Avencast: Rise of the Mage
Preview
Fast action meets lite RPG
by Marko Susimetsä
previewed on PC
Battle magics (cont.)
Basically, the magic offers the developers a nice chance to really show off all the visual effects that they can come up with. And, as far as Avencast is concerned, this is exactly what happens. The firewalls, various shots, novas etc. light up the dungeons very prettily indeed, even if they sometimes seem to fail at actually killing the enemy. But that's what the next fancy spell is for, isn't it? After all, there are over 50 different combat moves and spells to try out!
Quests and monsters
In addition to the main quest, Avencast will offer the player a plethora of side quests that will introduce more intriguing details about the game world. The developers promise that these will not be simple 'go and kill' or 'go and get' missions, but actual quests. Also, the monsters that you meet while performing these quests will be more than just cannon fodder for you to enjoy blowing up (though I suspect there will be a lot of that as well).
The monsters actually react to the player's actions and have different strengths and weaknesses. Some demons may not be active fighters at all, but specialise in healing other monsters, while others will have special defences against certain spell effects that will force the player to adapt his/her tactics and find unconventional ways to destroy them. Examples of the monsters include Killer Branches (you'll never again look at fallen twigs the same way), Gruesome Crystal Crabs (ok, I never even liked the normal kind) as well as demon herders, demon rippers, various maggots and even a demon that tries to eat you with his stomach while hacking you into pieces with two axes.
Closest relatives
Diablo. Need I say more? Avencast undoubtedly possesses the same presence as the old Diablo, which itself was based mainly on even older Rogue-like games (Hack, Nethack, Rogue). You move around in similar dungeons, battling various enemies, performing quests, seeking the main villain etc. etc. However, since Avencast focuses more on player skill rather than character stats, it also reminds me of the old arcade fantasy-themed hack'n'slashes, Gauntlet and Gauntlet II, where you roamed dungeons alone or with friends, killing monsters and picking up treasures. Avencast may be deeper than these old classics, but definitely shares some similarities with them. Thus, it is surprising that Avencast does not offer multiplayer features out of the box. However, the developers have hinted at the possibility of an add-on that would introduce such features and perhaps allow you to play the game in co-op mode.
Light entertainment
All in all, Avencast is clearly intended as light entertainment. The developers hope that it will attract casual players as well as players of traditional RPGs who might want to take a taste of something lighter and less time consuming for a change. And, truth to be told, action game with pretty fantastic graphics and sounds is sometimes just what the doctor orders (well, some doctors might do so... eh?).
