Silverfall review

We know, we know: you want a role-playing fix, but you just don't feel like getting all massive and multiplayer. Here's your fix: Silverfall, publisher Atari's newest venture into the Action RPG genre - you know, the genre where you can describe any game by saying, "it's a lot like Diablo II, but with..." - is an enjoyable break when Azeroth or Tamariel lose some of their zest.

Gameplay-wise, Silverfall is a lot like Diablo II, but with the addition of a party, two of whom can accompany you at any given time (think Dungeon Siege or Jade Empire, if you've played those). While not ground breaking or revolutionary, it offers plenty of what any fantasy gamer has come to expect: a world in peril, a hardy band of adventurers, and really evil bad guys that need to be vanquished (sometimes with the help of a magical sword). There are human, elves, trolls and goblins to play, and monsters, demons, undead and evil sorcerers to fry, sizzle, or cut into little pieces.

There are enough slight variations on the theme to make Silverfall entertaining and interesting, though. One big one is that the player must decide whether to support a technological or naturalistic society. The decisions we made while playing - mostly what quests to take - affected the world directly, determining what the cities and landscape looked like as well as what weapons and gear we could use and what skills we could acquire.