Dungeon Siege
Description official descriptions
Located in the corner of the Aranna continent, the Kingdom of Ehb has recently gained independence following a prolonged war. One day, a small farming community is attacked by a band of wild creatures known as Krug. One of the farmers has to venture to the neighboring town of Stonebridge to seek help. During his travels he finds out that an even greater peril is threatening the land, and must find a way to stop it.
Dungeon Siege is a role-playing game sharing many similarities with Diablo. It is heavily combat-oriented and emphasizes item-gathering and gradual building up of the protagonist for purely battle-related purposes. The game's linear progression is determined by quests that send the protagonist to newer areas. Combat is handled in a point-and-click fashion; when the player character fights alone, it resembles the action-based fights of Diablo. However, other characters may join the party as well, at which point combat flows in real time, somewhat similarly to the semi-automated party battles of Ultima VII. It is possible to build formations and assign basic tactics to the party as well. When a character's health drops to zero, it becomes unconscious, and if left alone it will regenerate back to life. Other party members can speed up the healing process with spells. On the other hand if the enemies keep attacking the character will eventually die, and only resurrection spells can bring it back from the dead.
Unlike other role-playing games, there are no classes, but characters can improve up to four skills: melee, ranged, nature magic and combat magic. Advancing in a skill is done by simply using it. The characters become better at melee attacks if they fight with melee weapons, they can master nature magic if they cast nature spells, and so on. Using a skill will automatically improve one of three attributes: strength (necessary for melee), dexterity (ranged) or intelligence (magic).
Spellings
- マイクロソフト ダンジョンシージ - Japanese spelling
- 地牢围攻 - Simplified Chinese spelling
- 末日危城 - Traditional Chinese spelling
- 던전 시즈 - Korean spelling
Groups +
- Diablo variants
- Dungeon Siege series
- Fantasy creatures: Dragons
- Fantasy creatures: Dwarves
- Fantasy creatures: Goblins
- Fantasy creatures: Trolls
- Gameplay feature: Armor / weapon sets
- Games made into comics
- Games made into movies
- Middleware: Bink Video
- Protagonist: Female (option)
- Software Pyramide releases
- Sound engine: AIL/Miles Sound System
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Credits (Windows version)
220 People (179 developers, 41 thanks) · View all
Designer and Project Leader | |
Producer and Designer | |
Technical Lead | |
Art Director | |
Engineering | |
Network Admin. and Assistant Producer | |
Concept Artist | |
Terrain and World Modelling | |
Animation, Modelling and Texturing | |
[ full credits ] |
Reviews
Critics
Average score: 84% (based on 52 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.6 out of 5 (based on 112 ratings with 11 reviews)
Diablo meets Hexplore. Stunning looks, simple and fun - just don't take it too seriously.
The Good
Firstly, it looks absolutely superb. Personally, I'm more interested in how it plays than how it looks, but this game is simply breath-taking. Sure, if you get close you'll notice that the characters and critters are a little simplistic, and some of the textures are a little repetitive, but the overall look of the game is stunning. The transitions between outside and cellar actually took my breath away - honestly. Plus you also get gently falling snow, sunbeams in the caverns, accurate shadows of the characters, and so on. I love the way the trees fade away to let you see through them when your guys get close.
After you get over the look of it, you'll find that there's a competent if simplistic hack 'n slash underneath. Most reviewers seem to like comparing it to Diablo and Baldur's Gate, but I think Hexplore is a better comparison. BG is a little too involved, a little too serious. This is far simpler, like Hexplore with less puzzles.
The story-line is not too involving, in fact you could describe it as optional. You collect books on the way which you can read to flesh out the story. Or you can just charge through and hit everything that moves. A nice touch.
I can't really comment on the sound and music. I always turn music off in games, and I have the sounds low enough so I can still hear the TV. Yeah, that's right, it's one of those games. Wind down after a hard days work with Dungeon Siege and endless repeats of The Simpsons.
The Bad
It's very linear. You start the story on your farm and head off to the nearest town. You naturally follow the path, but if try to wander off you'll realise that you can't get very far at all. There is the occasional small area/dungeon to explore and loot, but you can complete the game fine without ever leaving the straight and narrow. If you imagine the third area of Diablo II (the swamps) and you'll get the picture. Also, even if you read the "optional" story-line, you'll see it isn't up to much. It's there, but it's not why you play the game.
Another thing I didn't like was the lack of an overall map. There is a map function, but it's really only a top-down view at far zoom. While this is fine for basic navigation, if you get lost (very hard to do) or think you've missed something (quite easy) there's not much you can do about it - you'll just have to wander round or re-walk everywhere and hope.
The Bottom Line
If you liked Diablo, then you'll probably like this. The same goes for Hexplore. Forget the comparisons to Baldur's Gate and other RPGs. This is not an RPG game. It's a pretty-but-dumb-hack-'n-slash-adventure. And that's all. Don't take it too seriously and you'll have a lot of fun!
Windows · by Steve Hall (329) · 2002
The Good
Well where to start? The environments are beautiful and colorful. When you walk into a town you actually feel like your in this town. And the armor and weapons are in one word,wonderful. Awesome design and texture and cool names. The ability to gain followers is awesome and the sure fact it supports multiplayer is amazing. Play online and just show how much you rock. And the most fun I had was buying a donkey and overloading him.
