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This had so much potential....

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I pounced on this title the second it came out a couple of years back. I was soooo excited. There is a serious shortage of D&D related video games out there and, after playing the Baldur's Gate games, I had very high hopes for this one. I played this game for less than an hour before I returned it for significantly less store credit than what I had just paid for this waste of time. Yes, the game is visually stunning. But the developers should have spent as much time on game play as they did on making the game "pretty". The camera angles are the worst I have ever run in to (worse, even, than God of War) and when you are thrown into a hardcore fight right from the beginning (no character selection here) where you are forced to sneak and hide in order to survive, not being able to control where and what you're looking at is just stupid. And how in the world are you going to make a D&D game and skip right past one of the most fun things about D&D: character creation?!!? Obviously, you never truly create a character in the console games, but come on... you don't even get a choice. No assigning points to control the traits you'd like to excel at. No customization of what the character looks like. Nada! You wind up being able to control all of the characters, but this was as badly executed as the camera angles. Too much of a pain in the a** to be worthwhile. I usually have more patience for games since I know nothing is ever perfect, but damn. This was a waste of time and money. Shame on you for ruining a wonderful chance to make a killer RPG for a console.

The horrible gameplay ruins every other good aspect about Demon Stone.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: June 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Let's leave the gameplay discussion for last...

The graphics and sound are nice. The voice work is really well done and the characters have personalities all their own. The places they go to and the enemies they fight are varied and interesting. The animations could use some work and come across a little weak. Buying items and skills, which not much of a tactical consideration, spices things up. The music works well without being overpowering. Unfortunately the game isn't long at all and has no replay value aside from the sheer spectacle.

That being said, Demon Stone might be a guilty pleasure. In actuality, this game is nothing short of a frustrating example of bad control, lacklustre gameplay and depressing boss battles.
You will be spitting out the same 2 or 3 attack combinations throughout the entire game. To break up the monotony, your attacks don't track the nearest enemy... they swing where you point the controls. With the camera in really bad places half the time, with monsters moving erratically and with the analog control being so wishy-washy (never aims where you think you are), simple attack button repetitions become hair-pulling exercises in anger management.

Top it all off with the worst boss battles I've seen in many a year. Bosses resort to cheap 'tactics' of invulnerability and paralyzing the character you are controlling. Give the player about 2 seconds to do any damage, then rinse and repeat. This goes for nearly EVERY boss at the end each chapter. The only 'winning tactic' is to routinely switch between the characters and get a swipe or two in before the boss goes invulnerable (while you watch for 5 seconds of boredom) and then paralyzes you. That means being knocked out for 10 seconds. Switch characters, get paralyzed again before the other guy recovers. You can imagine how lame and stupid this gets. Quickly.

If the controls were nicely tightened (alot of work), animations made smoother and more varied, gameplay deepened to more than an endless chain of wild blind swings, and bosses made challenging and/or FUN... if all of that was fixed, this game would be a decent, albeit short, fantasy hack and slash. If you could sit down and just watch it play itself the way the developers may have envisioned, it could make for an entertaining movie. As it stands, Demon Stone gets bogged down in it's horrible mechanics.

If you can handle the aggrivating cheapness of the game, check a bargain bin. Prepare to be annoyed and be glad the game only lasts a few hours. The underlying story and characters might make the journey worthwhile.

Demon Stone

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 2
Date: January 12, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Hack and Slash! The action was constant, you barely got a break! You can easily plow through one level to the next in a few hours which was a little disappointing for me. I was hoping the game would have been longer than it was. The animation on Drizzt was awesome but sadly he was there for only a brief amount of time.

A Simple Masterpiece

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: January 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Yes iI Like this game, a lot. Yes I am a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, and finally yes i am a huge fan of both R.A. Salvatore and Patric Stewart. That being said lets look further down the road and see if it all comes together nicely?
Quite Simply Put YES! The Graphics are Supreme (even in the time of the PS3 yet the Graphics hold up against any Dark alliance or Chamions game quite well with a twist.
and that twist is you do not just choose only one character even though you only start with one. you Must use all 3 to Completely Master the Game (not beat it Master it) with the fairly standard fighter/rogue/wizard setup it looks like another repeat.. no wait this was Before some of them well then how come the Graphics are so good and yet havent changed in the new games much? (things that make you go Hrm) The Storyline by R.A. is Perfect with Patrick stewarts Shakespearian acting and a cast of other voiced characters that work quite well and believe me if you like hack n slash with combos and a variety of weird hidden objectives. (example as the game begins and if you are silly enough to skip the intro DIRECTLY INTO THE ACTION YOU GO! I was amazed its been a long time since a game has suprised me yes its a quick game 7-10 hours avg. but its because of its Huge amount of action and the interactive backgrounds are quite interesting and the results of using them can be Quite Satisfying! >:} this game is a must own for any fan of d&d, R.A. Salvatore, Drizzt, or Excellent Gems that tend to vanish when its just overlooked due to the top games eating up all airtime etc. I am writing this review not to say all thats already been said, but to say that YES the game wistands the test of time quite well and is Ownworthy for any diablo/ultima/Insert isometric view rpg'r out there this game is a true diamond in the rough!

