In this review, we touch the crystal in the PC/Steam game Legend of Grimrock. We find out how well this RPG game plays.
This game was released in 2012. It would go on to spark a sequel.
The story is that you are four prisoners who have had your crimes pardoned. Unfortunately, in order to earn your freedom, you must survive being thrown into Grimrock: a giant tall rock with a massive dungeon inside. Survive and earn your freedom.
You get a few options at the beginning of the game. You can set the difficulty of the game. Difficulty largely dictates how quickly enemies attack. Additionally, you can set extra modes such as oldschool mode. This disables the automap and forces you to draw your own map from graph paper.
Another option is to either let the game generate your party or you can choose your own set of characters to form a party. By default, you have three humans and a Minotaur. The classes are two fighters, a rogue, and a mage.
On the other hand, if you choose to create your own characters, you have a much broader choice of characters and attributes to choose from. You can pick from four different races: human, minotaur, lizardman, and insectoid. The classes, on the other hand, are still the three from the default party: fighter, rogue, and mage. Note that different races have different attributes by default. This can include certain stat boosts, but also how quickly food is consumed. Something to keep in mind as you create your party.
From there, you can spend your character creation points on your stats. Fighters can do well with added strength and agility while mages might benefit from more willpower.
In the third section, you can spend your skill points on abilities. What those traits are depends on the classes you selected.
Finally, you can select two traits. There are lines for more, but you only get two. There are a few race specific traits, but others are certainly available. This can include adding resistance, adding a bonus to stats, or even adding more skill points.
One thing to note is the fact that your party will be built in a two by two formation. What this means is that the front two characters tend to take the most attack damage. Back row characters are generally more protected (assuming you don’t get hit from the side or behind), but attack options are more limited. Unless you have the skill or a certain weapon (which is generally quite weak), you’ll be focusing largely on ranged attacks such as missile or magic attacks. Something to keep in mind when creating your characters from scratch.
When you are done, you’ll get treated to a slideshow before being dropped into the dungeon. The gameplay is exclusively held in this one dungeon. There is no money and items can’t be sold like most RPG games.
You’ll also notice that movement is tile-based. As such, if you have an automap (tab), then you’ll see that things get mapped out based on the tile movement. You can also add simple notes to the map as well which can be useful for helping you remember things such as locations for switches or crystals.
The dungeon features a number of different items. This includes weapons, herbs, flasks, and armour. You start with nothing, so you are dependent on whatever happens to be lying around. Not only are there items, but also items that hold items. This includes sacks, boxes, and even one item used to create potions. So, do note that there is alchemy in this game as well, though it doesn’t depend on skills or levels (just knowledge of what can and cannot be mixed thanks partly to trial and error).
Scrolls and notes are also found throughout the dungeon. Some scrolls and notes offer hints on the dungeon itself. Other scrolls, however, show spell recipe’s.
If you have a mage in your party, the mage can cast spells. The spells cast requires a combination of the 9 runes. If you have a correct combination, a spell can be cast. Of course, this also depends on skill of the mage as well. There are four elements: earth, air, fire, and ice. Different spells also require certain skill over top of the correct combination. (Hint: One puzzle requires the fireball spell)
As you venture along, you can equip various items. This can include armour, necklaces, cloaks, and weapons. Weapons can be equipped on the hand icons or on your character sheets. To use it, simply right click on the weapon below where the character sheet is. After you swing, both hand slots will be darkened. This indicates a recovery time. How quickly you recover depends on a number of factors, but in short, the time can be shortened.
Naturally, there are enemies in the dungeon. Enemies also have a recovery time as well. You can only attack whatever happens to be ahead of you. Likewise, enemies can only do the same. Enemies also only have the same options of movement as you, however, some enemies can be quite slow. As such, though it requires a certain amount of practice, you can simply evade enemy attacks altogether with certain side-stepping movements. While this does defeat the purpose of how RPG elements work in the game, it gradually becomes necessary to do this simply because enemies gradually become too powerful to simply take on head-on.
