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(More customer reviews)Wizardry is epic.
This reviewer is 23 and has played many, many role-playing games. After a while, you become jaded, and get picky about your likes and dislikes. Sometimes games seem to just blend into one another and they aren't all that unique and distinguishable.
This one is different. It has to be - it is expected. It's a Sir-Tech game, after all. It's Wizardry.
In the 1980s, the big three were Wizardry, Ultima, and Might and Magic. I've always felt Wizardry was king of 3d, Ultima of top-down/isometric, and Might and Magic was just a runner-up.
Wizardry is "classic" or "old-school." There is (of course) an excellent story, above-average music, fine gameplay, and decent graphics (the 3d engine is impressive - it draws you in but I'll leave it at "good" and not "amazing") - the monsters are the best graphics in the game with their animations - and they are awesome. Couldn't get much better there. But what makes Wizardry 8 classic are not these features (enjoyable as they are)...
Wizardry 8 is about characters - the essence of role-playing. It features extensive character generation (and brings back the "good ol' days" before fast-food generation of bland characters became standard. There are so many races and classes, so many combinations to try, so many statistics to become involved with (should I allocate points towards Wizardry to improve my mages' spell points, or stock points to make less of his spells fail? should I have my rogue become an expert lock-picker or better at pickpocketing first? or should I put points in other places...) Fighters can get lots of strength, Priests piety, etc. There are many standard attributes (strength, intelligence, piety, vitality, dexterity, speed, senses, etc), and then combat categories to put points in -- close combat, ranged combat, dual strike -- weapons: from bows and slings to maces and swords and axes -- to characteristics like mythology (the higher the more you know about your enemies), artifacts (exactly what is this cloak I just picked up and what does it do?), to scouting ("monsters approaching!!") This process is extremely interesting and sucks you in whenever you advance levels. After all, you have six characters to flesh out and differentiate. Character generation in the first place is great.
This is the essence of why Wizardry is the best CRPG. You completely control all levels of your characters (you form a party of six with optional NPCs being recruited later). You pick your characters' pictures, statistics, names, and even personalities. You literally create personal roles to play for hours and hours (and hours).
A side note on personalities - they are awesome. There are personalities to pick for each character such as aggressive, kindly, chaotic, eccentric (definitely one of the most entertaining), cunning, and laidback. Once chosen, your characters speak tons and tons of lines of dialogue echoing their personalities. The eccentric mage (if you so choose), may refer to himself in third-person. Wonderful. Lines are spoken throughout the game in all instances - just adventuring, combat, winning a battle, someone dying (comments on who has dibs on a dead character's stuff is pretty funny), a great attack made, a miscast spell that affects your party - our hero has made a horrible mistake..
The combat is also great. Wizardry is combat-intensive. It is generally turn-based (but can be continuous) -- you pick your characters' options a round starts - monsters go, you go - determined by speed, level, etc. It involves elements of strategy, from setting up, to choosing actions for your characters and watching them unfold after your options are chosen. Many classes can cast spells ranging from affecting a single enemy to a group - classics such as fireball and magic missiles - to spells that affect conditions of monsters: nauseate them with Noxious Fumes, make them go nuts with Insanity, freeze them with Web...and enemies are intelligent. They will circle your party if they can to attack your lowly mage hiding in the back. Try working your way out of that one...
Experience is gained, levels are upped, points for statistics are distributed...all while adventuring in a wonderful world with great people. The NPCs were labored over. They all have unique voices and personalities as well, and respond to questions you ask via either keywords typed in or selected from their dialogue or a keyword box. It reminds me of talking to people in real life - a favorite is a woman in the first town, very Midwest and small town who is really nice to you and loves to gossip. Reminds me of an aunt in Indiana I have. NPCs voice their reactions to events in the world and have opinions on just about any topic you can think of asking them about. The combination of EXCELLENT (EXCELLENT!!!) voice-acting and writing make these interactions extremely enjoyable. They really add to the atmosphere of the game.
From the graphics, to writing, gameplay, combat, voice-acting, storyline, character interaction, even interface (yes, it is one of the best ever - easy to use, uncomplicated to learn, logical), this game is hands-down a complete winner. It is the best CRPG I have ever played and I have played them for well over 15 years.
For those people who have played things such as Diablo, the Baldur's Gate series, Planescape:Torment, Icewind Dale, you will love this game. It includes the best elements from some of those games and makes them all even better in a 3D world. It also reminds me of the classics (Bard's Tale, The SSI Gold Box games, etc.) It has definitive elements of Wizardry that are completely unique - from combat to NPC interaction - and the whole thing put together will suck you in and hours will pass before you know it.
BUY THIS GAME!
The only thing you will regret is not having more time to play.
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Wizardry 8 is an epic fantasy RPG that picks up where Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant left off. Fans of the series will recall that all hell had broken loose at the end of Wizardry 7. The Dark Savant had taken flight with a device called the Astral Dominae, an incredibly powerful artifact containing the secret of life itself. Following him are two powerful races, the T'Rang and the Umpani, as well as your own brave party of adventurers. Everyone is headed to Dominus, a world on the cusp of the Cosmic Circle, birthplace of the Astral Dominae, and home of the Cosmic Lords. Many paths will converge on Dominus, and many long-hidden secrets will be revealed.
Newcomers to the series will enjoy a special beginning just for those who haven't played the previous game. Whether you're an old Wizardry adventurer or new, you'll enjoy a unique, well-developed role-playing world of unusual depth and freedom. The game is not strictly linear: if you're smart enough and tough enough, you can go wherever you want. You can team up with some of the factions you'll meet--and then double-cross them, if it suits your fancy.
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