First impressions are pretty good, the menu
is excellent looking and really well animated. The game supports widescreen
mode. I have started off on the "Light Campaign" which means I am attempting
to be a good guy. The into movie is fantastic looking and really well
narrated, the quality of the intro movie really is superb, the intro gives you
good detail on the story via the narration and the turning of pages from a
book.
You awake from being knocked out in a
dungeon caught by outlanders. Suddenly a blast from one side of the prison
wall smashes a hole and gives you means of escape. As I walk through where the
blast occurs, i turn around and head into a new room with a sword lying on the
ground, I pick it up and then arm it with the A button. To my left is a leaver
I pull it and a new doorway opens, this leads to some sewers which I can't get
through until I find a torch. I find the torch and make my way through the
sewers. Once I get through the sewers I finally get to pick up a shield, this
is equipped with the X button, as I turn around after equipping I am attacked
by a new creature; you use the right trigger button to swing your sword and
the left trigger to block with the shield. Once this mission is over you get
to meet up with more NPC who join you in your quest to take on the enemy.
Your attacks vary depending on what weapon
you have in hand, for example my first sword has 3 basic attacks, one click
for once swing, two clicks for 2 swing attack combo, 3 clicks for an even more
harder 3 swing attack combo.
Controls are very easy to get used to. The
left thumbstick moves you forward, back and strife’s whole the right
thumbstick controls the view whilst pressing down on the right thumbstick
makes you jump. Y drinks health potions.
The graphics are gorgeous there is no doubt
about that, high resolution textures all over the place, big set pieces with
walls collapsing and debris falling around you and towards you, great
lighting. But there are some frame rate issues which is a shame, it isn't
enough to spoil the game but there are hefty slow downs during play, this may
be due to me playing in widescreen mode, but I haven't had the chance to check
yet. Sound is excellent, great voices and good music along with explosions and
the suchlike.
Only problem I have is the lack of save game
places so far as I prefer to save anywhere, you can't in Enclave, your game is
automatically saved when you complete a level. I guess this means the game
will last longer for some people, but perhaps the chance to save a couple of
times during a mission would have been better.
All in all - I have to say that if you
enjoyed Rune on the PC/PS2 then you are likely to enjoy Enclave, I liked Rune
and I'm enjoying what I have played of Enclave so far.