The Bad
The things I thought could be better are that the shops sell armor so expensive that you have to kill for hours just to get armor to learn you can't even wear it. And sometimes they put high leveled enemies for when your only low level.
The Bottom Line
An overall awesome gaming experience. All fans of these kind of RPGs should definitely try it. Though I found it a little time consuming and not fun enough.
Windows · by Lord Dayin (9) · 2007
One of the NICEST, most Revolutionary NEW RPGs ever created! FUN as Heck!
The Good
I was AMAZED at the 100% seamless world! There are no zones, no load time at all anywhere! The graphics are not cutting edge, but ARE extremley impressive!
There are 3 levels of gameplay you can choose at character creation, from easy to insanely hard. (People who complain about this game being too simple or easy fail to realize that the default setting is easy mode.)
The Dungeons are incredibly detailed and realistic. I had to pause and gaze in wonder the first time I entered the sewages, with debris floating by me, etc.. The "spider dungeon" succeeds in setting its mood, and being creepy. To see this stunning game in action go to this link:
http://community.webshots.com/album/104967108nPZHDZ
If it does not work, go to this link:
http://community.webshots.com/user/xplororor_archives01
There are many original monsters, like the crawling corpse - missing it's lower body! The AI is very intelligent.. monsters will and can chase you down until you some how hide, get away, or get killed. The greatest feature is how you can make a party with NPC characters you meet - then level them up AND switch from your "main" character and make the NPC your main character and your former main character a NPC! You can switch back and forth as much as you want. Send 5 members of your party to 5 different locations in the game world! It takes getting used to the new feeling of experiencing this incredible game feature! No other computer game has this feature done the way Dungeon Siege does it to PERFECTION!
This is a 100% skill based game. Any character can learn magic, melee, or ranged combat, and wear any armor - as long as they train in the needed skills. You can make your character be a high level warrior that can cast low level magic, a high level magic user who can wield a low level sword, or any kind of hybrid mix.
The Mules are one of the funnest, and funniest, game features in this game, that no other game has ever done! You can get actual Mules to carry your extra items. As you store more items on your Mules, the game shows the luggage on them increasing! LOL! And you can control each of your Mules as if they were your characters! (You can't level up your Mules though... but the Mules can help fight)
Combat is one of the best ever in a RPG game. Your arrows stick in the enemy, you can dodge enemy arrows. My favorite is casting magic Lightning (if your a Star Wars fan, this looks just like the Emperor doing his Force Lightning!). Not every dungeon, or area of the game needs to be visited to complete it... some dungeons, and areas are just there for the fun and challenge. And yeah, it's NICE how your character will just sip health potions drinking only enough drops needed to heal their exact missing health.
This game is super-L-O-N-G! There is a free playable Demo that can be downloaded (search for 'Dungeon Siege' on Google.com). The FREE demo is roughly 15% of the game and can take a few weeks to go through.
The Bad
Some of the monsters (Just a few) do not look like anything special. Like the very first monster you fight. They look like a wimpy, bland, wanna-be Orc. This game is L-O-N-G! Expect to take 3 - 6 months to complete it if you also have a normal regular life.
There are no spectacular puzzles. It's just find out the best way to use your offense (range, melee, and magic) and defense (healing from magic and drinking potions) to survive.
There's not much else dislikeable about this remarkable, revolutionary, RPG. It could've and should've been more heavily advertised - though it still did sell well and still was successful.
The Bottom Line
An ultra-modern medieval-themed RPG, with NICE graphics. And cutting edge, revolutionary game features. Some of it seems simular to Diablo, the majority of it builds on Diablo then does things 1,000 times BETTER than Diablo. The way the party system works - this alone makes this game a MUST to be played.
Anyone who reviews this game negativly has NOT played it to the end! LOL! There are tons of dungeons, some are HUGE!
If you can get your hands on the recently released "Dungeon Siege Editor" you are in for an increadible trip! With the Editor you can create your OWN GAME! You can even make a replica of say... the world of Middle-Earth in Lord of the Rings. Or specific dungeons like Moria in Lord of the Rings. Or anything from your imagination!
Windows · by XplOrOrOr (14) · 2004
Trivia
1001 Video Games
Dungeon Siege appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.
Awards
- GameSpy
- 2002 – Tech W'd Like To See More Of Award (for its missing loading times)
Online servers
The game's online servers (which were hosted on MSN Gaming Zone) were shut down on 19 June 2006 in the wake of MSN Games' shift from "CD-ROM matchmaking service" to casual online games.
For unknown reasons, the Steam and GOG.com releases of the game has the multiplayer menu entirely disabled, despite LAN functionality not being affected. Running the game with the zonematch=true command-line argument bypasses this.
Analytics
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Related Sites +
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Building a Better RPG
An Apple Games article about the Mac version of Dungeon Siege, with commentary provided by Writer Neal Hallford (March, 2003). -
Dungeon Siege Planet
English fansite. -
Hints for Dungeon Siege
Designed to give you just as much information as you need, these hints will help you solve the game without spoiling it. -
Planet Dungeon Siege
All things Dungeon Siege.
Identifiers +
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by phlux.
Macintosh added by Corn Popper.
Additional contributors: Unicorn Lynx, Jeanne, Apogee IV, Dave Mednick, Zeppin, Paulus18950, Patrick Bregger, Plok, FatherJack, Zhuzha.
Game added March 31, 2002. Last modified March 6, 2024.