Preview Age of Decadence demo preview @ RobotGeek

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Age of Decadence; Iron Tower

RobotGeek previews The Age of Decadence demo. Also, they hate it.

Age of Decadence is an interesting game. I’d describe it as ‘Neverwinter Nights set in the decline of Rome’. The premise was interesting, the setting different, and I liked the idea of a game that I could run on my laptop when I’m travelling. I’ve been looking for a retro RPG I can play on an older machine. The idea of a borderline amoral game where I could play a part of a much larger scheme intrigued me- I loved HBO’s Rome, after all. The setting is vaguely Roman, with the level I played being set in Teron, where your character was assigned. It’s one of the last places of order in the world, as after a massive war in which gods and demons fought on behalf of two empires, the better part of the game world is devastated. So devastated, in fact, that millennia of arcane knowledge as well as general technology have been lost. The game world is interesting and filled with lore, if not immersive.

I also hated Age of Decadence right off the blocks.

Neverwinter Nights set in the decline of Rome - is there a greater compliment?

 

[curry]

Outside of combat, the game might as well be called ‘Skill Check: The Game’.

Yeah, that sums it up pretty well.

 

[Infinitron]

It's to time to set aside our differences and circle the wagons.

 

[Marsal]

I think it was a rather fair preview.

How does it boil down? Well, if you want a hardcore, heavy metal roleplaying experience that challenges you, this is the ticket. Otherwise, take a pass. The game is vicious, both in its lack of morality and its merciless systems. If you want to to be the hero of a story, run and don’t look back. If you want to be Attia of the Julii or be a power player, this is your RPG.

Wasn't this VD's goal from the beginning?

 

[RK47]

Outside of combat, the game might as well be called ‘Skill Check: The Game’.

Yeah, that sums it up pretty well.

 

[Infinitron]

I think it was a rather fair preview.

Neverwinter Nights? Seriously, Neverwinter Nights?!

I'm calling it. He's never played Fallout or Fallout 2.

 

[RK47]

The game wasn't made for people like him and he actually endorsed ppl who like hardcore RPG to give it a try.
Pro tip: Not everyone likes this kind of game.

 

[Commissar Draco]

also hated Age of Decadence right off the blocks.
There’s quite a few problems with this game. The first and most noticeable is the quality of the graphics- or lack thereof. It’s an ugly game. It’s not hard to deal with- Alpha Centauri is ugly as all get out too. Age of Decadence isn’t just ugly, however- the controls aren’t intuitive at all. Right click works on some things, but not others. The camera seems magnetically drawn to the most obtuse angle possible (and even starts off there most of the time). There are remarkably few indicators of what you should be doing, or of suggested skills for a given profession. To be fair, the game does warn you that its combat is murderously hard. Basically, if you’re not trying to stab an unarmed child to death, there’s a good chance of serious injury. Even shanking a loremaster (one of the elderly keepers of knowledge in the world) dropped me 25% of my total health. Outside of combat, the game might as well be called ‘Skill Check: The Game’. There’s a lot of reliance on dialogue- but that’s conditional. Unless you dumped stats into various skills, choosing the right dialogue choice simply doesn’t work. This is definitely a game that throws you into the deep end, and sadistically enjoys your struggles.

HERESY! BLAM!

 

[Grunker]

I’d describe it as ‘Neverwinter Nights

I think it was a rather fair preview.

Except for the nonsense about graphics it's pretty fair, yeah.

 

[villain of the story]

The camera seems magnetically drawn to the most obtuse angle possible (and even starts off there most of the time).

I've said it several times but it all fell on deaf ears. 3D CAMERA WILL FUCK YOU UP. NO GAME WITH EXCEPTIONS WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS. IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS. Nothing good has ever come out of extensive controls over camera. At the very least, you MUST provide camera control templates if you don't want player experience to be SHIT.

 

[villain of the story]

if you want a hardcore, heavy metal roleplaying experience that challenges you, this is the ticket. Otherwise, take a pass. The game is vicious, both in its lack of morality and its merciless systems. If you want to to be the hero of a story, run and don’t look back. If you want to be Attia of the Julii or be a power player, this is your RPG.

This is pretty high praise, actually. There is pretty much no other CRPG you can say this about.

 

[DwarvenFood]

Yeah I think VD can be satisfied with the preview.

 

[Vault Dweller]

if you want a hardcore, heavy metal roleplaying experience that challenges you, this is the ticket. Otherwise, take a pass. The game is vicious, both in its lack of morality and its merciless systems. If you want to to be the hero of a story, run and don’t look back. If you want to be Attia of the Julii or be a power player, this is your RPG.

This is pretty high praise, actually. There is pretty much no other CRPG you can say this about.

Pretty much.

 

[hiver]

Not my business, but... the guy didnt even get its a bloody beta of a demo. Not even a demo.
He calls it "a game".
And compares it to a game with real time combat.

ffs...

 

[Gondolin]

It’s not hard to deal with- Alpha Centauri is ugly as all get out too.

The fuck you're saying, moron!

 

[Humanity has risen!]

Fallout meets Lonewolf.

 

[Zeriel]

Weird, in my opinion Alpha Centauri looks better than 99.9% of modern, 3D strategy games. Art direction, recognition, and clearly delineated assets trump HEY WE SPENT 100,000$ ON THIS BARREL textures every day.

 

[RK47]

Yeah continue to nitpick on his graphical comment, it proves that AoD is a good game.

 

[Executer]

Neverwinter Nights? That's borderline slander

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Fucking moron.

 

[Jaesun]

The finale in Bioware’s space trilogy is here, and boy is it worth the wait.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is Bethesda Studio’s finest hour. ....and along that way makes just about every other Western RPG appear shallow and unambitious.

Despite its flaws Dragon Age 2 remains one of the most compelling RPG's of this generation, if this is your cup of tea then get drinking.

Why are the fucking morans playing TAoD?

I would be willing to bet they are also on Metacritic's list of "Incredible Journalistic Integrity™" of which they include in their voting.

 

[RK47]

It's probably best if they just remove the preview altogether.

 

[sea]

Age of Decadence is an interesting game. I’d describe it as ‘Neverwinter Nights set in the decline of Rome’

There’s quite a few problems with this game. The first and most noticeable is the quality of the graphics- or lack thereof

Age of Decadence isn’t just ugly, however- the controls aren’t intuitive at all.

There are remarkably few indicators of what you should be doing, or of suggested skills for a given profession.

Unless you dumped stats into various skills, choosing the right dialogue choice simply doesn’t work

Once I actually adapted to the game, it wasn’t half bad. Less clunky than Neverwinter Nights for sure

Well, if you want a hardcore, heavy metal roleplaying experience

Otherwise, take a pass

My brain.

 

[Johannes]

Outside of NWN reference, it's pretty spot on. Whether you like the game or not, it's a good summary of how the game plays.
Though dunno if metagaming through constant reload is the kind of challenge I'd describe as a hardcore roleplaying experience.

 

[RK47]

I don't see what to be brainhurt and spam a lot of emoticons about.