a MUST PURCHASE!
Written: May 15 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Four player capability, another Gauntlet game, new gameplay features
Cons: The camera angles and the distorted sound may be a distraction
The Bottom Line: Gauntlet Dark Legacy is a great game to be played with friends or alone. If you have enjoyed any game in the gauntlet series you will enjoy Gauntlet Dark Legacy
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| DJX375's Full Review: Gauntlet: Dark Legacy for PlayStation 2 |
There are some games which provide enjoyment in nearly every single port that is created. Once you start playing one of these games, you cannot put it down. You will spend hours upon end - neglecting food, friends, and even sleep - until the game is beaten. Gauntlet, for the Nintendo, was one of those games. As soon as I bought it I could not put it down. For this reason, I was really looking forward to Gauntlet Dark Legacy for the Playstation II.
Gauntlet Dark Legacy certainly did not disappoint me. As soon as I started to play the game, I knew that the glory days had come back. I, again, was having a lot of fun with a Gauntlet video game.
Although there have been many changes in the games, the Gauntlet series has held its ground as one of the best video game series ever created. Gauntlet Dark Legacy, like many of the past Gauntlet games, has made a few changes to better enhance the gameplay. These changes, in my opinion, greatly enhance the game and make it more fun to play. If you were a fan of any of the previous Gauntlet releases, then you will surely enjoy this game as well.
The Graphics 7.5/10
If you purchase Gauntlet Dark Legacy for the graphics, you may be disappointed. Although the graphics are good, they may not be what you are expecting. Since many people expect all Playstation II games to have mind-blowing graphics, many people will end up being disappointed. The graphics in Gauntlet Dark Legacy may be the best ever to grace a Gauntlet game, but it still seems as if the graphics could have been better. Maybe I, too, have fallen into the lure of the Playstation II. Maybe I also believe that anything with the Playstation II logo on it should have revolutionary graphics. Anyways, the graphics in Gauntlet Dark Legacy really are not all that bad as I may have made them sound.
One of the great things about the graphics is how good they are considering how many different objects are on the screen at one time. At times, when you are playing you will be caught up in a slew of enemies, along with many other moving objects on the screen. The amount of things on the screen at one time would normally warrant a slowdown in the framerate. Fortunately, though, Gauntlet Dark Legacy has no slowdown whatsoever while playing.
The character models are also nicely done. The graphics are crisp and clear and the characters are modeled in brightly colored clothing. The magic spells performed by the characters in Gauntlet Dark Legacy are also done to perfection. Instead of just killing the enemies with a potion, as in the original Gauntlet, there are now many different ways to defeat your opponent using magic. Each character has their own special magic attacks and each attack is done to perfection, graphically.
You may be wondering why I said that Gauntlet Dark Legacy didn’t have that great of graphics. Although, the graphics may be pretty good, the camera angles in Gauntlet Dark Legacy are not that great. There are times in the game where you may be trying to shoot an enemy up ahead, but because of the bad camera angles, have no idea what you are shooting at. The camera angles certainly put a damper on the graphics and make my overall rating of the graphics go down.
The Audio 6.5/10
A person’s view on the audio in Gauntlet Dark Legacy may change depending on whether or not they enjoyed the audio in the first Gauntlet for the Nintendo. The same audio as in the first release, accompanies this release of Gauntlet. You will hear the same things, such as: “Red Dwarf is about to die”, or “Blue Jester needs food badly”. If you are like me, you will appreciate the makers of the game keeping the sound at its roots. I really enjoy the different saying that are spoken and if you were a fan of the original game, you should too.
One thing, though, that is disappointing in terms of the audio is the muffled sound that you hear. The home port of Gauntlet Dark Legacy does not live up to the vibrant sound of the arcade. It sounds as if the audio is muffled and not as crisp as it should be. This is a slight annoyance and therefore lowered my overall rating of the audio.
The Gameplay
If you do not know what the gameplay is like in a Gauntlet game you must not have been around the video gaming world for too long. You must go around the level, killing enemies and performing different tasks to advance in the game. It is fairly straightforward and simple, and it is the reason that the game is so much fun to play.
One great thing about Gauntlet Dark Legacy is the availability of a four player multi-player option. There is no feeling quite like beating a game with a bunch of your closest buds. If you can get some friends together to play, the game becomes all the more fun.
If you have not played some of the more recent versions of Gauntlet, you may not know that there is a new RPG element implemented into the game. The more you fight, the more experience you gain. This experience allows your character to become stronger. As you continue to gain more experience your character’s strength, defense, and other valuable components will continue to increase.
After enough experience points have been accumulated, your character will begin to achieve new recognition. Their title will change and also they will receive some things that will help them on their quest. One of the more notable things is that your character will receive a helper character to aid them in battle. This helper character will provide more offense to your arsenal as it will fire extra shots during battle.
Another feature added to the gameplay is the use of two different attack buttons. One attack is for a quick, less powerful attack. The other is a slower, yet more powerful attack. By mastering the use of these two attacks, you will become a better player.
Final Thoughts
Gauntlet Dark Legacy is a great game. Despite its minor flaws (camera angles specifically), it is still a game that is worth checking out. If you have played any of the previous releases of Gauntlet, you will surely enjoy this release. If you are looking for a multiplayer game to play with your friends, or even a one player game to play alone Gauntlet Dark Legacy fits the bill. This is one of the better games on the Playstation II and certainly one of the better games in the Gauntlet series. My overall rating: 89%
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
DJX375
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Reviews written: 41
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