It took us long enough, but we finally got our hands on a Playstation 3 (PS3) in order to start reviewing games. To introduce the PS3, this week I’ll be reviewing “Untold Legends: Dark Kingdoms” from Sony Online Entertainment (SOE). The “Untold Legends” series has had several mediocre attempts at the hack-and-slash gaming genre in the past, but nothing spectacular has come from them. Could the PS3 give this series the “uumph” it’s been looking for? Or is the jump to next generation hardware just not enough of a push?
In “Dark Kingdoms” you play one of three characters: a brutal warrior, an agile scout or a wise mage, each with his or her own strengths and weaknesses. You set out on a quest from your king to pacify an uprising in the countryside. However, you’re soon informed that your king has been corrupted and is spreading evil across the land. Now you’re the only one who can stop him, yadda yadda yadda. New console, same old story.
Along with being able to choose your profession, there’s also a deep level of customization as you progress through the game. Not only can you choose from a variety of helms, leggings, boots and chest pieces, but you can also increase certain stats and abilities each time you gain a level. This provides a great way to fine tune your character to your personal play style.
The graphics are mid-ranged for a PS3 game. On HiDef, “Dark Kingdom” is certainly a pretty game to look at for a while. While the graphics aren’t bad, they’re not stunning. You certainly won’t remember this game for its breathtaking character designs or unbelievable bosses. But the grass is pretty, and mostly everything has the bloom effect (a graphical effect that spreads out a light source and blurs an area to create a more natural illuminated effect) applied to it. That counts for something, right? The cutscenes have to be beautifully rendered though, right? This is the PS3. Well, the closest thing you’ll get to a cutscene is a collection of still images with voice-overs. Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either. In the age of the PS3, we’re still reduced to lazy attempts at cutscenes using stillshots.
The gameplay is same-old same-old. You’ll hack and slash your way through each level by mashing the square and x buttons. Of course, you could memorize combos, but there’s really no point. Just pounding on the two buttons is strategy enough for “Dark Kingdom.”
The worst part has to be the camera, though. Whenever it collides with any polygon within a confined area, it freaks out and renders the player disoriented. The player-collision glitches don’t help either, along with a plethora of invisible walls. These three aspects combined create a frustrating gaming experience.
Included in the package, however, is an online mode. You can team up with three other players to take on quests. Think of it like old-school “Gauntlet,” but across the net. This was a nice added touch, but the same complaints still apply in multiplayer mode: camera, glitches and invisible walls.
This certainly doesn’t feel like a next-generation PS3 game. SOE could have easily released “Dark Kingdom” for the PS2, and it would have lost nothing. The PS3 is an incredibly powerful gaming machine, but this game does nothing to show it. If you have a PS3 and are dying to play something new, go out and rent this one. One weekend with this game is more than enough time to enjoy its “finer aspects.” This certainly has been a rocky start for the PS3. The bottom line: “Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom” for the Playstation 3.5/10.