In general, though, the control and interface is very, very well executed. I’ve thrown my chackra bounding off down a long corridor one too many times when trying to pick up something just a few pixels too far away from my feet. I guess what I’m looking for is separation of Attack from the rest of the Actions. but I’d like to be a bit more explicit at times. Because the game decides what you mean when you click on something, you are at its mercy much of the time. The ‘Action’ command (bound to the left mouse button) equivocates, based on context, to Pick up, Use, Talk, or Attack. This leads into the only real complaint I have with control or interface issues. alas, Westwood must have anticipated this, as there is no way to lethally damage a friendly, non-player entity in the game.
Because of their lack of attention, I found myself wanting to crack some skulls just to see if these people can feel (or express) pain at all. NPCs don’t get upset that you’re re-arranging the furniture in their houses or stealing their stuff. Of course, this level of "freedom" tends to inspire some rather sociopathic tendencies in the players. The rule of thumb is: "if it isn’t nailed down, it’s fair game." Kill it, steal it, take it, break it. In addition to being able to shove your way through and around most things, you can also break most everything in the game. Homes look homey and unique, not like pre-fabricated project houses. and every locale in the game is exquisitely detailed. Just about everything in the game is moveable including tables, chairs, assorted furniture, etc. To top it off, everything in the game is customizable and it has a built-in console (ala Quake) with custom key-binding commands and a multitude of other features Everything but the most infrequently used keys are easily reached by the left hand and the most frequently used keys (bound to your skills/spells) are on home row.
The game’s control is virtually flawless.
(Okay, the mage tower is close to impossible if you’re a warrior.) But the similarities are just that. The goal of the game is simple and it’s not that hard to beat if you’re careful. There are three classes to choose from, only one of which can use bows. I can accurately be quoted as saying that it is a perfect game for those people who feel they will die if Diablo II doesn’t ship soon, but it is important to note that there is no multiplayer feature for cooperative questing, the very feature that made Diablo the online game du jour a few years back. Not surprisingly, many people are calling this game a Diablo clone. Pick your path, be it warrior, conjurer, or wizard, then go forth and destroy the evil Hecubah before she overruns Nox with an army of Necromancers and legions of undead. You’re a grade-A trailer-dweller from the southern swamplands and you’ve been chosen.