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Aralon: Sword and Shadow
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“You’ve come a long way, baby.”
I’m not prone to sentimental musings but I couldn’t help but repeat that infamous quote while playing Aralon: Sword and Shadow. And why not? When the iPhone was first released, we knew it was a potential gaming platform, and yet who could have imagined that less than three years after the app store went live, we could carry Oblivion in our pockets? Ok, so it isn't Oblivion, but my point is that Aralon is a great game. Yes, the game has its faults but the overall experience is fantastic. Just the ability to play a 3D role-playing game on an iPhone is incredible! But when you throw in an intuitive control system, beautiful graphics, and an intriguing storyline...can RPG fans be any happier? So here’s the bottom line, Aralon: Sword and Shadow is the best RPG, and possibly the best game, on the iOS platform.
The game’s storyline is about what you would expect for a medieval fantasy. You are a nobody raised in a small village that no one cares about. Unbeknown to you, your dead father wasn’t just the farming peasant that you pegged him to be...he was actually the former head of the royal guard, forced into hiding to protect himself and his family. The game starts when an old friend of your father's stops by your house and with his dying breath manages to spill the beans about your father, the Kingdom, and its mad King. Before you know it, you are on a quest to save said Kingdom from the ultimate act of betrayal and serve a dish of revenge to the man who ruined your father’s career. The storyline isn’t fancy but plays to the central theme that all RPG’s must have...the poor underdog with a unique opportunity to save the world. (A friend of a friend once told us that someone tried making an RPG where the main character was a rich elitist brat who saved the world with his gold plated broadsword...but when a rip began to appear in the Universe, they quickly stopped and returned to the tried-but-true RPG formula.)
The game starts with character customization which, while limited, is well done. I chose a male elf with dark hair and some crazy facial tattoos (think Mike Tyson but with a manly voice). I always role-play as an Elf, it's my thing, but there were also two other races: humans and trolls. I decided that my hero would be a Ranger not just because that is the career all Elves are meant for...but because it seemed to be the middle road of the four classes: Warrior, Rogue, Ranger, and Mage. I reviewed the game on an iPhone 4 and I felt the customization options were perfect... involved enough to feel like an RPG, but simple enough to work with the limited screen real estate and get you into the game quickly. As the game progresses, you can customize character traits: Strength, Agility, Endurance, Intellect, and Spirit. You also can train your character in specified skill sets, and Crescent Moon fleshes out this concept with an ingenious tech tree...reminiscent of Civilization. Again it’s a KISS inspired design, which fits the platform. Lastly, depending on how you play, your character will have a reputation of either being a law-abiding citizen or an outlaw. Naturally the city guards do not take kindly to outlaws.
From the get-go, the thing that REALLY jumps out and bites you is the fantastic graphics. I’d like to drone on and on about how beautiful it is, so let’s deal with the cons first. First, the redraw distance can sometimes be distracting. Instead of fading in and out, distant objects are literally drawn across your screen as you get closer. Second, there are some clipping issues and sometimes character animation is...well...unnatural. These issues are weird and they hurt the immersion value...but in the grand scheme, minor complaints. Why? Because when you’re looking at a 3.5 inch iPhone screen and you see prancing deer, sly foxes, running rabbits, circling birds, lush fields, leafy trees, grand mountains, lakes with fish, dark caves, and strikingly beautiful sunsets, it’s kinda hard to complain about the little things. Building and character design styles are also extremely well done and, in the end, they are what set this game’s environment above the competition.
We’ve already mentioned the deer (which you can kill and eat) but there are plenty of other in-game characters. Gnomes, ogres, wolves, rogues, bears, spiders, killer desert worms (inspired by Tremors?), and even fish (yes you can go fishing) are all enemies that demand to be killed. This is the perfect segue into our first major complaint. For some reason dead enemies do not stay dead. Consistently, when I returned to areas I previously plundered, the enemies I had killed and looted were back in business and itching for a fight (can’t blame them for the last part). This is particularly annoying when you’re raiding a cave/dungeon and you’ve mowed everyone down like the Butcher of Cadiz. Once you’ve reached the end and looted that treasure stash, you would expect a leisurely stroll back to sunlight, right? No. Instead you have a repeat fight with the baddies who should have been rotting in their own entrails.
