Polish = 7
Returns got hit with the label as a good game that suffered some bugs early on and Dragonfall is no different. None of the main story quests are broken but there are some side quests that I could not complete. I also suffered from some early crashes in the game. Most of these problems have been patched out already. So while they did make it to release they did not last for long. The writing in the game is top notch and the story for Dragonfall is one of the best in recent years for a RPG. The excellent writing is very much appreciated due to the sheer volume of the story, if the writing was poor the combat would not be able to stand on its own and the game would become insufferable.
Longevity = 7
There are four difficulty settings and if you put the game on easy just to play through the story you could make it through the game in about 15 hours. The game also has 6 different character classes you can play: Mage, Shaman, Physical Adept, Rigger, Decker, Street Samurai, you also have the ability to play free form without a predefined archetype. Each class has their own unique way of playing and add hours of replayability. Another upgrade in Dragonfall is there are more sidequests you can undertake adding to the life of the campaign and some freedom.
Value = 8
At $14.99 USD on Steam it is hard to beat Dragonfall’s value. That is roughly a dollar an hour for quality entertainment. Not too bad by most standards considering you could spend that much on a 2 hour movie. You can spend 4 times that on a brand new RPG like South Park which has approximately the same length main storyline. The one thing that brings the overall value down is that you do have to own Shadowrun Returns. Currently that is also $14.99 USD on Steam.
)
Conclusion
If you liked the original Shadowrun Returns campaign you are going to enjoy Dragonfall. It takes everything you liked the first time around and refines it. While your character may be the protagonist of the campaign you are certainly not a hero. This is made abundantly clear in side missions like Loose Ends. You are hired to break into a corporation and kill the last surviving member of a Shadowrun team hired by your employer before he can be tortured and sell your employer down the river. Dragonfall doesn’t waste your time with a brand new tutorial either. Your PDA has all the info you need. While this game is far from perfect, the thing it does the best is capture the feel of what Shadowrun should be and that is a world I want to play in.
Robert Lashley / Robert Lashley is a Staff Writer and Online host for MMORPG.com. Rob's bald and when he isn't blinding people from the glare on his head talking in front of a camera you can find him spending his free time checking out the latest games and technology. Feel free to hunt him down on twitter @Grakulen
Read more great MMORPG.com content:
- South Park The Stick of Truth: Becoming the Cool Kid
- Elder Scrolls Online: The CE Controversy
- What Makes it a RPG?
