I've been eagerly waiting for this game since I first saw an ad for in in the Neverwinter Nights manual. A D&D hack and slash. Just like Baldur's Gate, one of the best games of 2001. It was supposed to be multiplatform, then it became Xbox exclusive. The graphics are so great that the other systems can't handle it without major slowdown.

Or so I thought.

Graphics - 5
I was right about the slowdown. But the Xbox can't handle it sometimes either. Whenever things get a little hectic, there's a drop in framerate, especially when zoomed out. Yes, unlike Baldur's Gate (BD), you can zoom in and out. Very nice. You can see the characters close-up during gameplay. And you can see how much like they look like they've been taken straight from The Sims. These are some of the worst character models I've seen in years. The PS2 did better two years ago. I would really like to know what their excuse is. The textures are decent, but everything looks a little washed out. The spell effects are serviceable. Overall, the graphics are bad enough to distract you from the...

Gameplay - 7.5
What makes this different from Baldur's Gate mostly the control system and attack types. Each character has many more special moves. Even the Fighter has a decent amount of magic attacks. Unlike BD, even he will use the Mystical Will (MW), aka mana or magic power, poitions. There are four types of attacks, and each face button executes the attacks.

The A button controls your default melee attack.

The B button is for throwing weapons such as hammers, knifes, and bottles of plague-ridden insects in jars.

X and Y are your power move buttons. There are three kinds of power moves, and they all use MW. Instant, finishing moves, and for wizards, constant.

Finishing moves are used by filling up a meter. You fill up the meter by by executing melee combos, which, like in BD, are automatic as long as you mash the A button and hit a target. The meter has three points, and each point will make the attack more powerful.

Instant moves are spells that aren't quite so instant, since there's a quick animation that will leave you vulnerable before they execute. They do things like erect a circular wall of flame or speed you up.

Constant spells are for the wizard. Burning Hands, which was in BD, is one example. It streams a steady sheet of flames from your hands as long as you have the button held down.

For the Rogue's bow attacks, you don't have to constantly switch back and forth between melee and the bow. You assign a normal arrow to X or Y, and it instantly switches when you press the assigned button. Special arrows count at instant attacks to be assigned to X or Y.

By holding the right trigger, you slow time and bring up the Action Menu, which allows you to assign power moves to X and Y, and which item you want to throw with B. You can use the right thumbstick or digital pad to navigate the menu.

Black and White allow you to drink Mystical Will and health potions, respectively, and the left trigger blocks, which I actually used a few times, unlike BD.

That's not to say this game is harder. This game is extremely easy. By the time I beat it, my Fighter was at level 44. There's no 20th level limit in console D&D games. My stats were near Godlike. My strength was 38 and my constitution was 18. I had sold all my health positions and got ~150 Raise Dead Amulets, which bring you back at full power after dying with no penalty, at 1K each, and ~250 keys, and I still had 220K+ gold. My sword had been upgraded three times (max of four), and combined with one of the gems you get near the end, I was invincible. You switch between the gems the same way you switch Power Attacks, and they are very powerful. The Death gem allowed me to absorb an enemy's health every time I hit them. They couldn't hurt me fast enough to kill me. The other gems, fire, ice, wind, and nature (poison), also have overly powerful effects. The Wind gem ensnares enemies in a whirlwind, disabling them long enough for me to kill them every time with no retaliation. And your weapon hits multiple enemies at once, so I could disable whole groups in two seconds.

But you know what? I liked it. The power is great. I like feeling invincible without cheating. Plus, I think I can actually beat it with the characters that depend on ranged attacks. However, if you're looking for a challenge, look elsewhere, or start on Hard and commit yourself to not using the gems, or your Ancestral Weapon.

Your Ancestral Weapon is the melee weapon that you start off with. You can upgrade it over the course of the game, and it's the only weapon that you can use the gems with. Your Ancestral Weapon is a bow in the case of the Rogue, but she has special melee weapons that cannot be dropped, and level up along with you.

Power Attacks are about with points you earn as you level up, like Baldur's Gate. You can also upgrade Traits with these points. Traits are permanent, always active upgrades that increase your weapons skills, allow you to wear new armor types,