Rathores blog

With every release of a new system, there is always at least one game that makes the public gasp at the beauty that is shown before them, but gaze in bewilderment at the final incomplete product. On the Genesis and Saturn, that game was Sonic 3D. While everyone was shocked at the "3D" characters in the game, actual play was far below the Sonic standard.
Enter Enclave.
When the Xbox version was originally being touted as the medieval multiplayer answer to Team Fortress, everyone took one look at its visuals and fell madly in love. Ultimately, the retail package was far from what was promised. Suddenly the gorgeous environments, cool art style and solid characters and environments weren't enough. The PC version, as we'll soon find out, has somewhat more going for it than its Xbox counterpart, but still fails to deliver in enough critical areas that it will keep players wondering why... Why such an awesome premise, brilliant delivery, and gorgeous engine failed to deliver perfection?
As should be obvious, the details are extremely well laid out and positioned. Serious time and effort has been put into Enclave's visuals and it shows; however, if you couldn't tell already, this game is plagued by some egregious gameplay problems. In the end, Enclave frustrates and amazes in more ways than one.
Tolkien-esque, the plot of Enclave is a rather rich one told in classic videogaming form. Dark times are rapidly approaching the noble kingdom of Celenheim. Darkness, the kingdom is familiar with -- it knows war well. Centuries ago a vast army led by the demon lord Vatar crossed the wretched Outlands and invaded the magically enchanted land of Celenheim. Vatar believed that if he could posses and harness that magical power that seeped forth from the Earth, he would be nearly invulnerable. He was wrong.
But boy did he ever try. Thousands upon thousands of evil men and beast pushed their way into the goodness of the world. The mighty Celenheim stared into oblivion. Its valiant armies stood against any challenge but buckled when the sheer numbers and viciousness of the horde swept over them. As Vatar's foul armies laid waste to the countryside and spilt the blood of any man, woman or child in their path, one great wizard stood to halt their progress. With a scream of pure anger and fury the wizard thrust his staff deep into the earth and ripped it open. From his rage burst forth an immense power and a vast, impassable chasm opened and devoured Vatar, but also separated the lands in the process. Victory was for the light, but joy was not to be found.
Vatar's legions retreated to the outlands, brooding, waiting, boiling in their own rage, and praying for the return of their wicked master. Celenheim, protected by the rift, rebuilt, but unity was lost.
Fast forward many, many years. The great rift that once swallowed evil incarnate is reforming. The world is changing once again. Magics that fuel the dirt and water are knitting the broken soil back together. Some areas of the void are now slim enough to be traversed.
Vatar's army is restless. Seeing the land merge before them, they amass, build mighty weapons to lay siege to Celenheim and arm their legions of evil with sword and sorcery. But Celenheim will not be defeated easily. It is battle hardened and its warriors know no fear. As the horde approaches, defenses mount, the pace quickens, heros stand, and cowards fall.
Enter you.
Awesome, no? It's delivered quite well, too. Even the menus are sleek and full of life. Each portion moves, contorts and shifts into the next bit of functionality with a dark but sweet sense of style; then you play. As either a force of light to be reckoned with or savage subservient minion of the dark, the story, like the menus, is functional and delivered admirably the whole way through. Decent voice acting that wavers with the occasionally childish receptionist chiming in, tells the tale well. Brilliant audio effects immerse the player from front to back. Non-interactive in-game cutscenes weave each mission into a larger game. A map ties the greater storyline and linear singleplayer campaign together in a believable fashion. Hand drawn cutscenes read like the flipping pages of a book between sets of several missions... It's that kind of fantastical lore we miss in our action titles. Die by the Sword, Blade of Darkness, where are you now? Enclave certainly has the allure and it develops decently. Though lacking the kinds of in-mission interaction, non-linearity and loving, superficial books of fiction titles of the sort often come with and now demand, delivery and immersion are almost spot on.
It's not with story and presentation that I find true fault (even though the many pages of story that came with Warcraft III and that map that came with every Ultima game ever made were really neat), it's with the play. Enclave is on the right track to greatness, but major flaws in many departments keep this game back from becoming a serious, full-fledged, uncontested winner.
We don't suffer as much as the Xbox version. I found our first-person view to be ideal for normal play. But strangely and most confusingly, Enclave offers the tiniest of a sand speck of a fraction of the depth of Morrowind, yet it actually depends on a similarly rudimentary level of combat. What the hell is that about? It's like Golden Axe went 3D but forgot to add some more gameplay.