Ok, so I have a huge man-crush on this game, so what?
Eurogamer gave the PC version an 8, that's enough for me, you *f-word*-ers!
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Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements will finally be gracing the Xbox 360 with its presence in September, with the same content as the PC version and a few new extras that Jon told you about in July. These extras include the ability to explore four all-new levels - in some you will put your puzzle solving skills to the test, and in others you will just have to hack your way through. According to Ubisoft, the pace of the game will resemble Half Life 2 instead of the dungeon crawling style of Oblivion. Either way, gamers who prefer to play consoles instead of the PC will enjoy this great title, and it is high time it was bestowed upon us. As someone who loved the PC version, I am anxious to see how well it plays on the 360 in the comfort of my big chair in front of a great television.
Check out a list of game features after the break.
Key Features of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements for Xbox 360 include:
More action, new challenges. Experience Might and Magic® like never before, with refined game mechanics carefully crafted for pad-controlled carnage, including a brand new lock-on feature and tweaked level design and game statistics. Explore three previously unreleased secret levels with new objectives, gameplay, and rewards.
Multiplayer remixed. New multiplayer maps have been created exclusively for Xbox 360, while all other features have been completely remastered for an optimal Xbox LIVE® experience, allowing you to play with up to 10 players. Enlist with the Humans or the Undead and choose to play as an archer, priestess, mage or knight. Make use of powerful and unique skills and spells on the battlefield, including powers such as meteor shower, berserk charge and rain of arrows.
Cutting-edge technology. Discover the power of the Source engine on Xbox 360, featuring jaw-dropping environments, incredible graphics and top-notch physics. Immerse yourself in a gritty first-person experience with complete body awareness, realistic movements and physics rendering, making Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements the first action game to feature a complete first-person combat system.
Environmental mischief. Use your environment as a weapon to outsmart the most fiendish monsters. From bottomless pits to diabolical traps, players will find that that their spells and weapons are not always the most effective solution to dispatching their foes.
Never-ending action. Challenge the forces of evil across 12 chapters and master over 30 weapons and 12 devastating spells. Engage the enemy in intense melee combat with swords, bows, staffs and daggers; summon magic powers or sneak in the shadows to stalk depraved creatures. Show no mercy as you carve deep into the enemys flesh and use the environment as a weapon to outsmart the most fiendish monsters.
The Might and Magic universes darkest side. From bottomless pits to abandoned temples, dark catacombs and swelled cities, explore the remotest recesses of Ashan, populated with fearless Orcs, dreadful Undead, elusive Cyclops and many other creatures that defy natures creation. This is the darkest side of the legendary Might and Magic universe, where the forces of evil are stronger and more cunning than ever.
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http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=167126
First concrete details on 360's Dark Messiah
Tuesday 3-Jul-2007 10:06 AM Producer spills beans on Ubisoft's console version of the first-person action-RPG
Concrete details on Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements for Xbox 360 have emerged following first word on the game's existence back in May.
As expected, the game is a port of first-person action-RPG Dark Messiah on PC, but Ubisoft is promising that Elements is building and expanding on the PC title in several areas including "gameplay, design and other technical aspects".
"Experience Might and Magic like never before, with refined game mechanics carefully crafted for pad-controlled carnage, including a brand new lock-on feature and tweaked level design and game statistics. Explore three previously unreleased secret levels with new objectives, gameplay, and rewards", the publisher has added.
In the game, you play hero Sareth, a young adventurer living in the fantasy world of Ashan which is threatened by the apocalyptic prophecy of the Dark Messiah.
As you wade through events, the 12 chapters and cut, blast and backstab a path through monsters in the single-player storyline, you can build up young Sareth's physical attributes and train him in the arts of melee combat, magic and stealth.
Multiplayer isn't being ignored either, with Xbox Live play supporting up to ten players. Elements boasts new multiplayer maps too, with Ubisoft saying "all other features have been completely remastered for an optimal Xbox Live experience.
"Enlist with the Humans or the Undead and choose to play as an archer, priestess, mage or knight. Make use of powerful and unique skills and spells on the battlefield, including powers such as meteor shower, berserk charge and rain of arrows."
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements is powered by Valve Software's Source engine and is being developed by Ubisoft's Annecy studio (responsible for Splinter Cell multiplayer) with a little bit of help from Valve and Arkane Studios, which developed Dark Messiah on PC. It's due to release in Q1 2008.
Daniel Palix, producer on Elements, tells us more...
What are the biggest changes you are bringing to the game for the Xbox 360?
Daniel Palix: For the Xbox 360 version, we are providing a variety of new content, as well as improving on the existing levels.
