The NDA has Lifted, with exception to Visuals, I cant show my footage, but I can speak about my experience. That said with out footage its difficult to convey the experiences, but lets continue.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen's alpha testing has begun, and with it comes a mix of anticipation and introspection. In my exploration of the game, I've noticed both features that have me hooked and others that could use some work. We can go into the many details of my journey, but lets keep it brief.
The user interface has proven difficult to use. The teams aims are commendable, but I feel like the crafting interface and UI could be improved. There are a lot of ideas for how to make crafting better and give users more control over their experience, such as different fonts and chat channels.
Exploring Pantheon has been both thrilling and perplexing. They add depth, but there are so many quests in novice towns that I'm starting to question their relevance. The learning curve to crafting; getting the hang of manufacturing staffs and armor required some patience to say the least. The night's darkness became a hindrance, I HATE DARKNESS.
I found that the immersion was broken during combat due to bugs, quirks or other problems. Running seemed to have no purpose, aiming was a pain, and skill recognition was a major headache. I am dubious of the fighting system due to errors with spell casting not functioning properly and abnormalities in the combat record.
When I first started, I didn't know you had to "consider" or research an enemy, which made things more challenging. The difficulty of a mob is not immediately obvious from the name plate. I rushed head strong into disaster and payed the price. It took me a while to find out that I needed to research every enemy's difficulty level.
I saw things that interested and confused me as I delved more into the dynamics of various classes. While some of my classes were really riveting, others had me begging for more explanation. Observing the intricate choreography of combat, I grasped its tactical essence while simultaneously identifying areas that could be improved.
As I explore Pantheon, I can't help but reflect on why I like this game. The game's ambient music, the way groups interact together, and the differentiation of classes all have pleasant resonances. Visually, the new artwork could be stunning when finished, regardless of how divisive the subject matter is.
Throughout the testing time, I have experienced a wide range of opinions. The goal of the criticism is to draw attention to the game's strengths and weaknesses.
Ideally, as Pantheon evolves, the development team will incorporate player feedback into the UI, fighting system, and overall gameplay to make it better.
Being an alpha tester, I can't wait to watch Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen evolve and grow as the game progresses.
