Summary: LOL: 2 was a pretty good game. For it's time, it was quite good. It had a few annoying parts, and I had to use an F.A.Q... but the thing I really liked was the plot.
Summary: The packaging pulled me in but the game definately disappointed. My wife and I decided we had too little time to invest in playing PC games to continue on with this very dated game.
Summary: Whew! Talk about a complex game! Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny earns that reputation within the first half hour of game play. To describe this one is is difficult. Is it a RPG? Well, yes to some degree. Although you don't have the character generation of a typical RPG, you do have character building. Hey, maybe the President should play! Ahem...sorry, I couldn't resist. Is it an adventure game? Well, yes to a major degree. The whole game is an adventure. Or maybe we could classify it in the action category. There certainly is enough FPS action in it. The bottom line is, it's one game that is hard to pigeon hole because it is so diverse.
So What Is Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny?
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Lands of Lore would be more appropriately described as an adventure game. It does contain RPG and FPS elements but the real object is to solve the dilemma of the protagonist, Luther. Luther has through no fault of his own gotten himself into quite a predicament. Seems his mommy isn't such a good girl and sonny boy is paying the price through a long prison term and a curse that has been cast on the family through Luther. It's a nasty curse too, turning you into either a lizard or a huge ugly mutant Bigfoot. To make matters worse, you never know when the effects of the curse are going to hit you. Bummer!
OK, So Now What Do I Do?
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Take a guess : get rid of the blasted curse. It's a pain in the rear and it isn't helping your social life to keep turning into a reptile or a deformed wildebeest. You get fed up with the food they are serving you in prison and decide a jail break is your only alternative. Well, you could kill yourself but that would be a rather quick game and no one would buy it. So you've broken out of jail, ticked off all the guards and upset the general populace. Now what? Naturally, you kill all the guards you can, rob their bodies and get on your way. Of course what I haven't told you is there is this rare God-like creature called the Draracle or "Dragon Oracle" and he's going to give you some hints on how to dump this bothersome curse. After that you are on your own and you're going to need to keep your wits about you. The quest in front of you is going to take every bit of concentration you can muster. You think I'm kidding don't you?
OK, So How About The Rest Of The Game"
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Land of Lore provides a rich graphics experience. By today's standards the two-dimensional graphics could be accused of being dated but nonetheless their well done from an artistic standpoint. Subtle nuances to everyday items made it look very realistic. Little things like spider webs and bubbles in the water and detailed scenery and intricate brick work add to the overall beauty and intrigue of the environment. I give the creators a thumbs up for utilizing a careful combination of colors and graphics to render a striking environment. A bright pastel palette lacking garishness is a pretty good description.
Sounds Good!
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Yes, it does. Bug noises, water dripping, death grunts, sword meeting steel are just some of the sounds and the noises utilized to render an air of realism to the environment. Weapons hitting their targets, enemies crushing your skull in. It's all here and perfectly mastered. You know you are in for decent sound quality when the program installation itself uses vocal directions.
But Can I Play It?
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Of course you can. But don't set your expectations too high. Wait until you are out of the catacombs and on your way to the Lands of Lore before you cast your judgement. The character movements are easy enough. Your combat capabilities are enough to aid you in acquiring much needed weaponry and shielding. Initially it may become frustrating trying to get out of the caves and find your first "land" but stick with it and eventually you'll figure it out. The interface is smooth enough. Sometimes you get the feeling you are going to "Daggerfall" into a wall but it seems to recover nicely. What I will tell you emphatically is there is a lot to do, a lot to ponder and a lot of trouble to extricate yourself out of. There is a rich world awaiting you. Be careful how you relate to it. Nevertheless, the idea of a perpetually morphing character isn't going to suit the fancy of everyone out there. Frankly, as you pursue a certain goal as a human being and immediately become transformed into a lizard can become annoying after the fifth or sixth time and let's hope any follow up to LOL 2 dispenses with this useless premise. The bottom line is that with Lands of Lore 3 arriving soon, Lands of Lore 2 can't fetch a full retail price making it a relatively good buy. Is it worth it. Sure, if you have patience and a quick mind it can be a fun adventure.
It has been some time since I finished Lands of Lore 2, but I remember it well. Today the game is old, already the next installment in the series has been released (it did not receive very high marks) ,however all this means is that the price of this dated but good game is low which is good for you. To be honest the graphics suck. They resemble that of doom. The pixels are large and ugly by today's 3d flashy graphics. But behind its ugly cover there is a game with a story, game play, longevity, and originality. The game is an action/adventure with a hint of rpg thrown in for good measure. Your character is blessed/cursed with a morphing ability, changing from human, lizard, and beast at random until you gain the magic to control and use this ability to your advantage. This is what gave this game its feel of originality, something new from the true and tried.The environments are fantastic. There are many, many places to explore, each differing from one another, providing many hours of game play. While traveling through these perilous lands you will encounter both friend and foe. Decisions will have to be made. To kill or not to kill is often the most important. Speaking of killing, there is a lot of it. Combat is neither great nor bad. It is usually push the button to slash. Projectiles of magic are also used. The magic system, like combat, is nothing to write home about, but in the end it works.
During your journey you will pick up a lot of items along the way. Some will be of use and others just garbage. Finding out which is what will take some experimentation.The music is great, suiting the location well. However, my one major complaint was the speech. It was very erratic at times. Going from normal to too quiet to hear. This could be very frustrating at times. In the end I enjoyed the game. If you see it for $10 or $15 pick it up. I don't think you will be disappointed. Don't expect anything great, but it is a solid game worth playing.
Summary: Hello, ok ill give the game a good rating, they are as follows:Graphics- though there was some pixilation blotch up, I would still give it 4 stars, that animated and cinemas were absolutely gorgeous and well made. I really enjoy playing this game.Sounds- well that is a thing of itself, the sounds were gorgeous and well made, that sound effects were brilliant and so lifelike. especially the sounds in the Huline jungle. The score was also nice and I enjoyed that rhythm of the game levels.Gameplay- now that was great, nothing out beats a great RPG. This is one of the best RPGs I have ever played. There are many items and spells, extensive conversation's. The cool thing is that there is no set plot. You can change the plot if you want to, like if you try to hit Dawn in the monastery library. She will attack you when you go to get the beeswax scriptures, but if you're nice to her, she will simply ask for them. I t is really a fun game.
4 of 5
2 of 5
5 of 5
