Dungeon Siege II Review - PC

The PSP has proven its mettle when it comes to graphics and genres. There are already a slew of decent Japanese-style RPGs, and the Untold Legends series has provided plenty of action and RPG gameplay. But so far, no one has really tried to push the envelope and create a truly open, free-range American-style RPG for the system.

Siege the Day!

The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is due to hit the system this year, but in the meantime, role-playing lovers had high hopes about the conversion of the PC game Dungeon Siege to the small screen. Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony has many of the elements of its PC counterpart, but unfortunately, the developers took a great game and dumbed it down.

The original Dungeon Siege was a big step forward over the endless parade of clickfesting Diablo clones when it first shipped. Offering gorgeous 3D graphics, a vast and open world to explore, and a nice mix of action and character-building role-playing, it spawned a deserved and excellent sequel. Throne of Agony is a side story to the Dungeon Siege II saga—taking place simultaneously to the PC add-on, Broken World.

Party-free Gaming

The first thing to notice about Throne of Agony is how gorgeous it is. Lush, varied landscapes, dark dungeons, and well-rendered monsters and characters make the game look every bit as good as the Untold Legends games. The feel of the game world also fits the Dungeon Siege series well. It is a shame that the developers strayed so far from the core, open gameplay.

Of course, the PSP version has to load levels, but having to select from three stock characters instead of creating a party from scratch is a disappointment. You can upgrade their stats and skills as you can experience, however, and the spell casting system is quite elegant and simple to use. Party-based gameplay is another area where the PC version excelled, and Throne of Agony stumbles. In the PSP version, you select a magical familiar to aid you in your travels across hostile lands, and as the game progresses, you can trade them up for cooler critters. Still, it’s a poor substitute for actual party dynamics.

Slow Down and Enjoy the, er, Bugs….

Even if the lack of true character creation and party mechanics doesn’t bother you, some of the glitches Throne of Agony shipped with will. It is possible to be irrevocably stuck on invisible obstacles if you aren’t careful, and slowdown issues plague the game. For the most part, these bugs aren’t deal-breakers, but they certainly ruin the pace of the otherwise solid combat.

Fans of Untold Legends pining for something new will appreciate the 15 or more hours of gameplay Throne of Agony offers. Dungeon Siege lovers, however, might appreciate the accurate look and feel of Throne of Agony, but won’t appreciate how the core RPG elements like in depth character creation and party-based exploration have been discarded. Throne of Agony is a decent hack-and-slash overall, but misses the chance to give PSP owners a truly engaging role-playing experience.

Article by: Jason D'Aprile
Video produced by: Eric Acasio