Of course, the next question becomes whether or not there are grinding opportunities. These opportunities are actually quite few. There are a few puzzles and areas that allow the respawning of enemies, but for the most part, there are a limited number of enemies in the dungeon. There are two problems with grinding in this game: cooldown time and enemies that simply do not give much experience points. The most often advised location only has enemies that give out 90 experience points each. Other respawn locations can have enemies that offer more, but the cooldown time is so long, it makes it not worth it to attempt to grind there.
As for how experience points are divided up, if each character struck the enemy in a particular fight, then survives after the enemy is defeated, then the experience points you see appear is given to all party members. If one member dies in the process, then the points are redistributed to the remaining party members.
The next question is how necessary grinding is. That does depend a bit on how you play the game. If you were like me and chose to invest your points in Spellcraft instead of fire, then grinding eventually becomes necessary because you need to grind your way up in fire to solve a certain puzzle part way through. Otherwise, if you can take out the enemies in level 10 and survive for the most part, then you’ve pretty much gotten a sufficient amount of experience and levels to beat the game.
Naturally, when you level up, you’ll get certain boosts in stats. However, most of what you earn come in the form of skill points. Each level gives you 4 points to distribute as you see fit. You’ll be able to click the star tab in your character sheet to distribute the points. In that tab, you are actually given a lot of information of what you can expect to earn with each skill. You not only get a cost, but also what each earns. The only thing this won’t tell you is specific weapon requirements and spell names (revealed only after you successfully cast it).
One kind of skill you can build up is armour. While you get extra boosts in stats, some levels allow you to wear armour without evasion penalties. This is specifically the light and heavy armour. Once you earn the heavy armour skill, you can wear any armour in the game without penalty.
In addition to this, the dungeon also has a number of features. One feature is the loose rock or hidden switch feature. Most walls look very unremarkable. However, some walls have a little extra outline or mark added to it. These are generally hidden switches. Generally speaking, hidden switches activate things in the dungeon. Most of the time, these are just hidden doors that open up. Some are critical to your progress while others are critical to finding hidden locations and items.
Other features include doors. Some can be activated by switches and buttons while others simply remain closed. Note that there are at least two points in the game where doors simply seal behind you, preventing you from moving backwards in the game.
Another feature is pressure plates. These are large switches on the floor. Some simply activate doors and only require to be stepped on once. Others can be held down by items such as a rock or a hint scroll. A few simply can’t be held down at all and can be held down by a slow moving enemy long enough for you to make it to the secret location.
Another feature is the lock and key systems throughout the dungeon. There are a number of key types including iron keys, round keys, ornate keys, and even gold keys. Each key type will only fit in the matching key hole. Also note that not every locked door can be opened (treasury locations), so wisely using keys is a thing in this game.
Teleporters are also featured in this game. A vast majority are visible and can be seen by their light blue light and sparks floating around. However, a few are actually invisible. Some simply change the direction of where your party is facing while a few take you back to the beginning of an area. There aren’t that many of them, but keep in mind that they do exist in this dungeon.
One final thing we’ll note about dungeon features are the crystals of life. When you start off the game or have no access to them, time will be the only thing that can heal a surviving (and not poisoned) character. So, sleeping in a safe location is ideal in those few instances (you’ll also be given cryptic messages when you do). Otherwise, you’ll have access to these crystals that are found on almost every level in the dungeon. Touching them will not only heal your characters, but also resurrect dead characters and save your game. In fact, with one end game exception, this appears to be the only way to revive dead party members. These crystals will likely be your primary source of healing as there are no healing spells in this game (only potions).
One thing is for sure, this game definitely tries to fall back on the old style of RPG play. This can include the older parts of the Might and Magic series, the dungeon locations of Ultima games and plenty of other much older RPG games. Of course, back then, computer capabilities were very limited, so certain shortcuts had to be made to achieve the first person perspective. In later years, such a style isn’t really necessary, so something has to be added to a game like this in order for it to be worthwhile.