Fortunately, enemies aren't the only in-game characters. Walking in RPGs is so last year, which explains why Crescent Moon included mounts in the game. Horses, dragons, wolves, and gigantic birds can all be ridden, making travel a whole lot easier. The game uses an interesting technique where you 'summon' your mount when needed, so that you do not need to constantly keep track of where your horse is. You trade realism for convenience and from what I can tell, your mount can not die.
Did I mention that the game lets you keep and train pets? Take that, Oblivion!
Since we’re talking about characters and enemies, you’re probably wondering about combat and the control system. Character movement is controlled by a directional pad in the bottom left corner and the camera perspective is controlled by moving your finger across the screen. Controls are extremely sensitive and even a small swipe can make the camera perspective jump. You have to get used to that and while it feels strange at first, you eventually realize this is an asset. There are times when you really need to move the screen quickly because the game has an anal retentive 'face your enemy' complex during combat. Unless your character is actually facing an enemy, you can't fight back. Sometimes this is a real hassle, but for the most part once you get the hang of the controls you’ll be running around the countryside like a pro.
Combat is controlled with an attack and block button on the lower right side of the screen. Timing your attacks and blocks are critical...even though the success of each action (and sometimes even the completion of the action) seems to be determined by a typical RPG dice roll. I should note that some of our staff have complained that the button size does not scale up for the iPad. In short, a sufficiently sized button on the iPhone becomes an irritatingly tiny button on the iPad. Keep that in mind...if you think size matters.
The last aspect of the control system is automatic 'targeting'. This is great when there are only a few selectable objects on screen but it stinks when object quantity jumps or they are too close together. You can change the selection by tapping another enemy with your finger but sometimes the game doesn’t seem to register your manual selections. For the most part it doesn’t matter, but in fights where there are multiple enemies and you would like to strategically choose your targets, it becomes a hassle. Or, even more common, when there are multiple corpses waiting to be looted...repeatedly I had difficulty selecting the particular one I wanted.
But this game isn’t just about fighting; there are also multitudes of quests begging to be completed. Most of them are the standard RPG fair (go here, kill this, bring back that), they help create that critical perception of an open-ended world. Oh and you’ll be able to hire mercenaries to help you complete these quests - excellent! But yet again, the quests do highlight another major complaint with the game...the world map is far too basic. My humble opinion is that while a detailed world map should be a commonsense feature in an RPG, a next step quest indicator on that map is also a must have. Since I often did not know where to go in order to solve a quest, I found that I accepted all quests and never thought about any particular one until I had accidentally solved it.
Sound effects are also nicely done. Not because there are extensive voice-overs, there aren’t and that is missed, but because the music is actually pretty darn good! Background music played consistently, adapted to the environment and after 15-20 hours of gameplay it still wasn’t repetitive. It did get loud though. For some reason during the few times when there were voice-overs, the background music would sometimes get so loud it would drown out all other sound. Fortunately everything is closed captioned, so you could still follow the dialogue. Just another area that needs some polishing.
Well there you have it, the Blank Gamer review of Aralan: Sword and Shadow. I’m going to admit right now that for every amazing attribute this game has, there always seem to be a ‘but’ tagging along. The game demands more polish, no question about it and the developers have promised that updates are on there way. But the reality is that this is the best open-world RPG for the iOS bar none. One testament to its lasting appeal is that I consistently found new game interactions as I played...in my book, that is the sign of a quality RPG. So the verdict is this. Aralon's gorgeous graphics, beautiful medieval fantasy-styled environments, engaging storyline, multiple quests, countless items and enemies, and 3D open-world environment should not be missed by anyone dedicated to the love of role-playing.
