On the search for the seven artefacts
When I first saw the trailers for Two Worlds, Reality Pump's Oblivion-styled RPG, and read that it was all set to be the next big adventure on Xbox 360, I couldn't wait to get stuck in.With an intricate storyline, intense character development, a revolutionary new inventory system, fierce combat and magical skirmishes across Orc-filled forests and dragon-infested plains, Two Worlds looked all set to bring back some of that same magic that Oblivion did, into my living room once more . It just shows you that when someone sets such a high precedence in a particular genre you will always compare that game with any new title in that cateogory. Unfortunately, this is Two Worlds’ downfall from the outset – from the trailers it looked rather like Oblivion, and many of the gameplay elements were billed as being similar, but the bad news is that Two Worlds shouldn't really be talked about in the same breath as Bethesda's masterpiece.
What Two Worlds is, in fact, is a heavily stats-driven, coma-inducing RPG; an adventure that fizzes out before it's even started, leaving you feeling drained and quite frankly annoyed by the lack of diligence and commitment by the developers to get the simple things right. Two Worlds may have suffered a delayed release date due to the developers desire to ensure the game was in full working order, but I'd hazard a guess that they would have needed to work on it much longer if they really had any hope of saving it from being nothing more than a bargain-bucket RPG.
Click for larger image
Click for larger imageOn the surface, the storyline itself doesn't sound too bad: A bounty hunter (your character) is in search of his sister who mysteriously disappears in the land of Antaloor. You're contacted by her kidnappers and told that in order to set her free you'll need to collect seven important artefacts. So, you take to the winding pathways of this huge game world, exploring the valleys, plains, forests, swaps and settlements as you go in search of the treasure, taking to horseback or riding on the back of beasts. You trade with villagers and earn gold by participating in dozens of missions and side quests, while building on your skills and enhancing (or destroying) your growing reputation with the inhabitants of this vast realm.