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Game Information
- Platform: Windows 98 / 95 / Me
- ELSPA Minimum Age: 15
- Media: Video Game
Product Features
- 3rd person, 3D role-playing game
- Using heavily-modified Quake 2 engine
- real 3D battle sequences
- epic storyline
- Tons of amazing weapons effects
Product details
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Anachronox comes from the developer that gave us Daikatana , the Ishtar of PC games, but makes up for that atrocity with this fine sci-fi role-playing game. Unlike most PC RPGs, Anachronox features extremely user-friendly gameplay, mostly due to its console influence, the developers readily admit that they borrowed heavily from games such as Final Fantasy VII. The game follows the adventures of Sylvester "Sly" Boots, a down-on-his-luck detective trying to repay a hefty debt. Taking a simple assignment as a bodyguard, Sly finds himself caught up in much larger events, with the fate of the universe placed in his unlikely hands.
Gameplay consists entirely of two elements: point-and-click adventure and turn-based combat. The early part of the game is especially heavy on clicking on every object and person you encounter. Battles are classic turn-based encounters, with combatants lined up on two sides taking turns attacking. Unfortunately, these elements are far from balanced. The first half of the game gets a little monotonous with an overabundance of pointing and clicking, while the second half contains too many battles. The former problem is exacerbated by uneven storytelling. Although the dialogue and characterisation are great, the early part really drags. The writers tried to mimic the pacing of FFVII's story, but weren't nearly as successful. While the cut scenes are very impressive, the in-game graphics are quite blocky and you can tell that the game was based on the old Quake II engine.
Despite these technical and aesthetic flaws, Anachronox remains a charming game. Its blend of sci-fi and humour gives it a tone akin to an edgier Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This, combined with its console-like gameplay, makes it appealing to a much broader audience than your typical PC RPG. --Simon Brew
Manufacturer's Description
Anachronox ("uh-NAK-ruh-nox") is a 3rd person, 3D role-playing game (RPG) using the heavily-modified Quake 2 engine (32-bit graphics, particle system, spline-based camera scriptor, APE programming language). The player controls up to three characters at a time, from an eventual cast of seven, exploring the galaxy. Gameplay is exploration and interaction of the environment, melee with various galactic foes, and discovery of unique weapons and items that aid you on your quest. You can choose different characters to play and different ways to do things, leading you to different events and areas in the game. Each character has different Battle Skills with unique effects, and World Skills they can use to access places and info the other characters can't. For instance, one character can talk to computers, another can "Yammer" people, annoying them so much by blathering on that they provide the info you need!
Exciting features include the third-person camera; real 3D battle sequences in context; 2D and 3D mini-games; lipsynched dialogue and facial expressions (mesh-deformation) during in-engine cinematics; multi-source blended directional vertex model lighting; procedural models; procedural textures (interform, etc); environment mapping; specular highlighting; various multitexture effects (shaders, etc); robust, powerful particle system (editor shipped in box); epic storyline with a rollercoaster of emotion; and tons of amazing weapons effects.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An RPG in the true console tradition,
By jlceb@cir.es (Spain) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Anachronox (PC) (Video Game)
If the word RPG reminds you Baldur's Gate or Might and Magic, think otherwise. This is a game in the Chronotrigger or Final Fantasy tradition, and while it may still be called RPG, it is a really different type of game. If you are looking for hordes and hordes of monsters to kill, you will hate the presence of adventure-like quests with little to no combat. If you are looking for a serious and involving story as in Planescape: Torment, the campiness of some of the characters, monsters or locations may discomfort you. No, this is a game of another genre, a genre knowed for Chronotrigger or the Final Fantasy series, a genre with mini-games, humor, a simple interface, real-time (but still quite strategic and slow) combat, different "exploration" and "battle" modes, magic (in an original way), exotic combat character habilities and moves, a comic-like feeling... All the classic elements are here. It is a game where everything may be unrealistic because it has been made just for fun.It is not like Anachronox feels like a console game ported to the PC platform. It is more like the concept has been. For example, while the interface is simple, it always uses a combination of mouse and keyboard instead of pad-controlled menus and the like. You have a mouse cursor in the 3D world, and mouse-controlled icons in battle mode. It takes some time to feel yourself at home, but it pays in the long run, because if you are able to enjoy the genre, Anachronox may well be one of the better games ever made for it. It has thridimensional characters with past and motives, a well written story, a large and complex world, no random battles (the monsters are in the world map just like in Chronotrigger), no respawning monsters, very good visuals using the Quake 2 engine (maybe not too up-to-date, but still way better than the Playstation-level graphics and static backgrounds usually found in the genre, and with some really good touches such as the excellent camera work and facial animations) and very good music (even with no Nobuo Uematsu here). If you are unsure about console RPGs, try the demo and be sure to play through all of it. This may be one of those love-it or hate-it games, but one that I really liked, a little gem in a place dominated by giants.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Anachronox - Buy it. Do I really need to say anything else?,
By
This review is from: Anachronox (PC) (Video Game)
Being a long-term fan of this particular genre, and being spoiled on games such as Final Fantasy, and Chronotrigger, I approached this game with a little caution, as I've been sorely disappointed in the past. I am happy to report that this was not case this time! Based on a heavily adapted Quake 2 Engine, Anachronox manages to look rather spiffy. There are slight accentuated edges, as the engine is now a little dated, but a new adaptation gives faces of characters unique individualities, and provides a wide range of emotion. The plot is engaging and cleverly constructed, as well as maintaining a subtle level of truly amusing humour throughout the game. One character which joins the group, incidentally which is made up of three people out of a selection of seven, changeable when desired, is... well... truly unique. I won't spoil the surprise for you, but it is truly individual, and amusing. I suppose you will have to buy the whole game to find out whom I mean! Whilst we are talking about the characters, it is worth mentioning that each player character has their own 'world-skill', which can be used in the general environment. The first character, Sly Boots, has the 'lock-pick' ability. Not the most original, but still useful. Other abilities range from 'Comp-talk', which allows for interfacing with various electronic devices, to 'Yammer', which is the ability to talk the ears of the poor person you are using the skill on. The battle interface is similar to that of various console RPG's, and is turn based; with each character having it's own attacks and skills. The very first part of the game does involved retracing your steps over several areas a few times, but this should not put you off. There are many side-quests, mini-games and interesting details, along with almost every one of the hundreds of other characters in the game each having different things to say. To summarise: Anachronox does indeed live up to the description on the cover, in my humble opinion, that it is "the most detailed, interactive RPG to hit the PC" Full marks!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREATEST RPG EVER!,
By Robbo (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Anachronox (PC) (Video Game)
I cannot begin to describe how satisfying this game is, but here are a few reasons it is the greatest RPG ever: *great characters, full of character Downer points: and yes there are a couple- *the graphics aren't great(but they're alright, so who cares?) So, you have no excuse. Some will rag on the graphics or the fact that there isn't ENOUGH combat. I say, this is a GREAT story with characters that, for once, have character. The journey is so long and varied that the game never gets dull. It is one for someone with an imagination but is so fresh that it simply must be bought!
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