On the solo part, new scenes have been added, thus providing an additional hour of game experience. These will be "epic" optional zones, offering a bit more challenge and different gameplay than the rest of the game and granting special rewards.
A lot of rebalancing has been done, in order to keep the challenge level equal from start to end. The graphics were enhanced, focusing on lighting and post treatments.
The multiplayer was also completely reworked.
What input is Arkane Studios having?
Palix: We came with our own ideas about what to do with the X360 game but we worked closely with Arkane to make sure these changes would not cause new problems. Their knowledge of the game and the engine is very valuable to us. They also made some of these changes themselves.
How are you adapting the Dark Messiah of Might and Magic gameplay to the console? Will we notice any significant change?
Palix: The console gameplay focuses on the same mechanics that are so attractive in the PC version. We realized that the pad control together with the new autolock and d-pad quickbelt systems enabled you to play even more naturally and let you focus even more on your tactics as well as on the experience itself. It confirmed our first feeling that Dark Messiah of Might and Magic would be an incredible experience to bring to a home console system.
What is the greatest challenge for you on this project?
Palix: The biggest challenge was having to rebalance the whole game because of all the changes we introduced. It is tricky to reach a good balance for all players, no matter what specialty they choose. We also had to ensure that the difficulty and challenge level would remain the same from beginning to end, meaning that getting a big sword and making extensive use of the environment with the kick move would no longer be an easy option to finish the game.
What about the multiplayer? Can you give us any details?
Palix: We kept the fundamental core gameplay of the original multiplayer, based on five classes and a campaign game mode. Apart from that, we totally reworked about all that could possibly be reworked or tweaked (skills, maps, effects...) in order to maximize the fun factor, teamplay, and accessibility. For instance regarding the fun factor, we decided to switch from a level-up system to a profile creation mechanic.
We did this because we felt it was interesting to let players get all the skills they love from the beginning, rather than to have them level up for several rounds to gain them. So now you just pick up a class and a set of skills (not all of them, of course), and off you go to dive into battle. This fundamentally changes the way the game's multiplayer is played and leaves room for many other innovations that we're working on.
What about the achievement points in the game, will there be new secrets to discover?
Palix: Lots of achievements have been implemented and a few will particularly reward the players who explore all the levels and secret passages in quest of a special relic item. Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is about action, but it is also about experimenting with creative kills and exploring the areas you are crossing. We want to encourage that.
Eurogamer gave the PC version an 8, that's enough for me, you *f-word*-ers!
----
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements will finally be gracing the Xbox 360 with its presence in September, with the same content as the PC version and a few new extras that Jon told you about in July. These extras include the ability to explore four all-new levels - in some you will put your puzzle solving skills to the test, and in others you will just have to hack your way through. According to Ubisoft, the pace of the game will resemble Half Life 2 instead of the dungeon crawling style of Oblivion. Either way, gamers who prefer to play consoles instead of the PC will enjoy this great title, and it is high time it was bestowed upon us. As someone who loved the PC version, I am anxious to see how well it plays on the 360 in the comfort of my big chair in front of a great television.
Check out a list of game features after the break.
Key Features of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements for Xbox 360 include:
More action, new challenges. Experience Might and Magic® like never before, with refined game mechanics carefully crafted for pad-controlled carnage, including a brand new lock-on feature and tweaked level design and game statistics. Explore three previously unreleased secret levels with new objectives, gameplay, and rewards.
Multiplayer remixed. New multiplayer maps have been created exclusively for Xbox 360, while all other features have been completely remastered for an optimal Xbox LIVE® experience, allowing you to play with up to 10 players. Enlist with the Humans or the Undead and choose to play as an archer, priestess, mage or knight. Make use of powerful and unique skills and spells on the battlefield, including powers such as meteor shower, berserk charge and rain of arrows.
Cutting-edge technology. Discover the power of the Source engine on Xbox 360, featuring jaw-dropping environments, incredible graphics and top-notch physics. Immerse yourself in a gritty first-person experience with complete body awareness, realistic movements and physics rendering, making Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements the first action game to feature a complete first-person combat system.
Environmental mischief. Use your environment as a weapon to outsmart the most fiendish monsters. From bottomless pits to diabolical traps, players will find that that their spells and weapons are not always the most effective solution to dispatching their foes.
Never-ending action. Challenge the forces of evil across 12 chapters and master over 30 weapons and 12 devastating spells. Engage the enemy in intense melee combat with swords, bows, staffs and daggers; summon magic powers or sneak in the shadows to stalk depraved creatures. Show no mercy as you carve deep into the enemys flesh and use the environment as a weapon to outsmart the most fiendish monsters.
