Manthorpe’s old company, now part of the Electronic Arts stable, was always known for its attention to rich storylines and complex characters as well as its games’ impressive graphics. Emissary of War continues the tradition with an RPG that’s heavy on characterization and plotting but just a little light on strategy.
Ghent, a barbarian diplomat, is sent to negotiate a final treaty but must first hack and slash his way through waves of sword-wielding undead, sharp-toothed monsters and merciless mercenaries. He’s helped on his travels by Hassock, an alchemist and Sancho Pancho-style sidekick who contributes to fights by hurling bottles of explosive potions at assorted bad guys.
The characters are well developed: Hassock’s habit of falling over gives him a clumsy depth that complements Ghent’s bravado. Weapons and potions can be upgraded in a store that’s never more than a click away, and the landscapes are beautifully drawn. Cut scenes that are actually both well-written and well-designed join the game together and give it a cinematic feel.
The gameplay is short however. You’ll be done in about four hours, which goes some way towards explaining the free opening chapter and the low 99 cent fee to continue through the second chapter. It’s possible that Manthorpe was just testing out this particular format before deciding whether to continue.
The brevity matches the low price point, but more worrying is the shallow strategizing. What helped to make Baldur’s Gate an RPG classic are the thoughts required to plan battles and apply limited resources. With a limited range of weapons and just two characters, one of whom operates largely on autopilot, winning fights with the dungeon hordes rarely requires more than patience and timely healing. On occasion, the game can feel more like an old-fashioned top-down shooter than a role-playing adventure.
But the story is good enough and the characterization is rich enough to set a new benchmark in mobile gaming. Even if RPGs aren’t your style, Emissary of War is more than worth the cheap price and it’s certainly worth the journey.
Download Emissary of War at the Android Market!
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.cedarhillgames.EmissaryOfWar
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