Recent reviews by fkronyak

In recommending the game, I would also recommend possibly waiting a bit for some people. If you're content with taking your time and building up your skills and getting your village going, you'll be happy with the current state of the game. If, however, you're looking for tons of content and constant questing, you'll probably find yourself getting impatient. We are in the early stages of EA and there's alot of work to be done. The developers are listening closely to comments and suggestions and I find that very encouraging.

There are complaints that this is just a rehash of Medievel Dynasty - same game, different graphics. I have to strongly disagree! Although there are many of the same logistics, the very tone and style of the game are very different. I really don't get the sense that I'm playing the same game. It seems that the direction we're going in is very different and more complex than Medievel Dynasty. For example, I just received a nice armor piece as a quest reward. And I can see that, once I level up a bit, I'll be able to craft a pretty 'schnazzy' Katana. I think many of the 'disgruntled' Medieval Dynasty players will be very encouraged by that.

At the current discounted price, I think it's definitely worth a buy, even if it sits in your sock drawer until more content is added. You won't be disappointed.

There's very little that I can say that hasn't already been said, but I feel a need to add my support. I purchased the game a little more than a month ago and I've already clocked 376 hours. I've become so involved in the game that I can't even imagine playing something else.

This is not a game for everyone, but if you're a 'survival game' enthusiast it's the one you simply have to have. There are other survival games that are quite good, but even the best of them doesn't come close to the authenticity of this game. I really get the feeling that I've lived in this world for part of my life in the past month. Although the concept is relatively simple - settle down in a quaint little valley in medieval times, get to know the neighbors by doing 'favors', build homes and attract people from the local villages to join your settlement, establish an economy, etc. - the realism of the game really sucks you in. This isn't a 'top-down-view' game, although you can play either in first or third person view, and so the buildings you build are real houses, workshops, markets, etc. The people are real people and the animals are incredibly authentic. Believe me! Your first run-in with a wild boar will be a moment to remember.

It's not about going around and killing everone and everything in sight, although there are certainly dangers presented by many of the animals and, most particularly, the bandits. The first time I came across a bandit camp and I saw them notice me, get up and come after me left me shakin' in my boots. I survived, but just barely. But if it's blood and guts you're after, I can tell you that killing an animal, find it lying in a pool of blood and having to skin it will satisfy many of you (You can eliminate the blood and guts in the customization menu.)

The quests leave a bit to be desired (alot of running around) but they're painless and help to improve your reputation which then draws more desirable workers to join your settlement. And all the running around gives you an opportunity to observe the incredibly breathtaking scenery across the land. The graphic reality of the water and the trees blowing in the wind are quite impressive. It seems alot of research and care went into the creation of the world, right down to the detail of the various different leaves, plants, etc.

And then there's family life. Chances are you'll want to marry and bear an heir, who you can continue playing with after you die (hopefully of old age!). The wife can be a bit of a nag and the kid needs a little 'straightening out' from time to time, but in the long-run, they're worth the trouble.

Bottom line: If you're into survival games, this is the one you must have! If you're looking for hack and slash, this one's probably not for you.

Well, I guess I have more than a little to say...heh-heh.

Gameplay is fine but, compared to other Match 3 games, it's very short. I finished this in 14 hours. It never tells you what level you're on, so I have no idea how many levels the game offers. When you click 'More Games' on the main screen, it takes you to a store web page.

There's alot to like about this game. Some might call it a typical turn-based RPG, but I strongly disagree. This game has an atmosphere unlike any other RPG I've played. There's a darkness and a feelinig of desperation that weaves their way through the storyline that kind of stays with you even after you've stopped playing.

Right now the developers have frozen the maximum levels at 5, both for character level and crafting. An update, which would raise the level ceilings and add some new content, is promised during the Month of March. We're getting close to the end of March and we're all very anxious for the update. In the meantime, though, there's quite a bit of replayability due to the fact that, based on the type of party you create and the build paths that are available, you can have a number of games going at the same time. If you check my hrs. on record you'll see that I've been doing just that - and so far I haven't gotten bored.