The Might and Magic universes darkest side. From bottomless pits to abandoned temples, dark catacombs and swelled cities, explore the remotest recesses of Ashan, populated with fearless Orcs, dreadful Undead, elusive Cyclops and many other creatures that defy natures creation. This is the darkest side of the legendary Might and Magic universe, where the forces of evil are stronger and more cunning than ever.
---
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=167126
First concrete details on 360's Dark Messiah
Tuesday 3-Jul-2007 10:06 AM Producer spills beans on Ubisoft's console version of the first-person action-RPG
Concrete details on Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements for Xbox 360 have emerged following first word on the game's existence back in May.
As expected, the game is a port of first-person action-RPG Dark Messiah on PC, but Ubisoft is promising that Elements is building and expanding on the PC title in several areas including "gameplay, design and other technical aspects".
"Experience Might and Magic like never before, with refined game mechanics carefully crafted for pad-controlled carnage, including a brand new lock-on feature and tweaked level design and game statistics. Explore three previously unreleased secret levels with new objectives, gameplay, and rewards", the publisher has added.
In the game, you play hero Sareth, a young adventurer living in the fantasy world of Ashan which is threatened by the apocalyptic prophecy of the Dark Messiah.
As you wade through events, the 12 chapters and cut, blast and backstab a path through monsters in the single-player storyline, you can build up young Sareth's physical attributes and train him in the arts of melee combat, magic and stealth.
Multiplayer isn't being ignored either, with Xbox Live play supporting up to ten players. Elements boasts new multiplayer maps too, with Ubisoft saying "all other features have been completely remastered for an optimal Xbox Live experience.
"Enlist with the Humans or the Undead and choose to play as an archer, priestess, mage or knight. Make use of powerful and unique skills and spells on the battlefield, including powers such as meteor shower, berserk charge and rain of arrows."
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements is powered by Valve Software's Source engine and is being developed by Ubisoft's Annecy studio (responsible for Splinter Cell multiplayer) with a little bit of help from Valve and Arkane Studios, which developed Dark Messiah on PC. It's due to release in Q1 2008.
Daniel Palix, producer on Elements, tells us more...
What are the biggest changes you are bringing to the game for the Xbox 360?
Daniel Palix: For the Xbox 360 version, we are providing a variety of new content, as well as improving on the existing levels.
On the solo part, new scenes have been added, thus providing an additional hour of game experience. These will be "epic" optional zones, offering a bit more challenge and different gameplay than the rest of the game and granting special rewards.
A lot of rebalancing has been done, in order to keep the challenge level equal from start to end. The graphics were enhanced, focusing on lighting and post treatments.
The multiplayer was also completely reworked.
What input is Arkane Studios having?
Palix: We came with our own ideas about what to do with the X360 game but we worked closely with Arkane to make sure these changes would not cause new problems. Their knowledge of the game and the engine is very valuable to us. They also made some of these changes themselves.
How are you adapting the Dark Messiah of Might and Magic gameplay to the console? Will we notice any significant change?
Palix: The console gameplay focuses on the same mechanics that are so attractive in the PC version. We realized that the pad control together with the new autolock and d-pad quickbelt systems enabled you to play even more naturally and let you focus even more on your tactics as well as on the experience itself. It confirmed our first feeling that Dark Messiah of Might and Magic would be an incredible experience to bring to a home console system.
What is the greatest challenge for you on this project?
Palix: The biggest challenge was having to rebalance the whole game because of all the changes we introduced. It is tricky to reach a good balance for all players, no matter what specialty they choose. We also had to ensure that the difficulty and challenge level would remain the same from beginning to end, meaning that getting a big sword and making extensive use of the environment with the kick move would no longer be an easy option to finish the game.
What about the multiplayer? Can you give us any details?
Palix: We kept the fundamental core gameplay of the original multiplayer, based on five classes and a campaign game mode. Apart from that, we totally reworked about all that could possibly be reworked or tweaked (skills, maps, effects...) in order to maximize the fun factor, teamplay, and accessibility. For instance regarding the fun factor, we decided to switch from a level-up system to a profile creation mechanic.
We did this because we felt it was interesting to let players get all the skills they love from the beginning, rather than to have them level up for several rounds to gain them. So now you just pick up a class and a set of skills (not all of them, of course), and off you go to dive into battle. This fundamentally changes the way the game's multiplayer is played and leaves room for many other innovations that we're working on.
What about the achievement points in the game, will there be new secrets to discover?
Palix: Lots of achievements have been implemented and a few will particularly reward the players who explore all the levels and secret passages in quest of a special relic item. Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is about action, but it is also about experimenting with creative kills and exploring the areas you are crossing. We want to encourage that.
