txa1265
06-02-2005, 03:15 PM
This is something I have done on a different forum, aside from my 'real' reviews ... I give comments on little-known games I have enjoyed. I just finished Nox and it is a pretty decent little RPG.
Game: Nox
Genre: RPG
Sub-Genre: Single player, isometric.
System: PC
Rating:T (Teen)
My Score:4 /5
General Comments:Nox is an isometric action-RPG in the style of Diablo released in early 2000, and is very similar in ways to the recent Heretic Kingdoms. It is a very enjoyable game with some nice features, and is a worthwhile purchase as it can be found for cheap in used condition.
Graphics:The graphics of an isometric RPG are not likely to be pushing the pixels like a high-tech FPS, but most - including Nox - tend to be visually pleasing, featuring 3D characters against prerendered backdrops. There is nothing in the general graphics that is spectacular about Nox, but many nice touches in the gameplay graphics stand out. First, the player only gets to see what the character can see, so there is a 'cone of sight' which makes very much sense. Also, the spell effects are very well done. Finally, the enemies and environments are excellent.(9/10)
Story/Plot:This is a typical action-RPG story, you start as an apprentice and become the only one who can save Nox. The story is linear and without too many twists. There are occasional side-quests, but the main point of interest is that each character class plays the game very differently ... leading to instant replayability.(9/10)
Character Development:I was surprised by Nox's character development system - or rather lack of one. Once you set up your initial character, each level up simply increases your attributes and derived attributes (health, mana, resistances) automatically. Your choices are in what spells or skills you use and your weapon and armor choices. Of course, as the game progresses your weapon choices will narrow considerably, as you will be mainly choosing your 'secondary' weapon. (8/10)
Gameplay/Controls/HUD:A major area where an action-RPG's live or die is on how easily you can execute combat actions. Nox works very well in this regard, with few exceptions. Movement and attack are simple, as is spellcasting (or skill usage for no-mages). All are tied to hotkeys that are intuitive. The HUD is useful and minimal, and all menues can be dismissed with either the escape key or the same key that initiated them. The only issues I have are that the quest journal is buried inside the character screen, and when your inventory is loaded up it can be annoying to determine what your character is wearing. This is important as your items become worn and eventually destroyed and there is no repair skill, so you need to switch items to keep them repairable. (8/10)
Sound/Music:The sounds and music in Nox are very good. The voice acting is acceptable but not great - not designed for headphones, let's just say. The music is good, and the ambient sounds alert you to what is going on - such as when your armor gets destroyed.(8/10)
Value/Replay:Classic RPG's are typically some of the most replayable games out there, due to the ability to play different character types and make different choices. This is partly true in Nox, as choosing a different character class gives you a different game experience. However, you cannot customize your character at all, so all mage games are identical. Further, the game features multiplayer, but it is entirely tied to Westwood games, and the service died along with the company.(7/10)
Overall:I really liked this game, more than I expected. It went by very quickly at the beginning, but became deeper and more complex as the game progressed. It is nice that the different classes have different paths, even if you cannot customize your character as you go along. In the end, it is a solid, coherent game that just works.
Pros:
+ Fun and accesible gameplay
+ Well told story and quests
+ Enjoyable combat
+ Separate paths for different classes.
Cons:
- No character customization after initial choice
- Linear plot path limits replayability.
- Multiplayer tied to dead company.
Score:8/10
Game: Nox
Genre: RPG
Sub-Genre: Single player, isometric.
System: PC
Rating:T (Teen)
My Score:4 /5
General Comments:Nox is an isometric action-RPG in the style of Diablo released in early 2000, and is very similar in ways to the recent Heretic Kingdoms. It is a very enjoyable game with some nice features, and is a worthwhile purchase as it can be found for cheap in used condition.
Graphics:The graphics of an isometric RPG are not likely to be pushing the pixels like a high-tech FPS, but most - including Nox - tend to be visually pleasing, featuring 3D characters against prerendered backdrops. There is nothing in the general graphics that is spectacular about Nox, but many nice touches in the gameplay graphics stand out. First, the player only gets to see what the character can see, so there is a 'cone of sight' which makes very much sense. Also, the spell effects are very well done. Finally, the enemies and environments are excellent.(9/10)
Story/Plot:This is a typical action-RPG story, you start as an apprentice and become the only one who can save Nox. The story is linear and without too many twists. There are occasional side-quests, but the main point of interest is that each character class plays the game very differently ... leading to instant replayability.(9/10)
Character Development:I was surprised by Nox's character development system - or rather lack of one. Once you set up your initial character, each level up simply increases your attributes and derived attributes (health, mana, resistances) automatically. Your choices are in what spells or skills you use and your weapon and armor choices. Of course, as the game progresses your weapon choices will narrow considerably, as you will be mainly choosing your 'secondary' weapon. (8/10)
Gameplay/Controls/HUD:A major area where an action-RPG's live or die is on how easily you can execute combat actions. Nox works very well in this regard, with few exceptions. Movement and attack are simple, as is spellcasting (or skill usage for no-mages). All are tied to hotkeys that are intuitive. The HUD is useful and minimal, and all menues can be dismissed with either the escape key or the same key that initiated them. The only issues I have are that the quest journal is buried inside the character screen, and when your inventory is loaded up it can be annoying to determine what your character is wearing. This is important as your items become worn and eventually destroyed and there is no repair skill, so you need to switch items to keep them repairable. (8/10)
Sound/Music:The sounds and music in Nox are very good. The voice acting is acceptable but not great - not designed for headphones, let's just say. The music is good, and the ambient sounds alert you to what is going on - such as when your armor gets destroyed.(8/10)
Value/Replay:Classic RPG's are typically some of the most replayable games out there, due to the ability to play different character types and make different choices. This is partly true in Nox, as choosing a different character class gives you a different game experience. However, you cannot customize your character at all, so all mage games are identical. Further, the game features multiplayer, but it is entirely tied to Westwood games, and the service died along with the company.(7/10)
Overall:I really liked this game, more than I expected. It went by very quickly at the beginning, but became deeper and more complex as the game progressed. It is nice that the different classes have different paths, even if you cannot customize your character as you go along. In the end, it is a solid, coherent game that just works.
Pros:
+ Fun and accesible gameplay
+ Well told story and quests
+ Enjoyable combat
+ Separate paths for different classes.
Cons:
- No character customization after initial choice
- Linear plot path limits replayability.
- Multiplayer tied to dead company.
Score:8/10