Drakensang: The Dark Eye Review
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In an RPG, it's all about the gameplay. The story doesn't make or break the game, but a good story is always coveted. Sometimes a weak story can be overcome by good character development, with good dialogue and voice acting. Dark Eye's presentation is very good, certainly worth more than the thirty-dollar price tag. The story is good. it's not great, but the characters more than make up for it. There is a discernable difference when compared to recent Japanese-produced RPGs. The focus is entirely on the single-player experience. The characters are less exuberant and cocky, and they're not anime. However, they are still standard RPG characters. As cliché as they may be, there's a sharp vein of humor that runs through the presentation, letting us know the developers are aware of having to include these traditional characters to remain true to the genre. Dark Eye is not a comedy, and when things get intense, the mood gets very dark. Adhering to the proven, manic RPG formula, the developers work their magic within this framework. They did not attempt to reinvent the wheel in terms of gameplay, but they've rust-proofed and lubricated it so that it rolls along just fine.
