Revenant
Published By: Eidos

Reviewed by _fo0k
11/12/99

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First Impressions:

Another rpg hits the shelves, it's a given that I will greedily snatch it up, and load it lovingly into my box, hoping to escape the working world blues. I first caught a glimpse of Revenant at e3 in Atlanta, back in 1998. It held my interest for no more than a few minutes, but WOW! This title taught me not to pass judgement too soon. It's an action SLUGFEST, with some rpg lovin tucked away in there. Would I categorize this game as an rpg? NO! But since it's marketed as such, and it DOES have lots of rpg elements in it, I'll accept it as such...

Graphics:

Revenant uses Direct 3d, with lighting and all of the other fun stuff. I tested it pretty heavily with two different video boards. First, using the voodoo2 SLI, I ran into lots of quirks... walking into or out of a shop would often take a full 5 seconds of black screen before the game came back, and there were an intolerable number of freezes with "loading... please wait" displayed in the corner. However, I upgraded my system in the middle of the reviewing process, and stuck in the new GeForce 256. Now Revenant runs smooth as silk. Eidos needs to send BIG KUDOS to nVidia for saving them from a review worse than death! Some of the character animations look pretty stiff, but the main character looks quite groovy when he gets loaded up with some of the late game armor that's available. The critters you fight are fun to watch. There are lots of nice added effects, like squishing the spiders with your boot. Lots of subtle additions like this really breathe life into the game.

Sound:

Pretty good. The most common things you hear are the clangs of swords, and the endless wailings of the baddies you get to mush. I still snicker every time I kill one of the ninja's... the death cry is a bit excessive. Still, it's good enough most of the time that I didn't ever think about it while I was playing, which is what they are shooting for (the "immersion factor").

Gameplay:

The game is being compared to Diablo, but don't expect to get another Diablo clone with Revenant. I see this game as what every GOOD console rpg SHOULD be. It's action first, hard and heavy, loads of it! You want to play Revenant with a good 8 button gamepad. The combat sequences are a lot like console fighter style games. There are three basic attacks, run, and block. There are also some hidden special moves, and other more advanced attacks that you get to learn as your character gains levels. Playing with a mouse is just not natural for this style of game, trust me. Secondary to the fighting (but no less critical) is the character development process. It's pretty simple. In the single player game, you play Locke (the guy on the box). As you explore the world, decimating evil and claiming the loot for your own, you are able to upgrade your stats, equipment, and have all kinds of fun! Oh yes, the background storyline and various quests are all there in the single player game. They aren't changing the way we look at games or anything, but it works.

Enjoyment:

Dig! Revenant includes all of the elements of the traditional single player crpg. The one missing link is of course, the fact that you can't choose a different character. Locke is a warrior/sorcerer, so there's lots to do and learn, but it would be fun to try the game as an elf, or maybe an amazon... Still, political correctness aside, it's a nice way to whittle away the time.

Multiplayer:

Lacking. The multiplayer mode has a few different characters you can pick, and you can play teams or deathmatch, but the variety is slim and it isn't like you are really playing your character. You can play a premade one, or design your own from a few different models, but it's shallow, unless you are playing ONLY for the action. If that's the case, you can be in for a pretty good time when you fight your buddies. Don't plan on playing through the EPIC QUEST with your friends as sidekicks, though. You can run around through a few maps and whack at some creatures, but it isn't the same. It is MUCH LESS of an rpg when you play the multiplayer game.

Overall Impression:

Not bad. It's rare for me to play a PC game with a gamepad other than sports titles, and have it hold my interest for very long. If you're looking for an action rpg with more emphasis on action than rpg, this is definitely one you'll enjoy.

Marketing Efforts Towards Women:

This game is unquestionably geared at the male demographic. The main hero is male and the primary female characters you initially run upon are a flirtatious prostitute/dancer in a tavern and a woman in a catsuit at the armor shop. Besides a few wifes and small children, the other women in town are ridiculously super-sexualized. There are no heroic females in this game. Well I guess there is the princess, but unfortunately she plays as the typical "damsel in distress" whom you are destined to save.

In multiplayer, you do get to choose to play as a woman, however she is "equipped" in a black leather bodice (hardly what I call the correct outfit for a warrior).

Cheats, Hints, and URLs:

In the market for a great cheat book? We highly recommend Revenant: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Usually ships within 24 hours.