Well, what started out as an interesting and varied game has degenerated into a Diablo clone.

I can't tell how far I am in the game but it is now non-stop combat. I have been made a Knight Templar and travelled to Montserrat, but the whole way is littered with poison spewing demons, so many that I have to go slow and lure them away in manageable numbers, all the while losing hitpoints due to being constantly poisoned, which makes my fighter feel like a scaredy-cat.

Actually it's been non-stop combat since I first left Barcelona, I can't even imagine how a magic caster or archer would handle the way the enemies pounce on you at the speed of light. Hopefully there won't be too much more of this, or the game will end soon, but I'm a little disappointed all the same.

Oh, and here's the first review from Gamespot:

Lionheart review

Their score: 6.5/10

Sorry to hear that it is disappointing, Schwab, especially since I enjoyed my brief look at Barcelona. I wonder if this occurs no matter what faction you join.

thats a shame that the game turns into what sounds like good old hack n slash. i wonder if it will be like that for the rest of the game or will it ease up after a while.

I'm still in Barcelona, but I'm not having a huge amount of trouble combat wise, with my thiefy/mage type. I just batted down all of the Huge Skellies without having to use too many healing potions.

My only question is, at what level do I start getting more spells? I have the basic four Thought Magic spells, but I wouldn't mind having a couple of area spells.

Anyway so far I'm enjoying the game. I've read a few posts on the Black Isle Board that make me think a lot of people were expecting this to be another Baldur's Gate. Well, it ain't. But it is fun.

Where and what is Black Isle-I know I know, shouldn't ask; but when in the dark..
Ingie

ingie, of course you should ask.

black isle is the RPG division of interplay. interplay is kind of like the rpg version of dreamcatcher( the adventure company). interplay over the past few years has put out more rpg's than any other company.

However, Lionheart was designed by Reflexive under the aegis of Black Isle, so that would explain why the game becomes wall to wall combat, I guess since they've never made an RPG before.


Hagatha, can't help you with the magic since my fighter only uses one kind of healing spell. I have gotten to the point where another spell in that same realm shows up at levelling up time, but it's grayed out and I can't put points in it.
The manual does nothing to explain this, either.

If you're still in and around Barcelona you haven't started the main quest yet, and that is when the game suddenly shifts to non-stop combat.
I wasn't really expecting Baldur's Gate, but the game is not nearly as complex as they said it would be.

Thanks Zanthia :kiss:
Ingie

Hagatha, I'm playing my usual battlemage/thief
character and I think Schwab is right you need
to be more of a tank. Combat is pretty hard here.
I'm in with the lava troll section now and I'm dying left and right. I even took fire evasion
as a perk to help, but I'm not a great fighter
so there's the rub.

This news does not a happy camper make. I included Lionheart and Timeline to my Runaway order so that I could get 2 day shipping for the same price thinking that Lionheart would be a good RPG to alternate with. Now these comments are bringing me down.

Hmmmmm by the time I get to it maybe a cheat??????????? After all I am somewhat combat challenged.

The good news is that I did make it through Diablo without a cheat so maybe........

Schwab, did you do a lot of the side quests available in Barcelona before you left?
Oldman, don't be discouraged yet. Although the reviewer gave it a low score, the people playing it gave it a 7.5. I'm not far enough into the game to know how difficult it will be for my character, but there are so many choices to make, both with character creation and in regard to which path you take, that I wouldn't be surprised if there are differing opinions on the game. But then again, maybe not

it does sound like a combat oriented character is the way to go in lionheart.

Mine came; I'm loaded and now drawn
take a peek at Lionheart or finish my Main Quest?
Decisions, decisons <img border="0" alt="" title="" src="graemlins/woozy.gif" />
Ingie

I could tell from the demo that the combat in Lionheart was Diablo-esque. What a disappointment.
Why doesn't anyone make any RPG's like Baldur's Gate anymore? It was so popular one would think they made a lot of money on those games and would want to continue. I don't understand it.

Well I went in a took a peek see.
I chose to create my own character, I need to read more, but I just wanted to try a few things out.
There is a variety of choosing and it explains what the point system is and how it works. Which I liked. I thought it explained things well.
Of course, I didn't play but a little bit, again need to read to see what's what, but I loved the voices and sound, not sure I like being at such a distance, but that reminds me of DD, whih I loved, and I've been playing Morrowind-so major difference.
I have a long sword, which I like and can use magic which I love. Looks like most games, you have to get use to the skills and level up.
Going back to Morrowind, but still excited about Lionheart.
Ingie

Actually, respecting the need for tank skils, my thief does have 50 in one-handed melee weapons, and every now and then I put more points into this. So she can give a good whack when it's needed. At the moment I am stocking up on sneaking points so that I can acquire that all important Backstab, which gives 50% increased damage.

I'm about to tackle the Fire Trolls - I ran into them a while back, took a couple of good looks and left. I've done quite a few of the Barcelona quests so at level 7 (or maybe 8 by the time I get to them) I feel ready for the trolls. I suspect that an ice-based spell would work best.

However, I must be completely stoopid, because I can't find the Beggars to complete the Thieves quest...I've killed one Beggar, but that's it - I was expecting the rest to just attack, but nobody did.

I'm finding the Lava Trolls pretty easy. I've developed a technique that works well. Because the spells have to recharge between uses, the way to handle combat as a caster is cast spell, melee hit, cast spell, melee hit, and so on. Once I have the Backstab skill, the first hit will obviously be melee, then spell. With the protection spell that comes with the Thought Magic skill, that was enough to take care of the Trolls (at least so far unless I run into a grandaddy Troll).

Nickie, I'm pretty sure I did all the quests I could except for the ones for opposing factions, of course. I don't feel like my character is under-experienced, it's just that where I'm at in the game is just fight after fight after fight and the quests are just not there anymore, nor is there any character interaction or roleplaying after the first parts of the game.

Rick, I would imagine it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to create RPG's on the level of BG, and with companies in the financial state they're in, they find it more lucrative to create Diablo-esque games.

Darn it, Schwab, I was hoping you would say you hadn't. Hope the game gets better for you.

Well, to be fair, I just hit the port town of Montaillou tonight and there is some more questing and interesting roleplaying decisions, and that was pretty fun. I finished all that and am back on the non-stop combat track, I presume to the end of the game.

I restarted the game for the third time taking a Feralkin character using the aggressive spirit
and 2 handed melee. Combat is decidely easier
and I added studious thinker and skilled to my
skills when I created him. I call him The Bull
Here I go again!

I just received my copy of Lionheart along with the Bonus Level and Cards. Won't be starting it for another week, gotta finish TRII and its expansion.

I did take a look ... kinda nice. Will be watching for your experiences and choices ... might give me a push in the right direction. I always favor a fighter, but maybe not this time ... we'll see.

Hi Soozie! If you like to hear sarcastic wit, you may want to pick the demonic spirit to aid your character. The other two are just as helpful, but apparently not funny.

I haven't heard much at all from my bestial spirit, but the games going much better with The Bull now. He can clear a room out! I also took
Smite Mastery.
Hagatha, many thanks for the tip on the search
skill for money as that's been a big help, too.