CNET Editors' review
Real-time strategy games aren't as popular as they were in the late 90s, but Dragonshard will nevertheless win many gamers' hearts. The reason? Stunning graphics and sound, and an original combination of RTS and RPG action. The story takes place in Eberron, a new world from the Dungeons & Dragons universe. The action unfolds in two subworlds, on the surface and underground. Up above, the game is similar to many real-time strategies: you amass resources, build structures, and assemble an army. In the subterranean levels, Dragonshard is closer to an RPG: you lead a small party of fighters, archers, wizards, and thieves who kill monsters, collect stuff, and solve puzzles to gain experience points. The demo's two chapters are rich in cutscenes and character dialogs. The graphics are oustanding throughout, with detailed character models, rich textures, and an abundance of special effects. Be sure to have a powerful PC with good 3D capabilites. This is one of the best games we've seen. We would give it even more than five stars if we could. It's both a stunning technical achievement and a masterpiece of game design.
Publisher's Description
From Atari:
Dragonshard is a real-time strategy experience based in the mystical world of Eberron, the acclaimed new Dungeons & Dragons realm. Within this wholly imaginative setting lives an inventive gameplay fusion: dramatic RTS play is affected by the risks and rewards of a thrilling RPG-styled underworld.
As players direct troops over the land, they also plunge smaller, hero-led parties below ground to an RPG-modeled world of beasts, battles and bounty. Experience and items gained in this underworld result in great powers and abilities above ground.
Using magic, weaponry and skilled maneuvers, players command armies from varying races to control, protect, or destroy, the powerful Heart of Siberys. Obtaining this omnipotent artifact will unleash its full forces, good or evil, upon the entire world.
This demo for the RTS/RPG hybrid features the first two chapters from the Order of the Flame Campaign.
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All versions:
3.3 starsout of 6 votes
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Current version:
3.3 starsout of 6 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-4 of 4
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"its very nice"
Version: Dragonshard single-player demo
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"demo'd it"
Version: Dragonshard single-player demo
Pros
Graphics, sound and combat gameplay are good.
Cons
Plot and empire building are uninteresting.
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"characters do not show up in this demo"
Version: Dragonshard single-player demo
Pros
Nice Graphics, looks like an interesting game.
Cons
Huge download, did not complete on first try after over an hour. When Complete, the game loads but the characters show up as only shadows.
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"Looks and plays well, feels like a combo of some wc3 and a warhammer game i had"
Version: Dragonshard single-player demo
Pros
Has a nice cohesive cinematic feel, animations are smooth, environmental effects are nicely done, enemy and friendly units seem varied and interesting.
Cons
Huge download, hard to tell if the actual game will be balanced for multiplayer, demo seemed a bit easy and also hard to tell if the enhanced strategy/base-building elements make it better or different than wc3 (which it seems to be emulating/contesting)... but I ended up liking the overall look and feel of the demo. Worth getting if you can stomach the download and were curious about this game from the previews.
