Anyone wanna review it? Supposed to be on the 1st april right? or was it an april fool's joke/

I thought it came out today in Germany... April 2nd

There are already forum members playing it. I think the first got it on wednesday.

I've seen it in a shop yesterday.

I'm still waiting, until that unresolved "special edition" thing is cleared up.

what special edition thingie?

There are rumors about a special edition. I don't know whether German or English or whatever. All I know is the report of an e-mail from Ubi Soft where a so-called "special edition" is seemingly confirmed, but nothing more. The "not-knowing" is the thing that bugs me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/suspicion.gif" alt="" />

Please try to contact Ubi Soft, as I honestly don't have a clue about a special edition for the German territories.

In the Benelux, on the other hand, there will be a Deluxe Edition, where you can buy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> and <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beyond.gif" alt="" /> in one pack, in a special box.

Thanks, Lynn.

that's it...?? just a damn 'deluxe' aka combo pack <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />

I want a REAL special edition with sth unique in the box <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

I'm really interested in hearing some german comments on the game... how is it going guys?

I tried this several times - no response. And my mail was really nice written <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<that's it...?? just a damn 'deluxe' aka combo pack>
Don’t blame us, we don’t take these decisions.

<I tried this several times - no response. And my mail was really nice written>
I have contacted them just now. Hopefully I will get the info soon <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

An E-Mail by Karsten Lehmann, Senior PR Manager at Ubi Soft Germany says that there will be - as far as they know - only in the USA a Special Edition.

I got an email from Ubi Soft that they won't sell a Special Edition in Germany.

Okay, thanks, Lynn. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That's the mail I got a couple of weeks ago:

I had used three e-mail adresses <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> for contacting them - I took them from their Larian Press Release. This adress wasn't mentioned there. By the way, one of the three seems not to exist anymore there ("delivery failure").

Hallo Martin,
1.) Wird es eine deutsche Specialversion geben? - Ja!

Yes, apparently they had the idea of releasing a special editon, but they cancelled this. Don't know why. And I never knew about a special edition before.

I know, and I don't blame ya, I'm jsut sad and dissapointed

I dont speak German, but I'd love to get insight to how it's been received over on the German forum...

Can any of the German-English speakers give us a summary?

Yes sure, I completed the first act and can give you my spoiler free expierence with the game.

It's a very linear gameplay, but you can go almost everytime back to the beginning of the game. So basically, when you're at the very end of Act1 you can go back to your cell. And you'll need to use this possibility to solve some of the quests.

About the the difficult setting: I play it on "tactical" skill level and it's really tricky at the beginning. But you can always go to the Battlefields to boost up your stats. The Battlefields look like a whole seperate game: I would say it's Diablo 2 / Sacred inside of <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beyond.gif" alt="" /> .

In the Battlefields are also trainers/vendors which will help you, when your armor or weapons are damaged or if you simply need a new healing potion. The trading system is similar to <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" />'s. The NPCs give you also (very simple) quests in the Battlefield, like "defend monster x and get item y for me", but well, that's only the case in the Battlefields!

Now to the gameplay: you have a passage in Act1 where you can choose to fight or to sneak. If you choose to sneak, you'll get many quests and a easy life. If you choose to fight, you'll have a hard life and many fights <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
But the cool thing is: you can do what you want!

The humour element is used many times in the games and the results are really funny characters, incredible quests and good dialoges. You remember the peek where Swen talked about the the "big boom"? That's the style of those dialoges <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The german version is almost bug free, there are two technical issues which are caused by the copy protection, a patch will be released soon (thanks Swen!). Hellfighter also posted a small list of bugs he could find, but no really plot-stopping issues.

About the skill system: it's one of the best I saw in a RPG. There aren't really limits on how you would like to develop your characters.

Now to the summoning dolls: I found the first one but I haven't used it many times. I need to look more into that feature to say more about that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Music is superb, nothing more to say <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Graphics are ok, nothing eye candy, but it's very top notch for the 2D RPG genre.

The interface is ok, but if there wouldn't be the filter keys...I would... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" />

So far there are only few people playing it (as you might imagine <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> ) , so it's a bit difficult.

Noticeable :

- FSAA Bug (workaround by Lar himself, read here )

- Copy protection mostly working good, with sometimes very long time needed

- Sometimes weird error messages while installation (source unknown)

- Problems with sound (sometimes) ? don't really know

That's it, so far as I can see.

Thank you Nemesis. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

Nice report Nemesis. Looking forward to it now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />
I there anything to stop you endlessly levelling in the battlefields?

Yes, you'll need to find a key to get access to the Battlefields. At first you have enabled two areas in the Battlefields. Later, if you find another Battlefield key, you'll have access to more area levels.

Nice, thought of everything I see.
Good job Larian! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

@Nemisis_Dragon
Thanks for the mouth watering review. I cant wait until it comes out in North America.

Alrik
Four bugs, wow some games still have that after a few patches.

Larians, great job!!

Well, my"buglist" is avery rough compilation. It's far too early, imho, to tell.

@ Alrik
I had a look at the US amazon.com web site but they do not talk about a special edition <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />
It is possible to order for the game which is sold $39,99 but it is a standard game.
I wish that one of the publishers will sell the game with a nice surprise in the box.

***Sometimes, i think that i am less mature than a child <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />***

Barta

Barta, maybe you should use this sentence as your new signature ? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Are you serious <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

@Barta: be happy, as long as there is a child in you, that's cool. We already have enough serious people in this world <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> Children are innocent, so join the club, I am still a kid too <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />

That's why I suggested it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

so once it comes to US... i will get it. Seems very fun to play!!