Let's go dungeon crawling
Heretic Kingdoms harks back to the day of old-school isometric RPGs like the later Ultima games and while it offers little in the way of anything original, it remains a fun experience if you're into this kind of thing. Perhaps the game's strongest point is the storyline, as it takes place in a world where religion is outlawed and where fearsome Inquisitors stamp out any trace with extreme prejudice. The player finds themselves in the role of a unique mage with a unique quest: to find and destroy the legendary sword known as Godslayer. What follows is a fairly typical bit of fantasy RPGing, and which occurs in isometric fashion. There's all the usual exploring, slaying monsters, picking up side quests and what-have-you, with a huge number of items and weapons to find too, which can all be upgraded. The upgrade and skill system is pretty deep and should satisfy those who like options. An interesting aspect of the game is an alternate world called Dreamworld, which allows you to escape the real realm while also providing some cool bonus opportunities. Most of Heretic Kingdoms has been seen before, but several of the mechanics at least offer a twist on the expected conventions, giving the game at least a few surprises. The storyline is full of twists and turns and is largely compelling, with some unusual characters to encounter. Visually, the game scores some points too with its atmospheric environments which are equally interesting to explore. There are a few minor issues but these are easily ignored so if you don't mind the lack of originality, this makes for a good time.
