Magequest I (Version 3.0)

Initial impressions of this game hints that the game can be drastically improved. At the beginning intro, you can really tell that the creator needs to work on his mapping. Some chips are used incorrectly or not well enough to be aesthetic. The intro starts off with no dialogue, instead you control some dude you don’t know, walk to a fortune teller table and hit enter on it, and you can turn into this weird thing. THEN the intro begins. (for some reason) The intro started off basic, explaining the world was governed by four deities. (with powers of elements, of course…) After that, you are teleported to what seems to by the world map for the rest of the intro. Basically its one of those “scrolling intros” where you’re supposed to look at the pretty world while the background of the world is being told. Except for this game, the world is neither pretty nor is the background very interesting or well explained/thought out.

Basically the map seems to be scrolling over the same area for the first few minutes, and then eventually goes somewhere new, then back to somewhere old… its not fun too look at and is highly unoriginal. Maybe you can show maybe instances in a village or something of whatever part you’re talking about in the intro? Also, the dialogue playing is long and not very flavorful. While you try to explain how the world came to be and all this information, it doesn’t help that the creator made several grammar mistakes and some parts make no sense. I actually got bored and pressed through the dialogue. So after this dialogue we learn about the main character, who apparently is “mysterious” for some reason that we are (hopefully) going to find out, otherwise it was unnecessary description. Apparently the main character is also very cliché, being “old enough” to “have his adventure” and so forth. And after that, you start in his room, which I’m guessing that’s what it is, and you have to wonder around until something happens. Please provide more guidance for the player, this is very important. You should note everything that’s going on, and provide the player with some sort of situation that needs to be done, like maybe he’s just waking up, and maybe have the main character say he’s hungry and that he should go downstairs? This would tell the player where to go, give insight into the main character and whatnot.

But another pain in the ass thing is I didn’t know how the hell to go down the stairs. By the time I found out, it made sense and I thought it was realistic, but it was really more of a pain in the ass if anything; a player should be able to see stairs and realize that when he walks onto them he will be led somewhere. He shouldn’t have to approach the stairs from a certain direction to use them. The music seems original from what I know, it’s decent, I’m not too picky for those things.

While I noticed at the beginning that the mapping was sub par, the mapping for some places was not. The town in the beginning for instance, was actually very well mapped. I liked the shape of the houses and the fact that you can actually walk in the water; made things realistic. There was also lots of ambience, background sound effects, weather effects with accompanying lightning effects; I thought that was really nice.

Though a problem was guidance, once again. I walked out of the hero’s house but had no idea where to go. There was typically no personality shown of the hero, nor did he ever talk. You need to instruct players as to where to go or what to do; it’s not fun to wander around trying to figure out what you have to do next. Being a “mage” I don’t even think there were any magic shops in that town you were in; maybe there was a reason in terms of the story, but obviously there were no dialogue clues or implication of this idea. The hero should talk and express his opinions more. What do we know about the main character? Nothing. What should we know? The amount you want us to know is up to you; what is his personality like? What does he like to do? What are his ideals? Why is he mage? You need to incorporate the story in with the characters.

Not knowing where to go, I wandered around a bit and found this “nocturnal shrine” immediately I already knew you were simply copying a concept taken from games which seem to copy off of each other. The dungeon was basically a Zelda clone, which isn’t very credible. Requiring “gold keys” to open “simple doors”. Please think of more creative concepts and puzzles. Some of the puzzles were actually difficult and had me confused because there were not enough hints though, such as the whole sun and moon crap. The character also walks too slowly and there are too many annoying, boring, unoriginal battles. The part where you find the “bow” was already the cinch that you were attempting to make this some sort of Zelda clone. While I know there really isn’t much wrong with having “field items” that help you solve puzzles, its way better if you think of original things, at least.

The battles were bland, the monsters and backgrounds are RTP, I don’t have much an issue with those though. All you had to do was whack enemies with attack twice since you don’t have any spells. Seriously this game is called “magequest” and yet I have no spells. SERIOUSLY. I picked the game to play because I thought it would be about wizardry and sorcery, magic, the make believe, the power to alter your surroundings! And I don’t even have any spells to fell these dinky little snakes in this “night” dungeon.

In general, this game could be overall improved. The mapping is okay in some spots, but could still use some work, or at least perhaps custom chipsets, since it seems you were trying to do some weird things with the individual chips. If you can get a concise and organized story, and somehow work it with the character, and also reveal more about the character, I think the game will run more smoothly, be more commendable and be more fun. Though I can’t stress how much guidance is important in a game. Hint at where you want the character to go, work it in with the story.