Sudeki - Xbox review - Pocket-lint

6 September 2004 19:40 GMT / By Stuart Miles

It's the usual story and one that can be found in any Hollywood blockbuster film trailer; four heroes are about to be hurtled over the edge into a world ripped apart by deceit. And for the most part the game is as practicable as it sounds. Trying to snuggle into the role playing game genre, Sudeki offers a no-holds-barred experience; fights happen in real time, graphics are luscious and overall everything all looks to be very impressive, but looks just like the game can be deceptive.

The problem is that while it may be action packed for your typical RPG title, the fighting and gameplay for anyone else comes across as a very linear experience. As foretold you play one of four characters that are introduced over the course of the game on the quest to solve puzzles and problems along your journey. This journey is broken up by plenty of movie sequences that distrupt the flow of play. This maybe something that role playing gamers are used to, but once you start putting a real-time element to the movement of the characters everything starts to get annoyingly slow.

Get beyond the film sequences and the storyline and movement is all very linear. In the first level you spend your time running down corridors, and along roads with little to distract your path, and when you do come to fight the evil hordes the fighting stance you have to take is bashing buttons in a hope that it triggers the right combination to defeat your foe. Press enough buttons enough times and you finally get the RPG reward you've waited for in the guise of skill points that can be attributed to key skills of your character.

The skills set is where the RPG element comes into play, but there isn't enough movement for developing your character further beyond what they already are. Real-time RPGs are Dungeon Siege or Baldur's Gate to us not this watered down mess. Because of this the game never really has any true focus, it wants to be and RPG but in our minds fails on the lack of roaming and character development that is possible. At the same time the staid action and other elements of Sudeki mean that it fails on being an action adventure and are guess is that somewhere down the line someone changed what they wanted this game to be.

Verdict

Beauty can be skin deep sometimes and rather disappointingly the same has to be said for Sudeki. Luscious graphics, and endearing storyline albeit unoriginal and all the well-being in the world unfortunately doesn't detract from the fact that this game lacks any depth. It's sold as a role-playing game, yet there is little role or playing involved as the game sees you move from film sequence to film sequence with little controllable action in between and what action there is, is a disappointment. One to rent rather than buy.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: Microsoft
Price as reviewed: £35
The good: Graphics
The bad: Lack of action, lack of depth, lack of character development
Quick verdict: Unfocused in what it wants turns to mixed results for the latest RPG from Microsoft.
Score