Initial Impression

[Saxon1974]

Only played the game for 20 minutes this AM before heading to work but....

My initial impressions are:

- The new resolution sure is great, the screen is much more clear and distinct looking.

- Like the new GUI organization better, seems easier to manuever around.

- The new graphic tiles are fantastic, love the new large trees.

- New intro story quite nicely done.

Will post more impressions once I get more in depth into the game.

[ManusDei]

What I found really better, is that when you move, the environnement moves are much smoother than in Book I

[Ojisan]

Im soo dumb, i cant even identify dried meat

[Candew]

I concur with all that has been said (well..except for the dried meat ).

Downloaded and installed without issue and looks fantastic. I am on my first quest and loving it.

Yeah I know, not a in-depth review...too busy enjoying the game

[geishaboy]

It seems quite polished, animations are smoother, the graphics are nicer, menus are more innovative and that opening sequence was awesome

But the essence of the game has not been compromised, which truly is awesome. As soon as I fired it up I knew I was playing an Eschalon game

[Buckets]

I've played a few of hours now and am totally impressed.

I'm loving the storyline. The NPC characters are interesting and I especially like how I can go back to a character later and have new conversation options. The quests are also quite intriguing so far.

I've been playing around with exploding barrels too. Wow! What fun!

My style of play is quite slow and comprehensive, at least the first time through. I try to explore every area fully. To that end, I've taken cartography level 5 at the expense of having a weaker character. Turns out though I'm strong enough at the beginning.

My only concern is that I'm running out of food. The game is running out of food probably because I am spending so much game time exploring, bashing, repairing and resting. I just may starve to death

In any case, the game quality is excellent and I'm having the time of my life. Looks like I'll be playing this happily for years like I did Book I. Many thanks!

[xolotl]

Figured I'd hop into one of these threads to say that EB2 is, so far, basically everything I could have hoped it would be. I'm having a blast with it, and it looks like it's already well on its way to being just as detrimental to my sleep schedule as EB1 was. Thanks for the great game, BW!

My only concern is that I'm running out of food. The game is running out of food probably because I am spending so much game time exploring, bashing, repairing and resting. I just may starve to death :shock:

I've actually been a little worried about that too, to tell you the truth. I have yet to reach a point where I literally have no food, but my character's reserves are definitely running thin. I always want to buy more food at the inns, etc, but I basically clean them out every time, and rat meat can only go so far. :) Anyway, obviously I'll find out if it becomes an actual problem or not.

[Ojisan]

Playing healer that has spell summon food 6, ive become "food baron" now, and selling my food to inns instead

[Saxon1974]

I love the addition of food and water requirement, just makes the game a more realistic challenge. Im playing on hardcode mode and I think it makes the game much better.....

So far all the changes are fantastic. Im seeing some recipe's for alchemy for sale too which I had trouble finding in the first game.

[kopema]

My only concern is that I'm running out of food. The game is running out of food probably because I am spending so much game time exploring, bashing, repairing and resting. I just may starve to death

I've started out twice now, and I'm still having troubles. At first I ran out of money; then I tried to be as frugal as possible, but the inn ran out of supplies.

I'm starting to think there might be a REASON most games don't have this feature. I hate to disable something that the game was supposedly designed to have in it. But it really seems like it's more trouble than it's worth. I'm "roleplaying" grocery shopping. And even if I have a full pack, I have to remember to feed him before he goes to bed. Why not brush his teeth too?

What is the point? If food DID something in the game, like affect regeneration rates, it could add something to the fun - there would be meaningful decisions to make. And if something went wrong, you'd have strategic choices aside from slow starvation. Which really isn't all that much more interesting in a roleplaying game than it is in real life.

As it is, it just seems like intentionally adding annoyance for the sake of annoyance. At the start of the game, it creates a confusing, show-stopping roadblock at the time when you really don't need another one of those. And I assume that once you've got your grocery stores, budget and feeding schedule ironed out, it just turns into another mindless chore and inventory management mess to keep track of -- again, at the time when you need that stuff the least.

