Wizardry 8 Reviews

very very good

I love this game

So far, it seems to need a bazillion outside files and hot fixes for computers that aren't from the dark ages (practically every modern computer in existence). Seeing as how I'm doubtful these 'fixes' will even work (or if I would ever get a refund at this point)... I'm thumbs-downing this pile of garbage.

When the game runs, it's a classic retro RPG experience that requires you to strategize every encounter and how you want to build your party.

I played the game for a few hours but just couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. I have some experience with similar games—I completed Might & Magic 3, Might & Magic 6, and Might & Magic 7, played Might & Magic 8 and Wizardry 7, as well as a bunch of smaller titles like Eye of the Beholder and a more recent one, Legend of Grimrock. I fondly remember playing Might & Magic 6 back in the day (about 20 years ago), but I doubt I would ever revisit it. I'm afraid I wouldn’t be able to relive the same magic, and instead, I'd end up shattering my nostalgic image of the game. Wizardry 8 came out in 2001, around the same time as Fallout, Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, and Arcanum—games that are the very definition of CRPG excellence for me. I knew Wizardry 8 would feel outdated by today's standards, but I was hoping my past experience would allow me to see past its flaws and appreciate its strengths. I can't say for sure whether I could have finished Wizardry 8, but I definitely could have gone much further if not for the game's frustrating encounter design. The constant waves of large enemy groups that respawn endlessly made proper exploration a chore. That’s the kind of game mechanic that kills my enjoyment—it just made me feel frustrated all the time. The monastery was fine; at first, I even thought enemies do respawn. But once I hit the road to Arnika and arrived in the city, I felt backed into a corner. At that point, it became clear that the rest of the game would be an endless grind, a never-ending battle loop. As far as I remember, Wizardry 7 had a similar design, and it frustrated me even back then. I don't recall whether I actually finished the game—I think I ended up cheating to make combat more tolerable. In hindsight, I suppose it was a mistake to play Wizardry 8, knowing that I'd have to put up with the same design choices.