"Flawed but good nonetheless"

Well,its finally here.Cant say that i was REALLY interested in this game.I mean,i kept an eye on its progress over the years but never eagerly awaited its release.Now that i got it in my grubby hands,is it any good?Yes and no...Sit back and relax as i explain....

Story:Storywise,ED(i'll refer to it as ED from here onwards)is above average...just.The whole concept of a select few normal people saving the world from the darkness of an ancient race is horribly cliched...But thank goodness,ED's storyline doesnt always turn out the way you'd think.It keeps the story fresh and keeps you wanting to play more.

Summary:Good story,but cliched
Score:7/10

Gameplay:
Main Phases:
-Fighting:I was SORELY let down by this...I expected better in this department for a game in development for so long.Basically,there're only two phases in the game.Attacking enemies and solving puzzles.You run from room to room fetching items that has to be used somewhere else,fighting whatever stands in your way.If the action was anything like the awesome Resident Evil(with the constant suspense and ammo management),this game would be a blast to play.But sadly,it isnt.Most of the game forces you to use close quarters weapons(swords being the most used).Now,im all for hacking and slashing but why cant i MOVE when i lock onto an enemy?Thats right kiddies,you cant MOVE as you attack.In RE this was not a really big problem,you got a gun so you can pick the enemies off from a distance and you never used a melee weapon.But in ED,thats the reverse.You'll never use a gun(i used a gun only ONCE!) because they're too weak and the ammo for them is too scarce(except for 2 scenarios near the end).That means you need to get up close to fight.And when you're fighting multiple enemies who need to get their heads chopped off WHILE you cant move,it just leads to frustating moments of being hit just because you cant do a thing to evade.Why they never went for Z-targeting like Zelda,we'll never know.I got a feeling Silicon Knights(the developers) added in the healing spell just for this fact.And the combat system could use a bit more work as well.Being able to chop of the hands and heads of enemies is kinda cool,but what happened to chopping off the legs?Even then,chopping off body parts serves very little purpose.For most enemies,just chop their heads then move on to their arms.Whats the purpose of including this system if all enemies have the same method of killing?Variety here would help...ie using torches to burn select enemies or maybe torso decapitation....

Summary:Z-targeting.WHERE?
Score:3/10

-Sanity Meter:The overly hyped Sanity meter is just a gimmick.THERE!I said it!I left my character with a low sanity meter on purpose just to watch what happens but nothing really earthshattering like i expected happened(there ARE a few surprises that deserved the title in a total sense of the word).It gets pretty lame too to constantly have to finish off your enemies just to regain a bit of sanity.I dont know how many times i yawned as the game cycled through the same animations(different heroes have different animation though AND to their credit,the animations were smooth and a delight to watch...the first 10 or so times).I didnt even bother with the meter when i got the spell to heal.I guess that pretty much sums up how ''unique'' this meter actually is...

Summary:Gimmick,nothing more...
Score:2/10

-Weapons:the weapon variety in this game is GREAT!From machine guns to broadswords,if you can think of it,its probably in here.Chopping heads off with a single swing is EXTREMELY fun(and i never got bored with it,strangely).But dont expect radical stuff like a machine gun appearing in the middle ages.The weapons that appear for a scenario follows the time era's weapons...Bummer,eh?I wanted to use the Ram Dao broadsword in all the scenarios....

Summary:Nice variety,plus they have a broadsword!Broadswords are always cool!:D
Score:8/10

-Spells:Here's what saves ED from being just an average game(in my opinion at least).The spells in the game ACTUALLY serve a purpose!Will wonders never cease?Aside from being used to solve puzzles,the spells give you a great aid in the game.You can cast barriers to trap enemies,summon monsters to help,cast a damaging blast of chain lightning,heal.....The amount of spells is quite large for an adventure game,a rarity.All of the spells that i bind to the assigned keys see regular use and i find i cant depend on a single one to get me through most parts.

Summary:A great spell system thats deep and fun to use
Score:8/10

-Graphics:WOW!The backgrounds in this game rival that of Resident Evil.Then again,ED probably wins here.It has the same amount of detail as RE's but is 3D!A major plus!The lighting effects are partcularly nice as an enchanted weapon will light up the area as it swings,casting the right shadows at the right places...Impressive,most impressive.The backgrounds are great looking...BUT,the character textures on the other hand look downright ugly.It amazes me to think that Silicon had really talented artists working on the background but didnt have anybody of talent doing characters?Its not so bad when you look at them from a far,in fact so of them look great when viewed from a distance but when the camera zooms in during cutscenes,the texture quality really shows.Some characters,Pious(both forms) for example,is great.Realistic looking armor,nice facial expression and high poly count.But then again,characters like Alex Roivas seemed to be constructed of low polygon models and wrapped in bland textures...

Summary:Great in most areas but has a few bumps.Besides,graphics dont make or break a game.
Score:8/10

-Control:Another area where ED shines.Responsive controls make running away or navigating the game's sometimes cramp environments a pleasure.Not 1 time did i lament the controls.The camera work too is awesome.Panning out in some areas while moving with your characters in some.Every room's camera work is dynamic and never seems to interfere with the view of the player's character.There's no sudden change in camera ala Resident Evil meaning,you rarely get caught moving in the wrong direction by a camera change.
The button layout is intuitive as well.i barely even needed to look at the control scheme before i played(although i disliked having the run button assigned to the L-trigger.Then again,it may only be me.)

Summary:Great camerawork,controls and response make this game a breeze to handle
Score:8/10

Overall Summary:ED excels in some areas but sinks in some.ED is a flawed game but not one not worth looking into.If you are into horror games,the ED is game for you.Then again,if you're a hardcore gamer who's just looking for action,ED is also for you.Although i think ED could have spent more time being polished,the end result is still good enough to warrant a purchase.Overlooking the game's flaws may take some doing but if you do,an uncut gem awaits you.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/05/02, Updated 07/05/02