Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone

Written by Chris Reiter  on December 21, 2004

Review: Three Things You Need Not Forget When Vacationing: 1. Lock the house. 2. Lock the garage. 3. Lock the realms. Otherwise, heroes could just prevail wherever they feel like. Stupid heroes, thinkin' they could just...

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Fantastic. Supreme. Phenomenal. Lousy. Crummy. Bland. Or, just plain "good." There are a number of ways in words to decipher what the status of any game's degree of visual appeal is. In Demon Stone's case, its graphics definitely graduate from a good class. However, that's not saying they're ahead of the standardized league in any format. Rather, Demon Stone has inviting depictions in all their character figures that look quite effective, but just aren't the most magnificent digital beings you'll ever lay witness to. Roughened yet crisp textures help define these vagabond heroes, who in fantasy garbs (leather, robes, armor) are mostly seen from the game's locked isometric view. Through the process of purchasing new items like armors and weapons, it's neat to see how a change like brownish outerwear will turn to a new black suit when selected and reflective during gameplay and in-game scenes just the same. But perhaps the best part of all is the smooth and elegant animations every character possesses in their arsenal. Zhai, for starters, executes graceful finesse when climbing on the backs of large and small opponents, such as the ogre-like creatures where she spreads her arms and legs around their body and continues to bounce off after quickly stuffing her daggers in their chest. When the ice fort battle is reached and you're in the body of the elf character Drizzt, his swirling sword motions and backward spring and leap actions simply make playing that one mission all the more enticing. Even jamming a sword through an enemy on the ground, or repeatedly attacking and knocking flailing enemies off of ledges all institutes cleverly positioned reactions to every single perpetrated behavior.

Environmentally, Demon Stone intensely builds up. Some sharpness some softness, the subtle and yet edgy framework of Demon Stone's rocky passages, broken temples, and enemy swarming jungles address a feel of a real type of world in which both humans and monsters can naturally coexist. When taken in the direction of scripted sequences like falling rubble, ladders and bridges you can actually push or snip with enemies on board, or a dragon spitballing roaring magma in your direction at key moments, this world then becomes a real energetic show. Focused on your team, the camera adjusts itself to sequenced battles occurring in the background while gangs of 20 or more villains pound on you in the foreground. The main problem with that is at times your characters become tinier than normal -- and with a truck load of demon wretches smothering the characters, you can get lost or confused in the middle of a fight. If your ally needs help for example, they may call out to you. Only, it's hard to tell where they are. Your trio can block moves, though, which in Illius' case particularly adds to the pretty effects of the game. His shielding instantaneously wraps a green globe around his body that has enemy forces from all sides rap-rap-rapping on the edges, and a little spark effect to follow. Illius also offers other nifty magical purveyances, from lightning to flame enhancements. And with all the other flashing, stone smashing, fire-flung-arrows-soaring-at-you-from-a-far type of dealies, Demon Stone again is an effect-ive looking game.

Colliding and encompassing the screen, the musical score of Demon Stone brushes along with the harmony of fire blazing and sword clanging effects. Played to a potential orchestrated rhythm, the tunes of Demon Stone are well-made in the eyes of its momentously dire battle stages. However, it's evident that the music isn't always there. Sometimes you'll wonder where the drum beats and violins have gone to. To fill that void, the string of truthful noises will give you something to pay attention to and enjoy simultaneously. Every cling-clang-bang is accounted for it seems, while let's say Rannek's guarding himself. Each enemy blow snaps with a scratching and ringing of steel effect from in front and behind him. When characters run along the ground, foots stepping on the coarse surfaces can be heard. And there's a bounty of spell sounds too -- from the whirling of fire to the sparking of lightning.

Including the voices of recognizable Hollywood talents Michael Clarke Duncan and Patrick Stewart, Demon Stone's tale unfolds with each chapter having something to be said. Even with Professor X and The Kingpin in the game however, their parts throughout the story don't actually elevate it any. Maybe they're imaginable as the characters they were paid to be (Patrick Stewart as the wise sorcerer Blackstaff, and Michael Clarke Duncan as the arcane Slaad Lord), but I have a little trouble envisioning them as the perfect fit for these people. This considering that they don't really put a whole lot of emphasis into making their characters sound believable in a profound sense (and when Patrick Stewart sounds out the name of each mission title before entering upon it, he totally sounds like he's just reading lines from the script). On the other hand, the unknowns used for Rannek, Zhai, and Illius DO make it so their character's personalities match their voices. The thick and concentrated Rannek comes off as someone deep into what his emotions are. The high-pitched and smart aleck Zhai gives the story a lighter tone between the stark male figures. Illius in last contrasts with a more intellectual, sophisticated set of pipes in a deep-pitched voice of his own.