Swords & Sorcery Underworld: Gold Coming Out Next Week

Posted by Rampant Coyote on September 13, 2012

The same time as Torchlight II.

Swords & Sorcery – Underworld Gold Announcement

So the big question: Which game do you get? Both of ’em, of course. 🙂

But now that you have both, which one do you play? In all seriousness, that’d be a tough call. I’ve been playing the beta of Gold for a while, and I like it. It really captures the style and gameplay of some older 80’s / early 90s era party-based RPGs. Wizardry, Might & Magic, Bard’s Tale, those kinds of games.  Probably with a bigger emphasis on Might & Magic  for style. Think Might & Magic III, and you won’t be too far off.

Originally, as I understood it, this “Gold” edition was really not supposed to be much more than a graphical overhaul of the original. But developer Charles Clerc decided to go all-out and give the game far more than a fresh coat of paint. He changed the name of his company to better represent his focus, and really expanded the game. Some of the changes, mentioned in the above announcement:

• – Enhanced combat: Distance and timing management in a set of tactical options. Enemies have and use them as well.
• – 8 new maps (20 total). 5 previously existing maps were redrawn and 3 entirely new areas.
• – Hundreds of new items, including new item types.
• – New item attributes (charged, enchantments, some specifically scripted).
• – Many new NPCs.
• – Puzzles. Some span entire maps and others are of lesser scope.
• – 115 monsters, each illustrated. Some scantily but tastefully clad of the female gender (be forewarned).
• – Monster specials: many have one to better pounce on your characters. Some have two.
• – New environments.
• – New skills (active and passive).

Yes, this is a lot. But it’s made the game a lot more interesting. And I was particularly amused when my party looted a “Frayed Knight Cloak” or something along those lines. I assume that’s one of the new items…

I didn’t get as far in the original release as I am now, but the newer game definitely seems more interesting to play. And, of course, prettier. While it’s technically kind of the same game that was released a couple of years ago, enough has changed that it feels like a new game. Or it feels like the difference between an alpha “tech demo” and the full-fledged release.  I like it. If you have fond memories of some of those turn-based, party-based, pseudo-3d first-person-perspective games, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a shot a week from today.

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