Title Two Worlds Date 08.28.2007 Genre RPG Platform Xbox 360 Developer SouthPeak Interactive Publisher SouthPeak Interactive

PROS
+ Persistent world makes for a truly unique experience
+ Size of the game, both in land area and quest quantity
+ Item creation
+ Environment graphics

CONS
- Controls, controls, controls
- Character models and cheesy voice acting
- Slow start and learning curve will turn many away

Introduction
The first two hours of so are probably the most nail-biting moments a gamer can experience. Not because of the atmosphere of the game, but because it makes the game start to regret shelling $60 for the title. The graphics are not even close to that of Oblivion (the new standard for fantasy open-RPGs), the voice acting is a little over-the-top, the story is only so-so, the instruction manual is virtually useless (in fact, incorrect at points), and the menu navigation is simply horrid. Most gamers will likely abandon their hopes of having a fantastic RPG experience. However, those that trudge beyond the aimless wandering and frustration are rewarded heavily. Note that this review is for the single player portion on the Xbox 360 only.

Graphics
Screenshots for Two Worlds looked on par with Oblivion, so when looking at the bland character models, it's a disappointment. But they are not without merit. The draw distance is very impressive, being able to make out individual trees far off in the distance, as well as virtually every unobstructed tower, castle, and city. The variety of region gives each area identity as opposed to walking through what looks like the same forest for the entire game. The water looks about on par with Oblivion, with wake in the water from the movement of the arms and body. Shadows are complete, but look blocky from certain angles.

Sound
The sound is a mixed bag. Combat noises are too generic to be noteworthy and the music is forgettable. However, background noises, such as birds chirping in the trees, are a nice touch. Voice acting, as I mentioned before, is a bit over the top. Sometimes, the voices lapse out of character or don't follow the subtitles. A major advantage over Oblivion is the variety of voices used, so it won't sound like the same three people over and over again. Overall, the audio is not a selling point, but it's above average anyway.

Controls
This area is perhaps the biggest flaw of this particular title. Menu navigation is literally a chore, particularly for the first hour or so. Several menus are split into two panes, with each analog stick controlling one. Using each individually feels simply awkward. Even with several actions the player can take on a given menu, only a couple of different buttons can be used. The result is that even simple actions may require needlessly complicated button combinations. Map navigation is another area where some tweaking is much needed. The map screen has the quests in the adjacent pane, so your right thumb is fumbling through the Explorer-esque quest list (completed quests are written in a lighter gray). Panning the view in the map itself is done with the D-pad while the left analog stick is reserved for jumping the cursor to the marked locations on the map; I would have expected the roles of each to be reversed. The in game controls are modest, though needing to use the hotkey system to use magic and skills seems flawed. There is only one attack button which is unfortunately the right trigger. It is fine for short fights, the long, drawn out battles of continuously squeezing the trigger button are ridiculous. You do eventually get used to the nonsense, but should you really have to?

The Game Itself
Combat is, regrettably, similar to the hack-and-slash style of PC dungeon crawlers (Dungeon Siege comes to mind). You have an attack button, a dodge button, and a hotkey button (as well as buttons to quick-use a mana or health potion). Attacks are split into three flavors (pierce, slash, bludgeon) with different enemies being more or less affected by each. Magic and skills can only be done by assigning a spell to a hotkey. The variety in combat comes from decisions to fight one-handed (shield in the other; blocking is not controlled by the player), two-handed (using a spear or stave; you can hit multiple enemies with a single blow), or dual-wielding (the second weapon is less accurate, but can do extra damage). There are a few skills that can be useful in combat such as kicking dust in the eyes of your foes or shooting multiple arrows at once, but the hotkey system makes using them a bit tricky. It will certainly take some getting used to. The magic system is fairly basic, but the variety of spells is certainly welcome. Each of the five schools of magic have spells that do similar tasks (at least on the lower circles), but have slightly different attributes. For example, there is a Necromancy spell that restrains a single opponent and slowly poisons him, while a Water spell freezes all foes in a limited area, but does no damage.

Item creation adds a nice little twist to the inventory system. If you have two of the same type of equipment, they may be combined to form a better one and free up some space in your inventory. Be warned though that the more times you combine an item, the less it will improve. Alchemy can be done at any time, as well, from the comfort of the inventory screen (the adjacent pane, in fact). There is an alchemy skill that can improve results, but no training is needed to toss a few ingredients into the cauldron to see what comes out.

The story is rather generic, but the persistent world aspect puts a unique twist on the way it is presented. While the sheer number of quests is impressive enough, actions the player performs within the game affect the way certain quests will play out. For example, one townsperson asks for an item from a woman. If you have learned of a particular plot line, you can use those details to trick the woman into relinquishing the item. If not, she'll ask a favor of you instead. And since each action, each quest you complete, fail, or decline changes the dynamic of character interaction, playing the same game twice will be tricky.

Final Thoughts

In the end, the quirks draw all of the attention form the early going, but go away with time. The many positives will surely please the dedicated [few - if you believe the reviews of the less patient]. It is certainly not Oblivion, but why would I want to pay $60 for a game I already have? Two Worlds does enough well that it can stand on its own amongst the [albeit, few] RPGs on the platform. By all means, give the game a chance; and please, be a little patient.

Game Score

B-

Reviewed By: Contributed