PGC NEWS

Realms of Ancient War launched in a period of relative calm within the action RPG genre. The fervor surrounding Diablo 3 had subsided, Torchlight 2 had settled into its niche, and fans were craving a new experience. This presented a prime opportunity for developer WizarBox, known for Arx Fatalis, Risen, and Venetica, to capitalize on this demand. However, despite their RPG pedigree, the game fell short of expectations.

A Shallow Narrative

Realms of Ancient War centers around a conflict between four realms: dwarves, elves, and two human kingdoms (North and South). The war leaves each faction weakened, allowing a dark force to emerge and threaten their existence. To combat this menace, each realm sends forth its champion.

Champions of the Realms

While a simple narrative isn’t unusual for action RPGs, where gameplay often takes precedence, Realms of Ancient War’s story lacks depth. Compared to Diablo 3, which, despite its focus on action, provides a rich lore and memorable characters, Realms of Ancient War offers little in the way of world-building or character development. The motivations and backstories of the heroes and villains remain underdeveloped, leaving the player feeling disconnected from the unfolding events.

Oversimplified Gameplay

Following the hack-and-slash formula popularized by Diablo and Torchlight, Realms of Ancient War simplifies many core ARPG elements, sometimes to its detriment.

Oversimplified Gameplay

One significant omission is a proper map. Instead of a detailed layout revealing the environment’s intricacies, players are guided by a vague, often inaccurate, arrow. This hinders exploration and limits the discovery of secrets, a key element in many successful ARPGs. Furthermore, levels are linear and lack replayability, contributing to a sense of confinement.

Another puzzling design choice is the absence of enemy health bars for regular foes, reserved only for bosses. Not knowing the health status of enemies removes a crucial layer of tactical information.

The skill system is also overly simplified. Character stats are solely improved through equipment, and skill points are awarded sparingly. Each skill has only three levels with vague descriptions like “deals more damage,” offering little incentive for strategic character development.

Limited Skill System

Item descriptions are equally lacking. Generic labels like “box” offer no insight into an item’s function, adding to the game’s overall sense of unpolished design. While the game does a decent job of visually categorizing items by rarity and comparing stats, the crafting system is rudimentary. Players simply combine elemental components with any item without considering compatibility or slots.

Lackluster Visuals

The game’s graphics fail to impress. Environments lack detail, and character and monster designs are uninspired. In a genre where visual appeal plays a significant role, Realms of Ancient War falls short.

Uninspired Visuals

Redeeming Qualities: Soundtrack and Combat

Despite its flaws, Realms of Ancient War has a few redeeming qualities. The soundtrack, while lacking in ambient sound variety, provides an energetic backdrop to the combat.

Energetic Combat

The combat itself is reminiscent of classic hack-and-slash titles like Diablo, requiring frantic clicking to survive hordes of enemies. The character animations and effects are satisfying, making the combat, while repetitive, somewhat enjoyable.

Soulstones

Adding to the challenge is the limited “Soulstone” revival system. Upon death, a Soulstone revives the player at the nearest checkpoint. These stones are scarce and difficult to find, making death a significant setback.

Conclusion

Realms of Ancient War missed a significant opportunity to capture the ARPG audience. While the combat and soundtrack offer glimpses of potential, the shallow narrative, oversimplified gameplay, and underwhelming visuals ultimately hold the game back. It serves as a reminder that streamlining gameplay shouldn’t come at the expense of depth and polish.