When I was a youngun', dungeons were scary places beneath castles where mean people took nice people to torture them on machines with names like "the rack". Once I reached the ripe old age of 6 (years, not months), the boy next door started playing AD&D and needed me - his lackey - to sketch out dungeons on graph paper for him. They became windy twisty places of right angles where treasure was kept and monsters lurked around corners. That is unless I erased a corner or two. But they definitely had treasure.
Developer Firefly Studios would have us believe that dungeons are actually communities where said monsters live! Hah! They have families and businesses; politics and petty squabbles; and we, the intrepid hero in search of the ever elusive gold is actually disturbing their peace with constant invasion. Silly, silly developers, ruining the images of my childhood.
You see, their dungeon (Firefly's dungeon) is populated with goblins. And these goblins have an entire socioeconomic system going. *I wonder if I could do a paper on this?* Anyway, as goblins are want to do, they've been warring - clan wars at that - forever and one of them "dug too deep" and released death. Now, they're screwed. Time to get one of those psychotic humans to come in and take care of the nasty - if only he'd stop killing the goblin hordes along the way!
Entering the dungeon is entering a living breathing world - it's just populated by goblins. Smashing barrels and opening chests isn't going to find you new armor and gold, it's going to give you smashed barrels with destroyed contents and goblin keepsakes. Not what I'd call "treasure". Of course, the goblins know they have to lead you on and get you down to death, so they somehow have to convince you that there's something grand awaiting you if you'll just continue through the dungeon. This means some of them are going to die. *grins*
Determining what you need to do is a matter of checking out the local "culture". If that general over there has a battle map out, it might be a good idea to read it. And don't expect to smash a puny goblin with your 3-foot broadsword and loot a 4-pound hammer that is magically better than the monster weapon you've been carrying all along. You are the hero.
There is ample opportunity to improve your character. With a branching skill tree of 250-300 skills your hero will be unlike most others. Don't worry, you don't have to hot key them and then try and determine how to get to them all. It is less twitch-skill and more character management.
When fighting multiple enemies, it's rather crucial to note that they will try and flank you. During these moments, you have the option to enter "close combat". In close combat, your hero stops swinging in wide arcs and starts kicking away those behind him, punching when needed and stabbing rather than slicing. The most appropriate skill from your skill set is chosen.
Two player co-operative play will be available, but based upon the story and gameplay, it was decided that online multi-player simply didn't make sense within the game world.
Due at the end of first quarter 2009 for Xbox360 and PC, Dungeon Hero is shaping up to be a unique experience. Although, I have to confess, no matter how much sympathy Firefly wants me to feel for the goblins, I just won't.
I'm a mother of two boys, ages 7 and 10 and live in the chaos that ensues. I've a permanent disability that keeps me homebound, so books, kids, games and books are my constant companions. Oh, and books, too. *grins*
My children both play games so I often play them first, getting to know exactly how something may effect my sensitive and easily stimulated older child vs. my stoic and imperturbable younger.
I like games for games; for the pure enjoyment of them and believe that no game is wholly bad, though some are real stinkers.
I also have the dexterity of a camel in mittens so find playing FPSs difficult (and I also don't like the gore) and RTSs at times can stump me. I just can't seem to move quickly enough to keep up with them. Some of my favorite games are arcade games and I'll spend 3-5 years on the same 5-6 levels because I just never get any better. But, I have fun.
