GDC08: Requiem devs focus on variety
by Justin McElroy 
{ Feb 21st 2008 at 10:00PM }
The developers seem to be taking a scattershot approach with the fantasy action entry, giving a variety of different experiences to keep the game fresh for players.
Gallery: Requiem: Bloodymare
The first way the game will be evolving is a DNA system, which will allow players to swap a variety of different abilities into five separate slots. Some combinations will also provide a secret sixth ability, which they're hoping will encourage gamers to play with their abilities and find the combo they like best.
Players will also have control of different beast forms that will level separately and have separate sets of gear. The idea is that players can have a completely different play style with their beast form, for example, players who play as a melee class can have animal focused on casting.
The characters won't be the only thing changing, the entire game world will transform for two game hours (about 15 minutes) each day into a nightmarish version of itself with tougher enemies and a darker landscape.
What we saw of the game was kind of a mixed bag. The character models and animations are really detailed and look great, but the environments were pretty underwhelming (though, admittedly, we only saw a couple of areas). We were also kind of put off by the game's "mature" aesthetic, which seemed tantamount to buckets of blood and plentiful topless females.
In the end, the success of the game will probably be dependent on how willing players will be to experiment with the game's surprisingly deep leveling and combat systems. If you want to give it a whirl, keep an eye out for beta sign-ups on the game's official site.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gehodra @ Feb 21st 2008 10:37PM
You guys are put off by topless females?
Shawn @ Feb 21st 2008 10:39PM
I'm looking forward to this, and I find it's mature setting the reason I like it. There needs to be more adult oriented games, not fewer.
MMO's certainly don't have to replicate Blizzard's success, just have enough subs to pay the overhead and break a profit. Many MMO's do that just fine, including TR, LoTRO, Everquest, D&D Online and many others. Grabing 200,000 paying subs seems to do the trick and is the magical number needed to keep the evan flow.
I'm not sure if any MMO should try and fight the Juggernaut that is WoW, rather learn what makes it successful and build a community.
colin @ Feb 22nd 2008 12:06AM
i saw that picture and immediately thought killer instinct.
ThornedVenom (Ludwig Defense Force) @ Feb 22nd 2008 2:37AM
Havok physics in an MMO is win, but the world looks really bland judging from the screenshots.
It's not a very welcoming world into which I'd like to immerse myself because even though the graphics are nice, the style and art direction is ugly. I doubt that watching it animated would persuade me of my judgment.