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Night Watch
There are people among us who look usual
but who are different – they call themselves Others. They can enter the
magic layer of reality – gloom, feel the magic power and use it for
their different magic abilities. From the very beginning of our days
Others took a side to serve to and to fight for. Others who protect
Light united in the Night Watch as they fight against those who come out
in the night time. Others who fight for Darkness united into Day Watch.
Their battle goes on for ages – and will be going on until the balance
is lost and one side wins forever…
Night Watch is based on the horror-fantasy
world created by best selling Russian author Sergei Lukyanenko
that transports the gamer into his chilling universe of the
supernatural.
The game is set in modern-day Moscow which
has the player trapped between an eternal war of vampires, those
dedicated to the light and the others to the dark side. Fortunately for
the mortal denizens of Earth, the Night Watch are the seekers of balance
and have spent centuries ensuring that the human population is not
decimated by these dark forces in keeping the status quo which now
threatens to explode.
Features
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Strong RPG system: you start the game
as an Other of the initial 7th level and gain new abilities with
each new level
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Three lines of your character
development: Shapeshifter, Enchanter and Mage, with specific
abilities for each type
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About 70 various spells and special
abilities provide for great tactic diversity in each particular
situation
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Detailed characters have their own
thoughts desires and fears and step into different relations with
each other
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References to the blockbuster movie
Night Watch: find out what was left behind the movie scenes
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Thrilling plot with unexpected turns
and complex intrigues adds even more challenge to your adventure
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Destructible environment opens more
tactical varieties and makes the magic battles look even more
spectacular
The game itself lends its self to two main
genres that includes role-playing and fighting in which the player has
access to a wide variety of different spells, weapons and the ability to
morph into animals. As with the trilogy of movies (episode one released
last year), the game was developed with the assistance of Sergei
Lukyanenko to ensure that his world is true to his original vision of
this secret underground culture.
Within the universe of Night Watch, the
hero of the game is Stas, a young man who is torn between life and death
when he discovers his mother is dying of cancer. In order to hopefully
rescue his mother, Stas has agreed to assassinate a young woman but when
he hesitates, he is drawn into the deadly eternal battle of vampires and
is drawn into the Night Watch. .
As with all good role-playing titles, the
player starts at a basic level and as you progress through missions and
various battles, your character slowly builds upon his skills until you
become a true master of the arts of the Night Watch. There are various
different classes that your character can become adept in which include
the impressive changeling character, the enchanter or the deadly battle
mage.
The title is also a turn based RPG where
the player must select the maneuvers they will engage in before the
combat takes place. Whether you are moving, retreating, attacking or
casting a spell, the amount of action is determined by your action
points. This entire process continues until one victor remains which is
rather entertaining as you watch your plans go into action, except when
you choose the wrong maneuver.
Graphically, Night Watch is unfortunately
dated when compared to other games of a similar genre and would of been
a ground breaking game (graphically) two or three years ago. Fortunately
there are enough impressive graphically effects in the game from
realistic shadows, high resolution texture details and some beautiful
spell effects to assist in hopefully keeping the most prudent gamers at
bay.
Musically, Night Watch feels an immersive
Hollywood sounding musical score to draw the player into the world of
the Night Watch and match that with a variety of realistic sound effects
and supernatural to truly set the scene of the genre.
In conclusion Night Watch on PC follows the
first novel of Lukyanenko's novel "Night Watch" that unfortunately
leaves the ending open to a much needed sequel. Day Watch and Twilight
have already begun filming in Russian and will be released in 2006 and
2007 but whether a sequel in the gaming world will happen, remains to be
seen, depending on the popularity of this title. |
