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[sonycowboy]

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/562/562636p1.html

8.5

The review doesn't make it sound as good as the score.

 

[Mrbob]

Uh oh.

 

[Bristow]

Weird. It's gotten ripped a new one by just about everyone else so far.

 

[Memles]

The review doesn't make it sound as good as the score.

No kidding...like I was expecting 7, at the most...inflationary scoring at its finest, I guess.

 

[Deku Tree]

The review doesn't make it sound as good as the score.

It's funny the way that happens at IGN sometimes... the last time it happened IIRC was with Spiderman 2. Sounds like this one is a pass for me.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

This game has always interested me, but I don't plan on paying full price for it. I don't see any reason to rush out and get it now. That's a good score, but the last thing I need is another rpg.

 

[Mrbob]

Reading this review, this game sounds like RPGs for Dummies: The Game. It also sounds like it hardly has any RPG elements.

Your party is usually hugely overpowered. It's not uncommon for an enemy to land a blow of 350 hit points and you answer with an attack delivering a mind-blowing 3000+ hit points. And not a magic-sucking, uber-attack either, but a middle of the road Weapon Craft technique.

Certain spells, once learned, will nearly always guarantee a victory in normal skirmishes. Here's one example: Aura of the Valor, one of Idrial's Spiritual Powers, will automatically revive a single character once knocked out.

Thing is, the battle system automatically grants revived characters a turn. So, casting Aura of Valor on the spell caster herself and then on one other character creates an endless cycle of death and rebirth. Since resurrection completely refills a character's health and magic, victory is virtually guaranteed.

I find this hilarious. :lol This is worse than FFX. A game I found easy. I think I could play this game blindfolded.

In a way, The Third Age plays like an RPG for people wouldn't normally play an RPG. For starters, EA has eliminated the need for power leveling. In fact, you level up so quickly in The Third Age, you'll never need spend a single hour trying to "get to" a certain stage in your characters physical development. The game also does away with any kind of in-game economy. There are no shops to visit and nothing to buy.

Meh. I like to find a sense of accomplishment in developing the stat whore within.

 

[Wario64]

My prediction was almost right. Predicted 8.7 from IGN...damn!

 

[DarienA]

SOLD!

 

[Nerevar]

Your party is usually hugely overpowered. It's not uncommon for an enemy to land a blow of 350 hit points and you answer with an attack delivering a mind-blowing 3000+ hit points. And not a magic-sucking, uber-attack either, but a middle of the road Weapon Craft technique.

Sounds like every final fantasy game ever made.

 

[Mrbob]

SOLD!

TEH BIAS!!!!!!!!11111111111111

Sounds like every final fantasy game ever made.

True. But even FF games have a small semblance of power leveling to thrash your enemies.

 

[Littleberu]

Third Age >>>>>>>>>>> Killzone.

 

[Mashing]

Man, here I thought you played as the fellowship... blech. Looked like Gandolf in the screenshots with the Balrog so whatever... guess I should have read up on the game a bit more.

That evil mode sounds nice though, I'll probaly pick this game up when it hits $20 or $30.

 

[pilonv1]

Sounds like its "negative review text + high score week" at IGN and Gamespot.

 

[acklame]

what's with sites being more than generous in scores to EA games?

even if the actual review texts aren't so kind, they usually get ok scores. compared to the harsher grading scale to non-EA products it seems kinda unfair.

For example, IGN gave MOH:Rising Sun an 8.0. wtf?!

 

[duderon]

Third Age >>>>>>>>>>> Killzone.

IGN Xbox scores >>>>>>>>>> IGN PS2 scores

 

[Mashing]

^^^^That's laughable... I can't believe you said that and I hope you are being sarcastic.

 

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

IGN Xbox scores >>>>>>>>>> IGN PS2 scores

It's the same review on all three sections.

 

[signet]

I'm game for an Easy RPG count me in

 

[kaching]

8.5 really wasn't what I was expecting after that review text.

 

[dark10x]

This is worse than FFX. A game I found easy.

FFX was easy, but the battle system itself was very good. It's a shame there were not more challenging battles in the game as it really deserved them...

 

[Duckhuntdog]

So it's Fire Emblem but not as good.

 

[GDJustin]

what's with sites being more than generous in scores to EA games?

I think we all know the answer to that. At least in IGN's case...

 

[ManaByte]

I think we all know the answer to that. At least in IGN's case...

Where are the giant rolleyes when you need them?

 

[Socreges]

Where are the giant rolleyes when you need them?

Sorry, I was borrowing them after seeing the inflated score. You can have them back.

 

[demi]

price drop ahoy!

 

[The Main Event]

Saw the commercial this morning on Comedy Central. What was so special is that it only mentioned the GC and GBA version.

Good score btw.

 

[Naked Snake]

EA money hats!

 

[border]

I watched someone play the first 10 minutes at a local gamestore where they set up TVs and stuff.

The first cinema is a pretty lame rehash of the "synopsis" that begins Fellowship....except that the narration is by Gandalf.

Then, in the first 10 minutes this guy leveled up 2-3 times! He couldn't have fought more than 7-8 orcs in total. It seemed weird...

I am mostly just curious how they are going to re-create the excitement of the films with a bunch of tacked-on "nobody" characters and no large-scale battles.....and who is the final boss going to be? It would seem lame to fight Sauron or Gollum, since one never becomes corporeal and the other really isn't supposed to be an uber-fighter.

 

[Prospero]

Given that the majority of RPGs are easy anyway, and have been getting much easier over the years, the fact that the reviewer goes out of his way to point out the easiness of the game stops me from buying it. My time would be better used watching one of the movies.

 

[Kiriku]

FFX was easy, but the battle system itself was very good. It's a shame there were not more challenging battles in the game as it really deserved them...

FFX was easy? Dark Aeons were never included in the US version, I assume?

 

[DarienA]

FFX was easy? Dark Aeons were never included in the US version, I assume?

That's correct. I picked up FFX Internation through that deal at...forgot what site, but haven't had a chance to fire it up... I remember reading though that the Dark Aeons were pretty rough.

 

[Kiriku]

That's correct. I picked up FFX Internation through that deal at...forgot what site, but haven't had a chance to fire it up... I remember reading though that the Dark Aeons were pretty rough.

"Pretty rough", hehe. They're rock hard, you need to have around 70000 in HP for each of your character to even manage them. And maxed stats.

Anyway, just thought it sounded funny with people saying FFX was easy, since I couldn't help thinking about the Dark Aeons, probably some of the hardest bosses in recent memory I've encountered in an RPG. At least, can't recall any FF game having bosses like the Dark Aeons before.

 

[DarienA]

"Pretty rough", hehe. They're rock hard, you need to have around 70000 in HP for each of your character to even manage them. And maxed stats.

Anyway, just thought it sounded funny with people saying FFX was easy, since I couldn't help thinking about the Dark Aeons, probably some of the hardest bosses in recent memory I've encountered in an RPG. At least, can't recall any FF game having bosses like the Dark Aeons before.

Are they optional side bosses or are they put directly in the story?

 

[Kiriku]

Are they optional side bosses or are they put directly in the story?

Well, they are optional, but if you try to explore towards the end of the game chances are you'll run into them since they strategically block certain paths.