Depths of Peril
Preview
Classic gaming in an innovative little package
by Rook
previewed on PC
Simple ideas are often the best
In the Barbarian city of Jorvik, the definition of community is tested and strained as multiple factions vie for power and control of the city. Depths of Peril is the newest title from the independent game studio Soldak Entertainment, which will let you create your own Covenant and join the battle for the control of Jorvik.
Depths of Peril is a single player Action/RPG, sharing the classic taste and style of other games of its genre such as Diablo 2. Depths of Peril begins with the creation of your character, which you do by choosing one of four classes and then creating your own faction, called a Covenant. This is your house and your little piece of Jorvik and you must protect it both physically and diplomatically. One of the unique twists of Depth of Peril is that, as much of a hack and slash game it may appear to be, there is a great deal of strategy and diplomacy that is involved in actually being successful in the game. As the game begins, other Barbarian factions of Jorvik start with you and they are after the exact same thing, to bring Jorvik under their control.
Diplomacy brings a new twist to simple hack&slash gaming
The actual gameplay comes down to the tried and true monster stomp that is synonymous with this genre. You grab your trusty weapon, walk out through the front gate and begin to attack anything that moves. Through combat, you will gain cash, items and experience. It’s not as easy as simply running out swinging a stick looking for something to bludgeon, though. True, that approach can be taken, with reasonable short term success, but what about your Covenant you have now left undefended? This is where Depths of Peril takes a step above the rest and proves itself unique in an aging genre. You must maintain a certain level of diplomatic presence among the other Barbarian Covenants of Jorvik. If you do not, they will eventually figure out you are not planning on playing nicely and decide that your Convent will be a nice addition to their growing faction. The game will end if the Lifestone housed inside of your Covenant is destroyed by an opposing faction.
Recruiting new faction members
The defense of your Covenant can be done personally, when you are in the area, by faction members you can recruit through your travels and by guardian creatures that you can purchase. As the player advances through the game, new recruits will wander into the city looking for somewhere to call home. To recruit these freelancers into your faction, a quest, based on the recruit's level, must be completed to prove your strength and that you are worthy of recruiting them. These recruits can either be left at your Covenant or travel with you as a back-up. IF you choose to take them as traveling companions, they will earn experience and level up regularly and you can equip them as needed as upgrades become available.