I’m not prone to sentimental musings but I couldn’t help but repeat that infamous quote while playing Aralon: Sword and Shadow. And why not? When the iPhone was first released, we knew it was a potential gaming platform, and yet who could have imagined that less than three years after the app store went live, we could carry Oblivion in our pockets? Ok, so it isn't Oblivion, but my point is that Aralon is a great game. Yes, the game has its faults but the overall experience is fantastic. Just the ability to play a 3D role-playing game on an iPhone is incredible! But when you throw in an intuitive control system, beautiful graphics, and an intriguing storyline...can RPG fans be any happier? So here’s the bottom line, Aralon: Sword and Shadow is the best RPG, and possibly the best game, on the iOS platform.
This guy is peeved at all the picture taking tourists.
The Game
The game’s storyline is about what you would expect for a medieval fantasy. You are a nobody raised in a small village that no one cares about. Unbeknown to you, your dead father wasn’t just the farming peasant that you pegged him to be...he was actually the former head of the royal guard, forced into hiding to protect himself and his family. The game starts when an old friend of your father's stops by your house and with his dying breath manages to spill the beans about your father, the Kingdom, and its mad King. Before you know it, you are on a quest to save said Kingdom from the ultimate act of betrayal and serve a dish of revenge to the man who ruined your father’s career. The storyline isn’t fancy but plays to the central theme that all RPG’s must have...the poor underdog with a unique opportunity to save the world. (A friend of a friend once told us that someone tried making an RPG where the main character was a rich elitist brat who saved the world with his gold plated broadsword...but when a rip began to appear in the Universe, they quickly stopped and returned to the tried-but-true RPG formula.)
The game starts with character customization which, while limited, is well done. I chose a male elf with dark hair and some crazy facial tattoos (think Mike Tyson but with a manly voice). I always role-play as an Elf, it's my thing, but there were also two other races: humans and trolls. I decided that my hero would be a Ranger not just because that is the career all Elves are meant for...but because it seemed to be the middle road of the four classes: Warrior, Rogue, Ranger, and Mage. I reviewed the game on an iPhone 4 and I felt the customization options were perfect... involved enough to feel like an RPG, but simple enough to work with the limited screen real estate and get you into the game quickly. As the game progresses, you can customize character traits: Strength, Agility, Endurance, Intellect, and Spirit. You also can train your character in specified skill sets, and Crescent Moon fleshes out this concept with an ingenious tech tree...reminiscent of Civilization. Again it’s a KISS inspired design, which fits the platform. Lastly, depending on how you play, your character will have a reputation of either being a law-abiding citizen or an outlaw. Naturally the city guards do not take kindly to outlaws.
My hot tat.
From the get-go, the thing that REALLY jumps out and bites you is the fantastic graphics. I’d like to drone on and on about how beautiful it is, so let’s deal with the cons first. First, the redraw distance can sometimes be distracting. Instead of fading in and out, distant objects are literally drawn across your screen as you get closer. Second, there are some clipping issues and sometimes character animation is...well...unnatural. These issues are weird and they hurt the immersion value...but in the grand scheme, minor complaints. Why? Because when you’re looking at a 3.5 inch iPhone screen and you see prancing deer, sly foxes, running rabbits, circling birds, lush fields, leafy trees, grand mountains, lakes with fish, dark caves, and strikingly beautiful sunsets, it’s kinda hard to complain about the little things. Building and character design styles are also extremely well done and, in the end, they are what set this game’s environment above the competition.
No Mountain. A little mountain. OMG, the spine of the world has suddenly appeared!
We’ve already mentioned the deer (which you can kill and eat) but there are plenty of other in-game characters. Gnomes, ogres, wolves, rogues, bears, spiders, killer desert worms (inspired by Tremors?), and even fish (yes you can go fishing) are all enemies that demand to be killed. This is the perfect segue into our first major complaint. For some reason dead enemies do not stay dead. Consistently, when I returned to areas I previously plundered, the enemies I had killed and looted were back in business and itching for a fight (can’t blame them for the last part). This is particularly annoying when you’re raiding a cave/dungeon and you’ve mowed everyone down like the Butcher of Cadiz. Once you’ve reached the end and looted that treasure stash, you would expect a leisurely stroll back to sunlight, right? No. Instead you have a repeat fight with the baddies who should have been rotting in their own entrails.
