We have a 60 Second Preview of Disciples 2 up. What do you think? I'm quite interested in this one, excited even, though the recent events with Dreamland tell me I should NEVER be excited about a game until I hold it in my hands. Still, I really enjoyed Disciples and this looks like a buffed and polished version of that game. Should be fun.

I missed Discples, but this certainly looks promising. I'm not a die-hard fan of turn based combat, but I certainly don't mind it, either, and the screens look very nice. It looks like one I might pick up. (I might add, one that I might pick up, simply because of your article...So, maybe reviews do sway some people, some of the time...)

It's a lot like the Heroes of Might and Magic series. The spell graphics for the overland part of the game really are very cool.

It looks intriguing. I'll have to pick that up at some point -- although Baldur's Gate is keeping me plenty busy right now (thanks for recommending it!), and after it come Tales of the Sword Coast, Icewind Dale and its expansion, and then BG2. I feel like I've got a lot of catching up to do with the rest of the RPG community!!

Has anyone played Ogre Battle for the old SNES and later remade on the Playstation? When I first played Disciples I was reminded so much of that game. What do you guys think?

Murphy: "I'll have to pick that up at some point -- although Baldur's Gate is keeping me plenty busy right now (thanks for recommending it!), and after it come Tales of the Sword Coast, Icewind Dale and its expansion, and then BG2."

What about Planescape: Torment? That's the best game yet from Black Isle, in my opinion. I really enjoyed BG2 as well, but Planescape has a great story and some really creative moments. It's a bit more linear/constraining than other Black Isle games, but it's really great.

I wish I had played Disciples when I had easy access to free games.

-Ron

"I wish I had played Disciples when I had easy access to free games."

Aren't you on the comp lists for a lot of these game companies? Just send them an email saying that you now freelance, etc., and that you want to be on their press list. Give them you address and phone number. It's not even like begging since it's up to them to decide to send you games.

"Aren't you on the comp lists for a lot of these game companies?"

No, but that's primarily by choice. I've been freelancing only as a hobby these days, and so the only free games I get are those that I actually review. After I left GS, I decided to distance myself from the industry. There are a number of reasons for this, but they're of the personal motivation variety and not at all interesting

-Ron

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What about Planescape: Torment? That's the best game yet from Black Isle, in my opinion. I really enjoyed BG2 as well, but Planescape has a great story and some really creative moments. It's a bit more linear/constraining than other Black Isle games, but it's really great.

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I think you're confusing Icewind Dale with Planescape Torment. Icewind Dale is the combat oriented game that is "more Diablo-like."

Icewind Dale uses the same engine/interface as all the Infinity engine games but they concentrated on a pretty linear trek dungeon romp with quicker level advancement than the other games.

Planescape Torment is much more story dependent than the other games. I haven't gotten around to playing it either, though it's in my collection.

Perhaps you're right. I'm not sure. I'm sure I'll pick them all up along the way, and I'm sure I'll love them. I just haven't gotten to either of those yet. Working on BG2 right now...

"Planescape Torment is much more story dependent than the other games. I haven't gotten around to playing it either, though it's in my collection."

If you like your RPGs to tell a good story, you can't do much better than Planescape. It has the best story, and the least combat, of all the Black Isle games. Be warned, however, that much of the story's exposition is accomplished by reading on-screen text--a lot of on-screen text. I know a few people who didn't finish the game because they found all the reading tedious.

In fact, I'd have to admit that I prefer BG2 for that reason. It tells a reasonably good story for an RPG at a quicker pace despite its much larger size. From a strictly personal perspective, its also better for the way my gaming time is chopped up these days--small chunks of time that are good for maybe getting in one side quest a night.

That being said, I find myself agreeing more and more with what Stefan has been writing in his columns about the pernicious influence EverQuest-type games have had on computer RPGS including BG2, and especially the ID expansion (and, I suppose, Throne of Bhaall too): the constant ratcheting up of experience levels and items. For example, when I visit a store in the game, see a +4 sword for sale, then look over my equipment and decide, "Nah, don't need it," something, at least for an old pen and paper gamer, has gotten a bit out of line.

What I am just loving about BG2 is the interaction between the characters in my party. Aerie and Jaheira are constantly going at it, and I think they both have some sort of little crush on me. Sine Dynaheir's dead, Minsc has asked Aerie is she would be "his witch" to watch over. If she gets drastically injured in combat, he goes into a berserker rage and runs to her side. It's all very cool.

And the idea of running a theives' guild and having a familiar seem so cool, and you don't usually get those opportunities on a PC.

If you like that interaction, try putting some characters of opposing alignments in your party, like Minsc and Edwin. Just make sure you save often. ;)

Yeah, I saw a little of that of the first BG. I'm sure it would be way better than that, though, because BG2 is so much more real.

I seem to be one of the few that played Disciples. Most excellent game, I'd recomend it to all.

Yeah, I really liked Disciples. I'm looking forward to the sequel. They recently redid the art and it looks even better now.

Maybe you should update your screen shots then (wink, wink).