Thoughts while playing the stand-alone expansion to ArcaniA:
– Huh. The graphics look slightly improved.
– Character animations have definitely improved.
– The geography has changed. Weird.
– All of my skills, equipment, and inventory were imported. Nice.
– A few items have changed stats; Belial’s Scythe is mage-focused now.
– What’s with this odd procession of fighting every single creature in the main game?
– Oh no, not more dungeon tunnels.
– Lockpick mechanic is gone… not that it matters.
– Why is there so much powerful loot just lying around?
– I guess it’s there for new characters.
– Oh good, there’s more to this than endess red-lit tunnels.
– Harpies huh… guess they didn’t want that female demon model to go to waste.
– Panthers! Guess this wasn’t a total copy/paste job after all.
– What a bizarre city layout.
– I wonder if there are any merchants in this expansion.
– If the antagonist never sent so much free XP at the hero, do you think they would win more often?
– Ah, the ol’ “collect a bunch of crap scattered across the area to continue” quest. Yay.
– A trader! Who sells… nothing but bandages and arrows. What the hell.
– Playing as other pre-made characters as a change of pace is pretty gimmicky at the best of times.
– This is not the best of times.
– Oh, two more silent traders. I’m starting to think it would’ve been better without them.
– I liked my old armor better. The things I do to kill enemies with a single Firebolt….
– Possessed enemies can apparently melee attack through walls. Spooky.
– A spoiled rich girl… can this day get any worse?
– Rhetorical question; of course it can.
– Lester’s voice acting has taken a major dive.
– Actually, all the character’s personalities have taken hits as well.
– Maybe all those people complaining about VA and characterizations were confusing this with the main game?
– So. Many. Tunnels.
– At least the trader in this mine sells something (potentially) useful.
– So. Tunnels. First red tunnels, then gray tunnels and now… green tunnels. Such variety.
– Why is it, again, that all these temple guardians are attacking the goddess’ chosen one?
– Oh, it’s because a demon has corrupted them. When/how did that get down here?
– Through the perfectly accessible back entrance staffed with two silent vendors of course!
– “Is it my hair!?“. Maybe this was worth playing after all.
– What color tunnel will it be this time? M-multi-colored!?
– Traps! How unexpected.
– Nice to see that Slay still works on trolls.
– Sure am glad I maxed out Inferno damage. Nothing like killing 5+ enemies from across the screen.
– What, no villain monologue? Weak.
– It uses the same moveset as the last endboss! And the ending is just as abrupt!
Yeah… so… don’t buy this unless you really like the combat system.