Pros: Voice Acting 5 of 5
Graphics 5 of 5
sound 4 of 5
how much fun is it? 5 of 5
what if i do not know the actors nor the writer? Buy this game.

Cons: umm.. it may be as several have said its a tad short but as another said "id rather a short game thats stuffed full of program goodness then gangpiled full of boring "go toss this switch so you can get that item so you can blah blah" other then that there is a few camera angles that could have been better but seeing as LOTR did as well as it did. this game should have shined, it did LOTR battle BETTER then LOTR!
and thats "That Review Guy's" opinion
camera flaws are few and so minute I Doubt you will notice.

-Power currupts, absolute Power corrupts Absolutely-

Better then the reviews said

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: November 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is *really* worth playing. I can't remember an action/fight game done this well in terms of charactization and story. This is a fantastic example of how to tell a story in a video game. And the graphics and gameplay are awesome.

So why did the critics not like it? Well, read the reviews below. "It's short" seems to be the consensus. I wish even one critic acknowledge that it was sold brand new on day one at a mere $30. "It's short" doesn't fly if you it's also cheaper then the average game. The price to game play ratio was about the same as many or most games. But the 8 to 10 hours of game play in this game are all 100% well done -- unlike most games.

Great Game... over too quickly

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: September 06, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I got this game for my birthday and within a week I had beaten the game. It is a great game, killer graphics, great story line but it is over too quickly.

If you want your D&D fix, it is a great buy. But for a challenge taking you months and months to finish... this is not the game to buy.

Like RPGs but not into hack and slash

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I'll admit I was cautious about purchasing Demon Stone. Having played D&D since I was eight using 1st Edition rules and paper and pencil, and then moving on to the various computer games that have come out since the early eighties, I was a bit reluctant to give Demon Stone a try as I knew from the start it wasn't the type of RPG I'm used to playing.

I am truly not a big fan of button-mashing or using a analog controller to move your character around in real-time combat. Let's face it, I hate controllers and am more comfortable with a keyboard and a mouse then a PS2 controller. That being said, Demon Stone was still very enjoyable and I would purchase the game all over again as I am satisfied that the money I spent on the game was worth it.

Things I liked: ability to upgrade your characters, ability to switch between the various characters. The variation in monsters and they way your character changes when you upgrade them was pretty cool.

Things I hated: using an analog controller in real-time combat though I knew that was one element the game possessed before I purchased it.

If you like RPG games you will like this title. If you're into D&D you'll find a familiar enough environment in Demon Stone to please even the most dedicated RPGer.

A Fun Beat-em Up

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: January 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Dungeons and Dragons has, for a long time, been one of those things I never understood. I've always wondered why people let themselves get so immersed in these worlds that they would begin to live those fictional lives in which they play in a game. I've since learned that this is a sign of insanity, but I also learned that the world in which they are immersing themselves in is truly a magical one.

Demon Stone is a video game based in Forgotten Realms, a side-world in the D & D universe, made popular by Ed Greenwood and R.A. Salvatore, two power house fantasy writers. In fact, R.A. Salvatore wrote the story surrounding the three main characters in Demon Stone, and even brings in his most legendary character: Drizzt Do'Urden. The story itself follows Rannek, Illius, and Zhai as they battle to save the Realms from two creatures released from the shattered Demon Stone. These two demonic beings, at war within the crystal, continue the war that had had them sealed inside of it, and this war threatens to swallow the lands in destruction. With the help of a Khelben, a wizard who was witness to the original war, the heroes learn what is needed to destroy these creatures, and travel all over the Realms to achieve this goal.

The basic layout of the game is very similar to a beat-em up. You travel around as all three characters, switching at advantageous moments between the three, while battling seemingly endless hordes of enemies. It keeps from getting tedious because of the separate skills and all the the items and spells you can add to the characters. And, later, during a non-stop battle with trolls, you can use Drizzt, which is easily the funnest level. Though not extremely difficult, this game can be challenging at times, adding somewhat to the fighting system since you must learn to time blocks and deliver counters. And then there are the boss fights, usually with massive, screen-filling beasts. These are always difficult and satisfying to complete.

