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gauntlet style arcade RPG

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 13 / 15
Date: January 27, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Got an opportunity to extensively play this game. I have a mixed reaction to it. On one hand, while the graphics aren't state-of-the-art, the environments are rather extensive and detailed. Each level has a massive amount of terrain to explore. Took me 4 hours plus just to explore one level. There's a wide range of spells from four different element schools that are each useful in some way from fireballs to runes that cause damage when creatures passed. The spell effects are pretty impressive. On the other side, this game is a bit arcadish to me. Most of the monsters are generated through these miniature portals that will pop out creatures left and right. It's too easy to have 10+ creatures swarming in on you while you're running around in circles a good amount of the adventure. At points in the game, it's really frustrating to be constantly assaulted by an endless supply of creatures popping out from these portals. Adding to this frustration is the save game system that only allows you to save your game in designated spots. During parts of the game, the distance between save points is long. Often times, these portals will be guarded by a lot of creatures and portals. This leads to a lot of annoyance as it's very easy to be quickly overcome by a group of monsters. However, later on in the game things improve as you will be able to get a healing rune so you can sit back and chill while you're healed in a zone you've cleared of monsters. Still, I found myself frequently waiting 2-3 minutes each time to heal and I had to heal often. The game is rather linear and consists of moving up the map to advance. However, if you explore the area, you will find new spells and mana. Overall, a decent game. If you enjoy arcade-style fantasy game and fighting tons of monsters while running around in circles, you might find this game appealing. If you're like me and enjoy a more sophisticated adventure game with a detailed plot, puzzles and a less arcade-feel, you will probably be disappointed.

Fun, much underrated.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 24 / 37
Date: September 29, 2001
Author: Amazon User

When I was at the E3 expo in the summer, this was one of the few Xbox titles on display that was actually fun and felt like a console game. Which was suprising given that it was hidden away in a corner of the Microsoft booth. My impressions of it then was that Nightcaster isn't a totally original concept (it's a 3rd person shooter with some RPG elements thrown in), but it was a lot of fun once you got used to the controls, and it had pretty graphics as well.

Not the best the XBox has to offer

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I'm a big fan of RPGs, especially those involving magic. I was disappointed with Nightcaster, though, and recommend this as a rent-first game for the XBox.

First, to be fair, the good points. Nightcaster has a cool spell concept. You draw from four different types of spells, using a glowy floating orb to direct your attacks. There are different spells in each class - from fire and water, light and darkness. Enemies are resistant to some sorts of spells, vulnerable to others.

The graphics are OK. A reasonable level of detail is found as you wander through countryside and towns in your quest to rid the world of evil.

But the gameplay in general just isn't there. You're a young boy who is lured by a glowing orb into abandoning your parents and home (without even telling them) for MANY years to 'train' to defeat a future evil. When you're finally released, you find your village in flames and your parents dead. Your sympathetic orb goes, "Jeez, time to take revenge!" And despite those many years of training, the spells you cast are pretty feeble.

The game has very much a Gauntlet-type feel, destroying monster generators and working through a linear path. However, the monsters are not threatening at all, and there's no multiplayer. The great fun of Gauntlet (a game I *love*) is the multiplayer mayhem and amazing party potential when you get some friends over. In comparison, Nightcaster is a solo trek through dungeon ... after dungeon ... after dungeon.

In its defense, Nightcaster was one of the first XBox games out and maybe was rushed to meet the release date. Definitely a game to rent first before you buy.

This is a good buy, but tough to play

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: February 02, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game has very good graphics and a great story line. The environment is 3D and very nice. I do believe that it would have been better as a first person shooter game like Halo. However, the game is still worth buying. You may find, as I did that the controls seem extremely hard. I almost gave up on the game because of the difficulty of the controls. Hang in there and eventually you will get used to them. The save points are also a little far apart, so you may find yourself having to replay parts time and time again. Even so, this game is a lot of fun to play and worth the money.

Good game with some bad parts

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 01, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game isn't that bad, the graphics are awesome, the spells are cool, and it isn't so boring! The only bad part is the storyline stinks and there is little room for spell improvement. If you read other reviews that say that it [stinks] notice that people who read it think that their review isn't helpful. As for the monsters, they might be color coded but that doesnt mean that you will know what spell to use! For instance, if your up against a red monster you could use water, light, or dark spells but chances are that the monster is with other monsters of similar color so you have to think twice about the spell that you use. Also each of the four spell groups has 4 different spells which will defeat certain monsters quicker and certain monsters slower. So as you can see this game isn't an awful game, yet it may not be for everyone so I recommend that you rent it before buying.

Buy some Raid with the game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 05, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Although I didn't see this in any other review, I found my game to be very buggy. I would get to the end of a level, then it would ask me if I wanted to proceed, I would say yes, then nothing, It would put me back to the end of the level. Also, at the end, fighting the NightCaster, it all of a sudden deceided that my own spells should hurt me and I would kill myself. It took about 8 times to finish due to bugs with the final battle. Also my friend finally had the store replace his copy due to lock-ups. Other than that I thought it was fun, not a diffucult game, graphics were pretty cool, Ice world and it's reflections, WOW! I found the controls easy. All around fun! Good deal, especially with the lowered price.

Nightcaster is Great!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: January 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Just picked it up and I have to say, Nightcaster is a good one. I've been having tons of fun with it. It looks great. The gameplay is fun and addictive. It plays like a console game should. I say pick it up. You won't regret it!

It's Differnt

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: January 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Well I bought this game on 1/25/02 and I have to say its pretty cool . The spells affects look great and there is plenty of enemies. The world that you are in is awsome looking with real looking tree's. This game is very hard though and the enemies come at you in packs. I like this game. Its differnt

Not what I originally expected, but very good overall

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: July 16, 2002
Author: Amazon User

When I bought Nightcaster..., I was expecting some type of Gauntlet game built to take advantage of the advanced XBOX hardware. Well, my expectations were partially correct...this is a pure action/Gauntlet type of game, but it doesn't quite play the same way and this is both good and bad, but in the end, the game turned out pretty good for the price.

You're given a great deal of freedom and your tasks usually involve wiping out enemies and enemy generators (a la Gauntlet) and occassionally you get to take part in small quest-like tasks. Where Nightcaster differs from Gauntlet is the attack system. Although you have a wand you can use as a rather ineffective melee weapon, you will ultimately live and die by the mana-based spellbook system. Four classifications of spells are yours and you cast them using the orb which you control with a separate aiming thumbstick, thereby allowing independent moving/firing movement similar to robotron. A unique system, but much different than what I expected when I bought the game.

Any downsides to this? Yes there are plenty. You have to choose your spells correctly for the area or situation you're in as certain spell classes are stronger/weaker or ineffective on certain enemies. The enemies are quite fast and you'll often find yourself retreating like crazy and switching spells on the fly in order to take them out. The save point system is just like Resident Evil and that... Enemies frequently "fade out" even though they are relatively close to you, only to reappear behind you for no apparent reason. And the camera system is rather constricting since you can never seem to move it to just the right angle. There are other problems, but I feel the game is quite good despite the issues and you'll find yourself enjoying it if you give it a chance.

This is a first generation XBOX product so you have to overlook some of the shortcomings. From a technical standpoint, the game is done well and you'll find yourself pushing on to finish the it. Should you buy it? Given the low price, I'd say yes.

A must have for XBox owners

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 7
Date: January 28, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game is fun from begining to end. Addictive and not so hard. Graphics are good. Sounds are excellent. Definetedly a worthy game for your already growing game collection!

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