Gaming Target - Xbox: Enclave

Written by Ryan Smotherman on June 27, 2002

First Impressions: Once again it's time to use that God given right to get medieval on someone's ass!

Being developed by Starbreeze and published by Conspiracy Entertainment, Enclave is set to be yet another high quality hack-Сn-slash adventure title in the Xbox's fast growing library. At first glance the game seems to be your typical third-person adventure game, but it's set to differentiate itself from the others with the promise of an engaging story, a less linear feel, and the inclusion of multiple characters and campaigns to choose from. And I must say, at this point things are looking really good for it's late July release.

The story of Enclave once again takes us back to a medieval world full of fantasy and adventure. A time when dragons ruled the skies, wizards amazed people with theirЕ ummЕ wizardry, and barbarians roamed the lands seeking gold and glory. Years ago an evil demon known as Vatar had his mind set on ruling the world. But unfortunately for him, he didn't count on a powerful wizard, Zale, to strike his staff into the ground, leaving Vatar and his troops trapped in a massive rift. As the years went by the rift slowly began to seal itself, and now Vatar's evil minions, known as the Dreg'atar, start to resurface, leaving the world once again on the brink of war. You start the game out as a knight who is locked inside a prison and has just had his wall knocked down from attacks that are taking place on the castle. Now free from imprisonment, your adventure thus begins.

While the game starts you out playing the role of the knight, you will in fact meet, and use, additional characters as the story progresses. These include, but are not limited to (there's six classes in all), such characters as a druid and huntress, with each character offering their own strengths and weaknesses. Yes, there's very simple logic to this Ц for example, the knight is a very strong melee fighter, the druid is powerful in magic, and the huntress excels with long-range weaponry, such as crossbows and the like. One of nicest features in the game is that in addition to playing as the light side (the Enclavers), you can also play a whole separate campaign that's full of new characters and has a new take on the story; this is known as the dark side, where you take on the role of the Outlanders.

The game itself is primarily an action hack-Сn-slash, but with a nice dose of adventure and RPG elements. You'll notice that as you progress in the game your characters will become stronger, and you'll even be able to upgrade to new, more powerful weapons and armor, either by purchasing them with gold or just by finding them as you make your way through each level. The adventure elements in Enclave come in the form of a non-linear feel that's complete with a heavy emphasis on exploration.

The only thing at this point that seems questionable is the most important part of the game Ц the combat. So far it seems a bit on the sloppy side of things. Looks to be sort of a hit and run sort of deal, where not much is involved on the strategy side. I've yet to hear of anything involving a lock on button, which would be incredibly helpful. But if it turns out to be anything like what was found in the overlooked, and somewhat similar, Dreamcast title, Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm, I will be pleasantly surprised. I'm just hoping they can get everything running smoothly in that department. And at the same time, the shooting elements of the game seem very promising. Here you can actually go into a first-person view and aim at enemies from far distances. Cowardly, but efficient and damn fun!

From a visual standpoint, Enclave is really looking gorgeous. It's full of nicely detailed in-door and out-door environments, complete with some of the sharpest hi-res textures you've ever seen. The characters models are also looking quite good, featuring nice animations and details. Lighting and particles effects are also playing a huge role in the overall look. Just by looking at it you can tell that it's УOnly On XboxФ, which is how it should be.