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Forum Overview :: Gamerasutra

by Arbit 12/21/2010, 4:36pm PST

Lizard_King wrote:

M&M:World of Xeen: While playable, it emphasizes the worst aspects of M&M III with no tangible returns on the "improved" technology. The graphics are simply nauseating. Not bad in terms of raw quality for its time, just jarring and obviously designed by the colorblind. I would say only desperation would prompt me to sit through this one in this day and age.

I just gave up on M&MIII. I'll update my 11/23/2010 post now:

It's on GoG along with all the other MaM games. ~~It's a pretty fun light RPG, except virtually~~ every other monster either has some of status ailment (and your cleric has to be level 10 just to cure poison or disease (WTF)) or is just really annoying (has a preference for beating the shit out of your sorcerer).

Additionally:
- Monsters are grouped together randomly, both thematically and difficulty-wise - mad dwarfs and ninjas occupy the same city, jousters that one-shot your warriors every round coexist in the same dungeon with evil rangers/dwarves that are easily slain in droves.
- Fuck all these status effects. If they're not poisoning, diseasing, weakness-ing, or insane...ing you, they're breaking your armor and weapons.
- The improved tech means higher resolution monsters and more hit/attack animations. Xeen also has colorful and interesting monsters, whereas III's monsters are drab and boring.
- No clairvoyance. All these barrels and pools and fountains give no fucking indication which ones will give you a permanent +10 to strength and which ones will blast you for 300 damage and make your penis to fall off.
- Xeen has "package" spells for both the cleric and sorcerer so you don't have to individual cast bless, powershield, holy bonus, etc on your dudes. M&MIII hardens your tendons into brittle pieces of shit by making you cast them individually.

I will add this caveat: I pretty much hate RPGs these days, so it's entirely possible that if I were to play Xeen now without the benefit of nostalgia I would hate it. BUT, I am pretty certain I would hate it less than M&MIII.