AVENCAST: Rise of the Mage Preview

Avencast: Rise of the Mage is an old-school title. The game looks like it harkens back to another timeline in the role-playing fantasy genre, and plays out in the same vein. But is it really a role-playing game? Or is it an action-adventure wrapped up in the pretty ribbons of what could have been an RPG, if that element had been fleshed out more. Avencast certainly has RPG elements, but the game itself (from Lighthouse Interactive and Clockstone) is more like an action adventure than a true RPG.

There are no customized characters or even several character classes to choose from. You play as one character, a young student at a mage academy who seems to lose interest in the classes, drifts off to sleep, is called out by the teacher and must prove himself.

You begin in what amounts to a tutorial level. You have to run around the school, meeting with instructors and earning their marks of approval. This is what will teach you the basics of the combat system, and embark you on learning how to cast spells while specializing in the branch of magic more to your style.

There are eight slots for magic in your hotbar, so selecting the right spells to carry plays into the strategic element of the game. But the game is also one that treads the familiar too often. It can be argued that there are few original ideas to fantasy games and Avencast would agree. The game begins with a demonic force attacking the school and the student you play must uncover the reason for the attack and defeat it.

The game plays in an isometric viewpoint, but the camera is not always your friend. You will discover the laborious nature of moving the camera about when you are fighting near the start of the game. Coupled with the fact that you actually have to click on the target to cast a ranged spell at it – even while it is moving – and you have a scheme that is less than perfect. Leading the opponent does parlay into defensive capabilities as well. When you are attacked with a ranged skill, you can move and avoid taking damage.

To propel the story along, you will engage in conversations with others you meet. They will make a statement and you get to select from a list of answers. You can loop the conversation if you feel you have missed something and need to see it again.

No need to worry about losing your way in the game. The game interface has a mini map that helps with directions of quest targets. It may be a tried-and-true feature, but this game may present a problem otherwise.

The sound is a decent supporting element and the graphics are decent, but will not elevate the genre. While the first few quests proved to be more of a cakewalk than a challenge, the game does ramp up as you move through the levels. It is incumbent to learn the new spells and keep your character on top of the levels in order to succeed. Should you not pay attention to that, you will fail. But watch the levels, learn new and more powerful spells and you will find that you can work through the levels without a lot of difficulty.

The game has its fair share of clichés, but the developers still had time between receipt of the beta code and the final release date (early October) to make some changes. As it stands now, Avencast looks to have some solid gameplay and could be a decent diversion. As a title that emulates the old-school RPG class, it does a good job.