Avadon for Mac User Reviews
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"A complex and absorbing adventure"
Version: Avadon 1.0.1
Pros
Excellent writing, interesting characters, complex and multilayered story, rich worldbuilding.
Cons
Graphical interface not exactly state of the art. Skill system takes a bit of getting used to.
Summary
I'm in the midst of playing this game now (well past the demo point - I registered it after about two days), and really enjoying it. All of Spiderweb Software's games that I've played tend to be intricately plotted and well written, which is what lifts them well above the level of the average shareware RPG, and this one is no exception. It's set in a new world, unrelated to that of their previous Avernum and Geneforge series, but similarly complex and interesting. And like those (particularly Geneforge), it frequently presents you with thorny ethical/philosophical/political choices which can influence the plot considerably.
But there are a couple of major differences from the earlier games - rather than creating a party at the outset, you play a single character, and acquire companions within the game instead. Each of the NPCs you have the option to add has a distinct personality, with their own biases, agendas, hot spots, etc, which definitely helps keep things interesting. Also, the way in which you spend experience and build your characters' skills is very different from past games, and a bit confusing at first, though it's not hard once you get a handle on it.
If you're mainly looking for eye candy and a slick interface, this is not it - the graphical interface still has a bit of a "homemade" look and isn't likely to be mistaken for the work of a big commercial game studio. But the depth and interest of the story more than make up for that. It's definitely not just a kill-stuff-and-get-treasure type of RPG - you have to make ethical choices, decide who to trust with secrets, etc.
If you've enjoyed any of their previous games, you will definitely want to check Avadon out, and if you haven't, this is as good a place as any to start.
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