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Character levelling and progression, like every other aspect of the game really, is terribly simplified. Each character has nine pre-determined skills that are unlocked as you progress, and can be bolstered through earned and can be strengthened with skill points. In addition, to skills, you have twelve  passive attributes that have their own set of points, buffing your statistics with each point you spent. Your general stats – Strength, Charisma, etc. are increased automatically with your level, and via equipment. There are also abilities – your attacks and spells – that you can purchase every other level. Each ability is able to be upgraded – a maximum 5 times – with one of two classes of enhancement.

In single player, you can have any single one of the other 3 characters accompany and aid you – but its AI tends to have it run head-first in to danger, often requiring revival. Thankfully, it’s equally keen to drop whatever it’s doing to revive you should you fall in combat, so it’s not entirely useless. what is though, is the game’s touted co-op – which is unfortunately rubbish. Played online or locally, the co-op seems to have borrowed a page from the Fable II book of fail. When joining a game, you play as one of the host’s characters – meaning you’re unable to bring in one of your buffed, developed characters. Worse is that you’ll earn no gold, equipment or experience for playing in a friend’s game, completely removing any incentive to do so.  It’s a pity – because without this glaring oversight, the multiplayer would actually be a heck of a lot of hackey-slashey fun. As a plus, playing on Xbox Live supports guest logins so you and a proximate friend can both jump online from the same console. Local multiplayer is, however, hampered by the same dodgy camera that rather erratically tries to keep all players in the same frame.

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It may sound, from my list of gripes, that I absolutely hated Dungeon Siege III, bu5t far from. I actually had a rather good time with the game. It’s an enjoyable romp in a familiar fantasy RPG setting that allows players to just jump in and have fun, without the complexity and micromanagement inherent in the genre. It won’t be for everybody…thanks to its simplified, pared down nature I highly suspect the PC master race is going to hate this, branding it as just the sort of dumbed down nonsense the proliferation of consoles is forcing them to play. For the rest of us though, it’s a solid – and most importantly fun – action RPG.

Scoring

Gameplay: 7/10

It’s a pretty solid Action RPG with completely mashable controls, enhanced by an interest, yet casual-friendly level of depth.

Design and Presentation: 8/10

The visuals and level design are good, particularly the varied environments which, curiously, seldom feature actual dungeons.

Value: 7/10

It’ll take you 10 good hours to run through which short for an RPG, but perfect for the game’s narrative. Unlike some similar games, it never feels like it’s outstayed it’s welcome, ending before tedium sets in.

Overall: 7.5/10

Despite the inevitable hate it’ll get from PC gamers, it’s actually a well put together action RPG that’ll entertain newcomers and those who just want hack and slash to their hearts content until Diablo III finally gets released.

Last Updated: June 30, 2011

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Dungeon Siege III
7.5

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