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Enclave Review |
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Enclave
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Originally conceived as a multiplayer-focused medieval game along the lines of the incredibly popular CounterStrike, Enclave has been in development for years. It has since that time been changed and the focus of the game switched from multiplayer to single player with the multiplayer being pulled out altogether. Even still, rather than judge the game on what it could have been, it's more beneficial to judge it for what it is in it's current incarnation: a graphically stunning, difficult game with much to enjoy, but a few flaws that bring it down from true greatness.
The game starts out with a narrator telling the story of two sides of the same land. The land had become physically separated to separate the good from the bad. You can choose from the beginning whether you want to serve good or evil, and each side offers a different storyline and challenges as well as different playable characters. Either way, you begin your quest with only a single character and gain up to 12 playable characters by the end of each campaign. Essentially a hack and slash style game, with complex but easy to learn controls and a great storyline. You have a chance to purchase upgrades with gold you find throughout each level. Available weapons vary from character to character, though some weapons can be found in the levels without having to purchase them.
A nice feature of the character selection screen is the way it gives you a short summary of each weapon and it's strengths and weaknesses. From elaborate crossbows, to massive swords and curved daggers, to various levels or armor, all are very specific and can make or break each mission. Choosing a weapon which was effective in another level may not help you in the next, and be entirely inadequate. Which brings a minor frustration into the game, as there is no way to tell what enemies you'll face before you start the level. Pick the wrong weapon and you'll be restarting the level quickly, and choosing a weapon that is more effective against that particular level's foes.
Another rather frustrating gripe that pops up after the 4th level of the light mission is the fact that it is much to easy for your character to die, making you start the level over again from the beginning. A particularly frustrating part is one in where you must dodge a series of massive boulders in succession, each with the ability to squash you with one step in the wrong direction. Usually health potions can save you during the more difficult parts of the game, but not in a case like this. One hit and you're toasted. This frustration pops up in quite a few subsequent levels and makes the game much harder than it needs to be. Even having restart points within each level would easily alleviate this problem, but there are none in Enclave. It's a shame, because it could have lifted the game from a good game to an excellent game if it had been implemented.
(REVISION) - Upon replaying some of the levels tonight I decided to try to beat a few of the more challenging levels. (Once you've completed each level, it becomes possible to replay levels to find more gold) In doing so, I found out that at least one level does have a checkpoint, and it makes that particular level much more playable. I haven't gone thru all of the levels again and thoroughly checked them out yet, but logic would dictate that if one level has a checkpoint it's more than likely that other levels have checkpoints as well. The first checkpoint I found was somewhat hidden, but it is right before the first boss battle in the Light quest. It looks like an old style scale, which when you stop on the plate in front of it, it will save a checkpoint so the player doesn't have to start over from the beginning. This raises the gameplay score from a 7 to a 7.5 and the overall from a 7.8 to a 7.9, if more checkpoints appear the score can be changed again.
Graphically there are few if any games that can touch the amount of detail found in Enclave. Every surface is textured and realistically bump-mapped, so the entire look of the game is very rich and very intricate. Weapons, armor, and character models are very clean, and well rendered. Environments are also well done and have so much detail in them, it may make you dizzy looking around at each level's vastness and attention to minute details. Arrows shot from a crossbow or regular bow stay stuck in your enemy where they hit them, and it's actually pretty amusing to fire an arrow or two into an enemy and see it poking out of his head or chest as he lunges at you. (To answer a question about shooting arrows into enemies posed earlier, I don't know if you can pin an enemy to a wall with an arrow thru his arm or leg, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could. I just never personally got an enemy close enough to try it.) Character animations are smooth and realistic, and each weapon change and weapon load has a distinctive look to it. An inordinate amount of attention was also paid to the menus and selections screens, each one is absolutely gorgeous and animated to perfection.
However, all of this detail comes at a price. Even though most of the game plays at a very smooth clip, there are moments of absolutely crippling lag. Those only last a second or two, but it's definitely not acceptable nor expected for a game that has been in development so long, and one that has taken such care to detail every aspect out to the 10th degree. Also, the water in the game looks really good, but does not react at all to movement or action taking place in it, taking away some of the believability of the game.
The music within Enclave is good, and fitting with the overall feel of the game. Sounds from falling rocks, direct hits from weapons, and thumps when enemies hit the ground are all rich and full. Voice acting however, is only passable. You'll run into allies throghut the game who talk to you and ask you to hep them, but none of them sound very interesting or genuine. Then again, they don't sound bad either, just adequate.
Having no multiplayer hurts Enclave's replayability, but having two separate quests with different goals and a high level of difficulty lends a lot to the length of the game. If you don't mind a difficult game, this one should last you a long time. If you're easily frustrated, you may enjoy the game for a while, but it will soon become more tiresome than it should be.
I'd be lying if I said wasn't really excited about Enclave from the first time I saw it a long time ago. I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little disappointed in how it turned out overall. But I'd also be lying if I said I didn't like the game despite it's faults. It may not be the killer title we wanted it to be, but it does have a lot going for it, and something that keeps me playing it deep into the night. Challenging, interesting and beautiful, it's worth renting for most, and a keeper or those who consider themselves hardcore gamers.
Review By: JakeT
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