The problem with the game, though, comes with the fact that you can upgrade one character to his fullest and make the game easy, that being Illius the wizard. Once you get his strongest spells, you can sit back and just wail on enemies without ever getting hurt. Also, it's a very short game. I beat it in ten hours or so, and though you can go back and explore areas to find things you may have missed, there just isn't any need since the story has already unfolded. A bonus includes top-notch voice acting from Michael Clark Duncan (The Green Mile) and Patrick Stewart, whose voice can be found in Steamboy and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

Still, this game is a solid action-fest. R.A. Salvatore did a good job with the story; you could feel where his touches were added, and it was a pleasant surprise to play as Drizzt. Though I don't truly understand Dungeons and Dragons, the novels and great, and so are the games. Pick this up if you're a fan of video games and if you like Salvatore.

Salvatore should do more video games

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: September 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I finished Demon Stone... it's actually a fairly short
game. The story, not suprisingly is written by RA
Salvatore, and is as awesome as you would want it to
be. The play control is just ok... but there is some
method to the button mashing, when you level up and
stuff you get new skills and spells etc. You also
spend money on weapon and armor upgrades. By the end
your characters are really cool fighting Dragons,
Slaad Lords, Githyanki Generals... all in hopes of
saving Faerun. There are extra things too... Diary
of Drizzt type stuff, that you unlock that gives you
more story depth.

The enemies are fricken scary and it's a good thing
that they are often fighting each other. The opening
sequence is pretty sweet... instantly thrust into a
battle between two waring orc armies. It's all
the epic you'd want from a really cool game! :)

And, the price is right.

forgotten realms=easily forgotten game

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: July 10, 2005
Author: Amazon User

After a thorough inspection of all the games the local hollywood video had to offer, i decided to invest 5 dollars into this "promising" gaming experience. After reading what this game had to offer on the cover/back of the box, it seemed it had alot going for it: voice acting of jon stewart, beautiful graphics, intuitive character development and a decent storyline. Im sad to say, however, that each of these dreams thoroughly decayed as the game unfurled before my eyes.

Ill start with the pros of this game, because it does have some good aspects. The graphics are amazing. anywhere from the detail of the jungle, the burning rubble of a peasant town, and the entertaining backgrounds consisting of npc's duking it out with a dragon or what have you. Along with these graphics, i experienced absolutely NO GLITCHES amongst the 7 hours of play. Along with the graphics were the tight controls. i never found myself frantically shaking my controller like a british nanny in hopes that the game will realize its err. Targeting enemies with ranged weaponry couldn't be easier, and utilizing what skills/spells that were available were simple.

Alas, this is where all that is good ends. The mini cinemas cannot be skipped. this will frustrate and anger you as you see the same cinema for the 27th time when you are stuck in a situation. Normally this isn't that big a deal, except what the main characters say can get really annoying. Between the three heroes eerily mourning out loud to the villagers "run to safety! run! this place is in danger, get out! RUN" (normally i'd write this sarcastically, but this is honestly how the game speaks), pointing out the blatantly obvious "that dragon is in the way! we must defeat it!". THis lame speak often annoyed me during gameplay. an example of this situation would be like a battle with enemies on the other side of the river pelting you with arrows. The game has the characters say "OH NO! WE ARE BEING ATTACKED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER! wizard, use your ranged attack to get them! thats the only way!", and "fighter, use your new power of breaking objects to use! there is a log right in front of you that is blockin our way" (this is maybe 2 minutes after the game has a small cut screen explaining the skill and when to use it). I'll end this rant on the auditory and open it up to gameplay. its a watered down version of "lord of the rings". you do the same combos over and over again, with the same result against all the enemies (say the fighter has a combo that you can impale their spine. he does this with all the enemies, from small undead elf to slaag). Most of the time i found myself wailing away at X, since there was never a need to have to parry, break a shield, push enemies away, etc etc.
The a.i., oh man. God knows how many times i found myself playing the warrior with maybe 12% health left, running to the health potion in the middle of the field, but found that the rogue with 99% health ran to get the health potion before me. so many times i was swarmed by enemies, and found the other two characters in the corner picking on the weaker enemies. so many times, so many annoyances of getting knocked down by an attack i cant avoid, almost in a "stun lock" situation.
The upgrades are very unsatisfying. the only difference i really noted when i spent alot of money/experience was a slight change in visual armor, but increased damage, more spell damage, etc went unnoticed.
the gameplay got repetitive, very repetitve. They threw in a "sneaking type" scenario every other level, but that in itself is a watered down version of those stealth assassin games.

If you are a fan of DandD and the like, maybe RENT this game, but dont buy. I had this game for 2 days, got to stage 7 of 10, and pretty much gave up since there was nothing really to play for. very dissappointed

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