Another thing to point out is the fact that, just because it’s tile based movements doesn’t necessarily mean it is any good. I’ve played tile-based RPGs that were very well done while others weren’t that great. This is because other aspects of the game are at play (such as balancing, difficulty, etc.) This game does bring other features to the table. One feature is the inclusion of various puzzles. Some puzzles are a bit more difficult than others. Some are required while others are optional. Generally speaking, the action and puzzles are enough to keep the game interesting all the way to the end.
A problem with this game is that this is a very stripped down and simple RPG game. For some elements, this is great because it means things are much easier to understand. On the other hand, the game also has limitations as well. A large number of RPG games, for instance, have a priest or a cleric class. The idea of these characters is that they can offer protections and healing for the party. In this game, such a class simply does not exist. Instead, players are forced to rely on resting and healing crystals almost exclusively. Potions can be mixed, but there are only so many herbs floating around the dungeon to pick up and use.
Another limitation is the fact that you only have the one dungeon. Granted, its very sizable, but you are stuck with it and absolutely nothing else. So, at times, exploration can get a bit tedious as you are wandering around the same halls for the most part.
A big problem, however, lies within the limitations of gathering experience points. A lot of enemies are quite difficult. So, the natural solution is to simply fall back and train up a little. Unfortunately, this game doesn’t really offer that all that much. As a result, you are more or less forced to go at one particular pace throughout the dungeon. It actually gets to the point that your success depends on the ability to move in certain ways rather than simply besting your enemies. As such, the RPG aspect gradually diminishes and it becomes more like an action game as time goes on. For me, that is an indication of a partly broken game if the goal is to make an epic RPG game.
Generally speaking this game is entertaining enough to allow you to get to the end. Certainly, the initial novelties do make this a compelling game at first. Unfortunately, this game does gradually become less enticing as time goes on simply because certain aspects are either heavily stripped down or awkward to the point of simply being less of an RPG game and more of an action game. With a number of limitations holding this game back, it’s hard to say that this is one of the best RPG games ever made. It’s interesting and, depending on your expectations, can be pretty good. All I will say is that this is simply an OK game when taking everything into account.
Graphics can be hit and miss for this game. At first, the graphics do appear to be quite well done. You have different things hanging on the walls and nice lighting effects. The models are nicely done and the hand drawn art does work quite well. As you go on, however, you gradually see where the limitations are. A bare wall with no switches, for instance, only has one texture. So, secret switch hunting becomes a case of “spot the difference” for the most part. The wall textures do change, but you’ll only see two different types for the most part. The basement levels have a third texture, but you don’t get to see it for very long as you get close enough to beat the game. It’s decent enough, but there are limitations in the long run here.
Audio does have a similar effect. When you start the game, you have some impressive orchestral music playing out as you choose options and form your party. So, the initial first impression is quite good. Unfortunately, you quickly realize that the introductory music is the only track in the entire game. The rest of the time is just dungeon ambience, movement effects, and party/enemy sounds. The sound effects are decent enough. Overall, it’s an OK effort.
Overall, this game does manage to sell quite a good first impression. You have the opening music, the graphics, the oldschool style tile-based movements, and general concepts that make for a great RPG game. If I had to base this review on the first two levels of the game, I would definitely give this game a very high score. Unfortunately, I generally try and play the whole game (or, go as far a I can). As time goes on, it does get less exciting. By the time you get to the end of the game, the limitations become quite apparent and you are more or less limping across the finish line. By no means is this a terrible experience. In fact, a game like this does show promise. However, when taking everything into account, this becomes simply a decent game all around.
Overall
Furthest point in game: Defeated the Undying (beat the game)
General gameplay: 18/25
Replay value: 7/10
Graphics: 7/10
Audio: 3/5
Overall rating: 70%
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Facebook.
