Dungeon Lords: Collector's Edition

The Good
Let's face it. You've probably heard of Dungeon Lords, and chances are most of what you heard was bad. But if you've passed it by because of all the bad press, now is the time to forget that and go get this game. But keep in mind... you MUST buy the Collector's Edition and not the original version. The Collector's Edition is patched as far as this game is going to be, and it includes most of what was promised with the original.

So... why get it? Simply because it is a great action RPG. It's good at what it does (in keeping with its namesake - Dungeon Lords). After you get through the first dungeon and on with the story you will find a game with great fighting and terrific character customization. Now I'm not talking about making your character's face look cool... I'm talking the ability to build your character through stats and class choices.

The character advancement system is quite good and allows you to create a character that suits your playing style. There are many combinations of class types that can be achieved (no spoilers here) with great perks (heraldry's) and skills.

The fighting (which is the most important part of this game) is done very well. When you are in a battle you can really get a feel for the action. Unlike many newer RPGs that will remain nameless (this review is being written in early 2007) the combat feels like combat, and the foes that you face can be truly daunting. And this is good... after all who really wants to play an RPG where all the battles are easily won? If there's no challenge, there's no fun.

I also liked the different locales in the game, and even though the plot is thin, it's much better than most action RPGs. Quests flow logically within the frame of the story and they are fun to complete.

So in summary, if you are looking for a really fun action RPG, look no further than the Collector's Edition of Dungeon Lords. Get over all of the negative press you've read and play this game. If you stick with it past the first dungeon, you'll play it all the way until the end.

The Bad
There is no music in the game and some people found that disturbing. I personally didn't mind.

By today's standards, the graphics are behind the times. But true computer Role Playing games have never really been about graphics... it's all about gameplay.

The thing I disliked the most about this game is the way it was handled. Instead of delivering a finished product the producers chose to sell the original version, which was really still a beta (not finished) product. This is the main reason that so many people were turned off from playing this game. Then releasing the "Collector's Edition", which was really the finished (mostly) game, was a slap in the face of all those who paid good money for the first, unfinished version. But that's all over now. You can get the Collector's Edition on auction or at stores for a fraction of what it cost when it first came out.

The Bottom Line
Dungeon Lords is a great Action RPG that's truly fun to play from start to finish. You just need to stick with it for a couple of hours and then it will truly start to shine.