lose) will carry over to the next match. So if your team wins, the next match will take place deeper into your enemy's territory. Of course, the difficulty vamps up as you venture deeper, but everyone's character can gain skill points as the battles progress. The multiplayer will be class-based, as well, allowing for a variety of strategies. So far, two "races" are available for choosing: Humans and the Undead. Hopefully the races and classes are balanced for online play, but only time will tell.

This is the game that I've been looking forward to for all of 2006. From what I've seen so far, everything looks promising, and I can't wait to tackle the huge bosses and find different ways to take out my enemies. Expect this game out in mid-October, along with our review of it.

• (0)
• 
• 
• 
•