its an awesome game and i hope to play some of you in it!!
from
http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/121/1211210p1.htmlDeveloped by Trendy Entertainment, Dungeon Defenders throws action-RPG and tower defense gameplay into the proverbial blender to create a seamless mix of leveling, looting and high-action territorial combat for casual and core players alike. Dungeon Defenders features a lovingly-rendered watercolor art style and allows up to 4 players, online or locally, to take one of four distinct classes into fierce battle against ever-increasing waves of baddies and bosses across 15 arenas and multiple modes
it got an 8.5/10 but the press gave it a 9/10
You've probably heard this sort of statement made about certain games, but I mean it: you need to play Dungeon Defenders with other people. Sure, you could struggle alone and fail repeatedly across the many levels and risk missing the core of the game, but if you gather some friends for local co-op, or even go online with random strangers, you'll find countless hours of entrancingly addictive gameplay as it was intended to be enjoyed.
Think of Dungeon Defenders as a four-player tower defense game combined with a third-person action title. You pick an avatar from one of four iconic classes: the Apprentice (aka Mage); the Squire (aka the Warrior); the Huntress (aka the Elven Ranger); the Monk (aka...well, the Monk). Each class has unique special abilities that they combine with specific defensive structures. The Monk, for instance, is a fighter class that can summon sphere-shaped auras that can do things like slow enemies or do damage over time. The Squire, on the other hand, summons more direct defenses, putting up walls and other direct damage defenses to stop enemies and give other classes a chance to put the hurt on.
The goal, of course, is to survive all the waves of enemies. Each wave grows in number as you go on, and get increasingly difficult with each player that joins the fight (players can join mid-fight in between waves). Between each horde of enemies players get a chance to rebuild, upgrade and tighten up their defenses. The ultimate priority is defending the Eternia Crystal; if it falls, the level is over. Early in the campaign the levels have very simple layouts with only a single crystal and relatively few choke points, but things get much more strategic in the second half, where you're given multiple crystals to protect and a much greater variety of enemies to fight. A formula that you'd expect to become utterly repetitious manages to stay fun throughout because each level forces you to adapt to its unique layout and the various types of enemies you encounter. Crisis control is also important; when barriers start to fall, only a cohesive and communicative team will recover and hold the line.
Each class has a role on the battlefield, but they're definitely not all created equal. Play a few games online, and you'll see why the Squire is the most popular class. Not only can he wreak havoc with his melee attacks, but his defensive structures can deal damage as well as stop enemies in their tracks. The other classes catch up to his prowess in the higher levels, but the Squire rockets ahead of other players early on since experience is regrettably not shared. The Squire just doesn't seem to have any major weaknesses – something I don't think I could say for any other class – and can be a little frustrating to group with when they're killing everything before you have a chance.
With a good party, even a pick-up group made up of random strangers, I quickly found myself utterly addicted to Dungeon Defenders. Every level boils down the same objective, but as I said before, strategic adaptation keeps things interesting. What also keeps me hooked is the constant stream of loot and experience. Leveling up your hero and collecting that oh-so-precious booty keeps the proverbial carrot on a stick constantly dangling before you. I'm a sucker for that carrot, too, and it makes even defeat a bit easier. You see, losing a battle sucks in Dungeon Defenders, but you get to keep the spoils you find regardless. If you die you just equip the new hotness you've acquired, allocate points into stats if you leveled up, and go at it again.
While acquiring loot hooks me, after it's in the bag, I'm left with mixed feelings. The look of your weapon changes – and man do they look awesome sometimes – but that's it. No matter what helmet you put on, or breast plate you don, your character looks the same. It may not sound like that big of a deal to everyone, but for RPG nerds like me, visually distinctive gear a big part of the appeal; I love loot grinding, but I want others to see how badass I am just by looking at me.
On the upside, though, I love how you can level up weapons, giving you a reason to hang onto gear, and something to tweak in between the times when your character levels up. Killing monsters yields Mana, which you use to buy towers during each stage. After each level there's usually Mana left over, so you can use this – as well as any Mana you get for selling unneeded items – to put into your equipment. Each piece of equipment can usually be upgraded several times, allowing you to tweak its stats to better suit your playstyle. My Monk, for example, is all about Auras rather than direct attacks, so I constantly spend my excess Mana on equipment levels that allow me to better my role as a support class. Leveling up weapons is a nice way to keep me occupied when I'm not acquiring loot or getting experience, always giving me something to do to feel like I'm progressing.
I can talk all day about how engaging a round of Dungeon Defenders is, but I can't emphasize enough how important it is to find people to play with. Whether it's four-player local or online play – or any mix thereof – you need to play with others. Playing alone is, well, lonely, and results in frustrating and boring gameplay. Mix together a few classes, and the competition of players who can do better and each level becomes a frantic frag fest.
Rating
Description
out of 10
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8.0
Presentation
See how I didn’t even mention the plot? It’s that unimportant. Still, the interface is slick, and makes finding and interacting with party members enjoyable.
8.5
Graphics
Dungeon Defenders’ cartoony appearance makes it stand out. It’s delightful to look at, and gives the world a lot of character.
7.5
Sound
The music gets a bit too repetitive, but the sound effects are perfect for the silly nature of the world
8.5
Gameplay
The loot and RPG-leveling keeps me hooked despite any minor annoyances. Combat is simple and addictive, and placing towers takes a lot of strategic planning. Not very fun alone, though.
9.0
Lasting Appeal
You can play this for hours and hours, repeating levels over and over in a quest for the next piece of loot or level up. The best part, though, is that I want to.
8.5
OVERALL
Great