It's really interesting playing a game like this in Early Access (something I can't say about other games I've played in Early Access) because, based on the level of creativity evident in the game so far, it's going to be interesting to see how much farther they plan to go creatively. It's already a good game. The question is - Will it ultimately be a reallly good game, or a great one? We've got our fingers crossed!

Sometimes you purchase a game that sounds really good on the page, but just doesn't capture you the way you thought it would. And it's often not that it's a bad game, it's just that it wasn't what you thought it would be and didn't capture your interest. In my case, those games get uninstalled and I might, sometime in the future, decide to get back to them.

The good news is that Solasta is not one of those games. It's exactly what they tell you it's gonna be, and for all you D&D fans out there, it's a very enjoyable play. Mind you, there's not an awful lot new here. It's dyed-in-the wool D&D - much the same way that Diablo, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights are. (If you enjoyed those, you'll probably enjoy this.)

There are, however a few nice touches that enhance the experience. During character creation you choose certain personality traits that take effect during NPC interaction in a rather interesting way. Based on their personal characteristics, the game chooses who will interact with a certain NPC and sometimes another character in the party will chime in with a side comment - often to humorous effect. Lighting is also important during battle. If an area is darkly lit, hits and misses are affected. But characters carrying torches and candles, or with 'lighting' spells, can light wall torches or lamps placed around the battle areas. But the feature that I most appreciate is that of the 'scavengers'. Rather than having to lug all that heavy loot around, you can just drop it where you loot it and then stop at the Scavengers' Guild, drop off a map of the quest (you don't have to actually draw a map - the game does that for you.) the guild will send scavengers to gather up anything you've left behind and pay you the value of the stash taking a small service charge. They'll give you an opportunity to keep some of the loot rather than selling it to them. They'll even clean up after you at various roadside battles that happened along the way to quest destination. This service becomes available about a 'gametime' week after the quest is completed.

Reading through other reviews, it seems some people were unhappy with the voice-acting. I have to disagree, for the most part. There are a few minor NPCs who might want to 'brush up on their Stanislavsky', but for the most part the voice-acting is quite good - and in a few cases, exceptioinal. The musical score does its job and, is often very pleasing.

You can go through the campaigns again, using different party configurations, but even if you don't, you'll certainly feel that you've gotten your money's worth. I would, however, recommend bringing along a book for those rather ponderous load times.

The game is a generous step forward from the first Mount & Blade series. Very specific goals are set for you right from the beginnine and are updated as you progress. In this way, the game sort of 'keeps an eye on you' as you go along. I've found that leveling up happens a bit more slowly than in previous incarnations, but I see that as an improvement. This is not a game for wusses! You're not going to conquer the game after a few hours - or even days.

Some people might find the game to be a bit of a 'grind', but that's only if you don't take advantage of the various options presented within the game. 'Smithing' is a welcome addition! As you progress in smithing, you can make more and more powerful weapons. I'm assuming that eventually you'll be able to make better weapons than those you can purchase or loot. In addition, smelting down looted weapons and making new ones is incredibly profitable. Even at the low level I'm at now, I'm making a huge amount of gold from weapons I smith.

The default version of the game is relatively easy once you get the hang of it. The good news is that, given the large number of adjustments you can make, there are dozens of levels of difficulty available. However, I'm still finding the 'battle command' process rather confusing and I wish there were a comprehensive 'Battle Tutorial'.

For fans of the Mount & Blade series, this is a very welcome addition. For newcomers, you might want to give the original Mount & Blade a try (it's incredibly inexpensive right now) to get your feet wet before making this investment.

Crashes Incessantly! It's an original idea, but is just the same thing over and over again until you run out of room. There are no goals - you don't finish one level and then move onto the next. It's just one long continuous game until you mess up. Then you just pick up where you left off and play until you mess up again.

This is the perfect game for a casual player who's looking for a bit of depth. Based on what I see as available content, it seems that there are many hours of play ahead. And replayability looks pretty promising. Once you get the hang of it, it's loads of fun.

Very challenging puzzles. Tons of levels. Definitely worth the price!

Although the game is a little rough around the edges right now (it might have left EA a bit early), it's very well thought out. The developers seem to be working pretty hard getting it all together and, once they do, I think it's going to be an amazing game.