Fortunately, enemies aren't the only in-game characters. Walking in RPGs is so last year, which explains why Crescent Moon included mounts in the game. Horses, dragons, wolves, and gigantic birds can all be ridden, making travel a whole lot easier. The game uses an interesting technique where you 'summon' your mount when needed, so that you do not need to constantly keep track of where your horse is. You trade realism for convenience and from what I can tell, your mount can not die.
Did I mention that the game lets you keep and train pets? Take that, Oblivion!
Since we’re talking about characters and enemies, you’re probably wondering about combat and the control system. Character movement is controlled by a directional pad in the bottom left corner and the camera perspective is controlled by moving your finger across the screen. Controls are extremely sensitive and even a small swipe can make the camera perspective jump. You have to get used to that and while it feels strange at first, you eventually realize this is an asset. There are times when you really need to move the screen quickly because the game has an anal retentive 'face your enemy' complex during combat. Unless your character is actually facing an enemy, you can't fight back. Sometimes this is a real hassle, but for the most part once you get the hang of the controls you’ll be running around the countryside like a pro.
Combat is controlled with an attack and block button on the lower right side of the screen. Timing your attacks and blocks are critical...even though the success of each action (and sometimes even the completion of the action) seems to be determined by a typical RPG dice roll. I should note that some of our staff have complained that the button size does not scale up for the iPad. In short, a sufficiently sized button on the iPhone becomes an irritatingly tiny button on the iPad. Keep that in mind...if you think size matters.
The last aspect of the control system is automatic 'targeting'. This is great when there are only a few selectable objects on screen but it stinks when object quantity jumps or they are too close together. You can change the selection by tapping another enemy with your finger but sometimes the game doesn’t seem to register your manual selections. For the most part it doesn’t matter, but in fights where there are multiple enemies and you would like to strategically choose your targets, it becomes a hassle. Or, even more common, when there are multiple corpses waiting to be looted...repeatedly I had difficulty selecting the particular one I wanted.
But this game isn’t just about fighting; there are also multitudes of quests begging to be completed. Most of them are the standard RPG fair (go here, kill this, bring back that), they help create that critical perception of an open-ended world. Oh and you’ll be able to hire mercenaries to help you complete these quests - excellent! But yet again, the quests do highlight another major complaint with the game...the world map is far too basic. My humble opinion is that while a detailed world map should be a commonsense feature in an RPG, a next step quest indicator on that map is also a must have. Since I often did not know where to go in order to solve a quest, I found that I accepted all quests and never thought about any particular one until I had accidentally solved it.
I enter Kyle Stronghand's lair...in order to complete a quest.
Kyle was no match for a real elf.
Nice! Thanks for the bow, Kyle.
Sound effects are also nicely done. Not because there are extensive voice-overs, there aren’t and that is missed, but because the music is actually pretty darn good! Background music played consistently, adapted to the environment and after 15-20 hours of gameplay it still wasn’t repetitive. It did get loud though. For some reason during the few times when there were voice-overs, the background music would sometimes get so loud it would drown out all other sound. Fortunately everything is closed captioned, so you could still follow the dialogue. Just another area that needs some polishing.
The Summary
Well there you have it, the Blank Gamer review of Aralan: Sword and Shadow. I’m going to admit right now that for every amazing attribute this game has, there always seem to be a ‘but’ tagging along. The game demands more polish, no question about it and the developers have promised that updates are on there way. But the reality is that this is the best open-world RPG for the iOS bar none. One testament to its lasting appeal is that I consistently found new game interactions as I played...in my book, that is the sign of a quality RPG. So the verdict is this. Aralon's gorgeous graphics, beautiful medieval fantasy-styled environments, engaging storyline, multiple quests, countless items and enemies, and 3D open-world environment should not be missed by anyone dedicated to the love of role-playing.
Game Info
Platform(s)
iOS
12/14/10
Ratings
8.7
Blank Gamer
Blank Gamer
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