Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms Previews
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The Early Access release of Games Farm's Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms continues to drum up some buzz for the action RPG, with two more previews emerging online over the past couple of days.
Critical Indie Gamer brings us the introduction:
Combat is the usual Diablo, Torchlight affair which is functional but uninspiring. Click to move, click to attack, press 1-9 for powers. If you like that type of gameplay then you'll find lots to enjoy in Shadows as the puppet switching system gives you a lot of ways to switch fights up. Using your long range attacks with your archer character before quickly switching to the spirit realm to run away unseen by the enemy is something we hope to see more of.
Combat isn't the most important aspect of an RPG though; that would have to be story. (Argue in the comments if you disagree) Shadows has a deep world from what we've played, each of the characters you choose from the start has a different past and often you'll find parts that relate to each character's past. It's a nice nod to the player's decisions and made the story feel just a bit more personal.
And IncGamers comes in with the conclusion:
Switching between forms also means that the level you a see as a mortal, which is packed with nasty mobs, will not have the same mobs visible if you switch back to the Devourer. At any given point in the game there are effectively two separate experiences, and knowing when to use which form is all part of the learning experience. It takes some getting used to.
There's also an indication that this dual game world gives players options when it comes to quests. Early in game in the town of Thole an NPC asks if you can dispose of his wife's body after he's brutally murdered her. You see this murderous NPC in mortal form but if you switch to the Devourer you see the ghost of his murdered wife who asks the you to do the right thing and report the murder to the guards. Either you take her body away to the burial grounds or have him arrested by the guards. This is a nice touch because it potentially offers different quest branches for players to discover and encourages you to really explore the levels in both forms.