[xolotl]

As it is, it just seems like intentionally adding annoyance for the sake of annoyance. At the start of the game, it creates a confusing, show-stopping roadblock at the time when you really don't need another one of those.

Well, opinions will certainly differ. Personally I'm finding it to be a welcome addition of reality to the game (even despite my worrying that my food reserves seem to be running low). But in the end, isn't this why you can just choose to turn it off? Clearly this element of the game is Not For You, and BW kindly provided a very clear way to disable it. So why not just do that and
enjoy the game the way you want to?

[Kreador Freeaxe]

As it is, it just seems like intentionally adding annoyance for the sake of annoyance. At the start of the game, it creates a confusing, show-stopping roadblock at the time when you really don't need another one of those. And I assume that once you've got your grocery stores, budget and feeding schedule ironed out, it just turns into another mindless chore and inventory management mess to keep track of -- again, at the time when you need that stuff the least.

I'm likely to feel like you do, which is why, at least on my first play through, I plan to set all the options as close to Book I as possible, but for many other players here, these are precisely the sort of added challenges they felt were missing from Book I. So, I applaud BW for making a game that could be set to please both groups.

[Saxon1974]

Yes it is a matter of opinion, I love it but I realize others wont so giving the user a choice seems like a great idea.

And by the way, food does impact your Endurance. Not sure about other stats.

I also noticed eating apples replenishes a little bit of water as well as food.

[Dragonlady]

My only concern is that I'm running out of food. The game is running out of food probably because I am spending so much game time exploring, bashing, repairing and resting. I just may starve to death

I've started out twice now, and I'm still having troubles. At first I ran out of money; then I tried to be as frugal as possible, but the inn ran out of supplies.

I'm starting to think there might be a REASON most games don't have this feature. I hate to disable something that the game was supposedly designed to have in it. But it really seems like it's more trouble than it's worth. I'm "roleplaying" grocery shopping. And even if I have a full pack, I have to remember to feed him before he goes to bed. Why not brush his teeth too?

What is the point? If food DID something in the game, like affect regeneration rates, it could add something to the fun - there would be meaningful decisions to make. And if something went wrong, you'd have strategic choices aside from slow starvation. Which really isn't all that much more interesting in a roleplaying game than it is in real life.

As it is, it just seems like intentionally adding annoyance for the sake of annoyance. At the start of the game, it creates a confusing, show-stopping roadblock at the time when you really don't need another one of those. And I assume that once you've got your grocery stores, budget and feeding schedule ironed out, it just turns into another mindless chore and inventory management mess to keep track of -- again, at the time when you need that stuff the least.

Foraging skill helps a good deal. Check every barrel, chest, drawer, bodies and bags. If that doesn't help, then, as others have said. Click the no food/water option. For my first run through, I clicked off food/water AND repair items as it cost way too much money to survive. Now that I know where things are (beta testor ), I can turn those on and try to win the game that way.

Normally I don't like food requirements in games, too much like real life for me. I want to escape reality.

Also, if you have enough food to survive 7 days you can sleep in bed over and over and on 8th day the shops replenish just like they did in Book 1 and you can buy more food...or other stuff.

[Sajen]

I have to agree the food thing is starting to bug me. I am ok with the water requirement because it lasts a long time and its free to fill up at wells, but food you have to buy (unless you play a magic user apparently) and the food runs out quickly.

I got the foraging skill but it doesn't forage food (oddly enough)! It forages alchemy items. This is one area where I think the design of the game mis-stepped, the forage skill should do as expected and forage food items. As it is now if I start starving in the wilderness then I have to run back to town to buy some more food, that is annoying. If the forage skill instead actually gave food items, then I wouldn't mind the food requirement and would like it as added realism.

So I will probably end up turning the food off because it is starting to detract from my experience in the game.