Depths of Peril – PN – Review

When Depths of
Peril first launches and is given a cursory first look, it is the kind of game
that could be easily dismissed. The graphics are five years old (at least that
is how they appear) and the core seems to be an isometric hack ‘n slash game.

But this is an
indie title and while money was not tossed at it to make it look pretty, the
game scores well where it truly counts – in the gameplay itself. With some
role-playing elements, the game revolves around the single-player campaign that
has the leader of a warring faction using strategic elements (which includes
diplomacy) to rule the world.

The world
evolves and changes as the players work through the game, and while there is a
certain amount of action, the best course is often (initially) one that is not
the call to arms. In other words, use war as the last resort, after you have set
up the target with trade agreements, and diplomatic entreaties. Now if that was
all there was to the game, it would be a simple outing, but this title from
Soldak Entertainment embraces much more than that.


Players are the
leader of a barbarian city (Jorvik) and – as with most strategic titles – you
have to build your power base in order to challenge the world. To build up your
strength, you need to acquire reputation points. To do that, you can explore the
world, solve quests and kill a few monsters. Your reputation is important in
dealing with the five computer-controlled factions in the game.

But while the
initial look at the game may not be overly appealing, the game’s tutorial is
well short of informative. So much is simply thrown at the player that you feel
overwhelmed and by the time you have processed it all, you likely have a couple
of mistakes (aka deaths) under your belt. As the world is a breathing entity,
you will have to compete with solid AI for control. What that might mean is
securing a potential recruit and adding him to your side by completing a quest
before others are able to do so. This adds an interesting and entertaining
element to the game.


In fact, Depths
has quite a number of nice little touches that give the game a robust feel.
Allies may call on you for help, which may mean going to war. It is therefore
important to consider your moves through the world as they can have some very
real consequences within the game. And the game does have a real ending, which
may or may not be planned. If you manage to wipe out the other covenants (the
computer-controlled factions), you will win, but that is much easier said than
done. But other incidents that occur, like monster attacks, that might end the
game prematurely. Because the game maps are randomly generated, you can never be
truly certain that what was viable in one game carries over to the next. Players
need to evolve strategy and adapt to the shifting world.

When it comes
to the controls, Depths is not hard to understand. This is a keyboard-and-mouse
driven game. Point, click and it all unfolds. Unfortunately, the graphics are a
throwback to an era that included the isometric camera viewpoint in games like
Diablo II. The sound is also not that outstanding.

The game does
have a somewhat-merciless AI and the initial forays into the world may be less
than exhilarating, but what Depths of Peril offers is right there in the title –
depth. This is a game that has some solid ideas that should reverberate
throughout the RTS world. There are certainly aspects that could have been done
better, but Depths of Peril is a title that should not be overlooked.


Review Scoring Details

for Depths of Peril

Gameplay: 8.0
The enemy AI is
tough and you will need to go slow to begin your trek through this world. While
the tutorial elements could be refined, the controls are easy to understand. The
game features not only the overall story arc, but enough side quests and
monster-hacking action to keep players satisfied.


Graphics: 5.5
This looks like a
game that was released many years ago. If you play for graphics, this title
won’t really appeal to you.  

Sound: 5.5
The sound is
expected and nothing really stands out.


Difficulty: Medium/Hard

Concept: 7.8
The game could have
introduced its varied elements better, but give credit to the developers for a
game that explores new territory and creates a living world where actions have
consequence and the anomalies of random fortune can raise the difficulty level
but also increase the games replay value while challenging.

Overall: 7.8
The game offers some
new gameplay elements that are rather good. The looks and sound hold it back
slightly, but if you are looking for deep gameplay, Depths of Peril fits that
bill.

 

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