 |
  |
 |
  
   |
|
RATING: (weak) 1 2 3 4 5 (awesome) (No Rating Assigned)
|
IN BRIEF
Pros: A solid new role-playing game that dresses the action and game mechanics of Diablo with a full-fledged storyline. Cons: The isometric third-person perspective is not as intimate as first-person shooters. Multiplayer: Offers single-player and multi-player modes *ESRB rating: T (Teen) |
FACTS
Game Title: Nox (Preview) Developer: Westwood Studios |
THE REVIEW by Steven Kent for Gamers Today
Jack may have thought he had it tough living in a Florida trailer park and
working as a mechanic, but that was before he magically materialized in the fantasy world of Nox. Now he's turning in his overalls and battling ogres, wizards, bandits and all kinds of other NOXious vermin.Nox is a solid new role-playing game from Westwood Studios (the company best-known for its Command & Conquer real-time strategy series) that dresses the action and game mechanics of Diablo with a full-fledged storyline. (True, Diablo's instruction manual contained an intriguing novella, but the story disappears once you enter the catacombs. Nox reveals its story throughout the game.)
Nox's story involves Jack enlisting as either a warrior, conjurer, or wizard as he tries to save his new world from Hecubah, a sorceress. This gal is obNOXious, and her seemingly endless minions are out for blood; but you'll have other worries as well.
Nox is played from the "isometric" perspective, meaning you watch the game from up in the air, controlling Jack with your mouse. Fans of Diablo, Loaded, and Gauntlet will catch on to the controls instantly and feel right at home with the hot-keyed weapons and mouse-controlled action in this NOXturnal world of shadows.
One thing that is new, however, is Nox's multi-player modes-which are more reminiscent of Doom than Diablo. Nox's multi-player games are about combat, not cooperation. The game is still played from the isometric third-person perspective-Westwood employees call it a "third-person shooter"--with players stalking through dungeons using weapons, spells, traps, and conjured allies to wipe each other out of existence. Imagine Quake, then replace the BFG with a magical stone hand that drops out of the sky and pulverizes unsuspecting victims into mush-now you've got Nox. This style of play may not be as intimate as first-person shooters, but it's just as fast and makes for a nice change of pace.A question for Nox executive producer John Hight:
GT: Will Nox feature random dungeons like Diablo?
JH: That was one of the options that we looked at, but we ultimately decided to use fixed dungeons. We do have three different paths in single-player mode, and the game genuinely changes depending on whether you decide to be a warrior, conjurer, or wizard.
At one point in the game you enter a wizard town. If you are a warrior, the wizards see you as an enemy. You barely enter the town when a drunk tries to fight you, and you end up either going to jail where someone helps you escape or fighting the constable.
When you enter that wizard town as a conjurer, the people see you as an ally. The shopkeepers give you deals and everybody likes you. There are areas you can only enter as a wizard or warrior, and there may even be a little romance with Hecubah depending on how you choose to play.
*For a complete explanation of ESRB ratings, check out the official ESRB Web site.TOP
