Nox
Published by Westwood
Genre Real-time RPG
Similar to Diablo, Diablo II
Rating (1 - 10) 6.5
Reviewer Richard Egan
Review date September 2001

I bought this late, and only because I was disappointed by Diablo II. Indeed, it would be difficult to mention Nox without also mentioning Diablo. It is clearly (and heavily) influenced by Blizzard's game - which is ironic when you think how much Blizzard's first RTS titles were influenced by Westwood's Dune. However, in turn, I have to say Nox seems to have influenced the pending Diablo II expansion (which it pre-empts with things like traps and animal-tamers), so this may be a healthy symbiosis.

Where Nox does its own thing is in its adoption of a carefully stage-managed approach to plot. The game is very linear, with a sequence of quests being required of each of the three character classes (though each class has its own "plot"). A given quest must be completed before the character can progress to the next, and backwards movement is blocked.

Nox is very, very well supported by Westwood, who even offer free (!) download of a multiplayer expansion for the game. Beat that price, Blizzard!

However, I can't say Nox is a compelling game. It's good-looking, well-crafted, and plays well. Good music, not a bad plot, and the odd bit of humour (some feeble, some to make you smile). There are a couple of irritating "close-but-no-cigar" interface bits (similar enough to Diablo to make you make a mistake if you've been playing the other recently), but you only die once. In all, Nox is innocuous and distracting, but I've lost no sleep over it. The linear plot makes it too much of a puzzles maze, and if I found that boring in games like Tomb Raider, I'm hardly going to love it in a Diablo wannabe.

More: http://westwood.ea.com/games/nox/index.html

RME

 


The contents of this page are © 2010 		Home | Top of Page