This ‘expandalone’ sequel, which includes the entire original campaign, is in many ways sup🍌erior to the first Silverfall. The first was a hack-’n’-slash RPG set in a world that merged steampunk technology with elf-versus-goblin fantasy pastoralism. The collision of ideas was novel, and the cel-shaded presentation remains wondrous – when it’s running smoothly.

Earth Awakening is an improvement mainly because it 🍌enables you to skip the lackluster opening and start at level 45 – the start of the new campaign. Rather than beginning with a sack-shirt and a stick to your name, you start with a rack of hyperbolic deathmagics, a set of steam-powered armour, and neon laser-hammers. And then you go off on monsterthrashing adventures. Start as a god and work up from there. All games should start like that.

Silverfall graduates can continue with their level 45 character, or create a new one to go adventuring with. There are a couple of new races for the latter: squat dwarves and sinewy lizardmen. Both are, like the characters from the or♎iginal game, beautifully designed. Creating a persona that looks incredible is no p🌱roblem at all, even if that’s going to be the highlight of your experience.

Sadly the game also inherits a few of the previous game’s flaws, including the conꦗfusing plot, the ultra-repetitious combat (it’s like winding up a toy and letting it go into a splatter of pixilated thrashing, over and over), and the occasional performance bombs. The main town particularly chugged to the point of unplayable on several different systems, includingour most powerful gaming PC. As this is a major hub for the game, it’s a significant problem.

Oct 10, 2008