Venetica

I know many of you have their own suspections of this game especially when you see how low the score is in metacritic. This is one of the first games which I think earns all good things to be heard that possible.

I've got almost 20 hours of gameplay behind me now and I've been playing it with xbox360. And the end is not even in the horizon yet.

Truth to be told, I didn't expect too much when rewievs and metacritic has given kind of sucky ratings. But genre of this game is my favourite. I had watched gameplay videos from youtube and was very aware of graphics and such but because this game still kind of tickled something inside me I decided to order it.

And what a little pearl have I found! O.K. Map is not-so-holdin-your-hand as fable (in fact the map might me the weakest link in the game), voices of npc:s are sometimes irritating ("I don't know", "that's good" and so on, even when you are in the house. These voices are made to make city feel more lively but it's not exactly have been success).

Little glitches in graphics are in presence here and there but i'm not golden eye so I can forgive these and everything mentioned above because:

I always like battles between good and evil (even when my characters tend to be goody-two-shoes every time even when I try to play as an a-hole).

Venice is pretty well drawn and interesting enough to walk around (no fast transport in map, if you need to go another side of the town; you walk - this is pretty sure a big con in many players eyes but I don't mind too much, it helps to get the town's map into my head better, after all, map is not clearest of them all).

Battle and spells in this game has been made pretty well, to my taste. Re-mapping the spells and moves are pretty easy to button which you want. Battling in this game is even enjoyable and it's pretty nice to make combos with for example moonblade, blood vortex and with venice with love (which is one of my favourite moves ;).

Different weapons also work with different bogeys and it's pretty logical what weapon to use to what monster.

In my books this is more than "pretty nice" game. It's at least a good game and worth my [...] which I paid. I'm playing now for example Fallout: New Vegas, Fable III, Dragon Knight Saga, and Mass Effects 1&2 and DA:O. When we remember that Venetica is way lower-budget game than for example Bioware's masterpieces I must give BIG kudos for people in Deck13 and wish from my heart that their future will filled with good things.

Armor and suits for scarlett are not very variable so "paper doll play" is one things first to forget but that didn't disturb me because those four armors/dresses are made pretty easy on the eye (a.k.a. Scarlett looks good in every dress ;)

summa summarum: me likes, me likes a lot. Game has its flaws of course but it still gives very much joy in playing.

And Scarlett is a babe ;)

German rpg:s have got new friend from me B)

There are good cut-scenes, effects and different contrasts that are somewhat cartoon-ised but it does not have the best quality graphics compared to other games for 2010. Music is good but the game features a lot of genetic sound effects like clogging footsteps. Character voices are a hit and miss but can be skipped. There are also occasional glitches though I did not run into anything game-breaking.

The downfalls of the game is the map, too many loading screens, no fast travel, simple combat and puzzles like work out the code of four buttons, hidden doors and keys.

The artistic design is something the developers can be proud of. Gameplay is simple and complex at the same time but has a charming story to it. There are many choices, quests and collectibles that can fill up many hours. The game also lets you save your progress at any time.

Overall I had a lot of fun playing Venetica and although it isn't a fable 2 substitute, for the price it remains a fun RPG that is relaxing to play.

The game itself is enjoyable. However because of a very serious glitch it is unplayable. Every time you save a game then key characters that you HAVE to engage with to progress from an area disappear. it seems the only way i can play this game would be in 1 continuos session and not saving the game at all. They should not be allowed to sell this game until this save game issue is resolved. This glitch is a crying shame as i have enjoyed palying the game.