Released on 17/06/2011

• Dungeon Siege III announced

  Dungeon Siege III announced

  Good news for any fans of dungeons and sieges - Dungeon Siege III has been announced by Square Enix, and it promises to be a bit special.

  The sequel to the classic action-RPG series is in development with Obsidian Entertainment, with the game's original creators Gas Powered Games and its boss Chris Taylor making sure everything's up to snuff.

  "Allying the intuitive gameplay of an action game with a proven role-playing system, Dungeon Siege 3 will take place in an immersive world where each of the player's decisions will have consequences," says the game's press release, quoted on the French site AGB. The site goes on to offer a few basics on the story, which concerns the crumbling of a fragile alliance between two powerful factions, with you stuck somewhere in between them both trying to hold things together.

  Dungeon Siege III will be built around multiplayer, featuring local and online options, and will be available at an undisclosed date for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Obsidian are busy people at the moment, it would seem, having just released spy RPG Alpha Protocol while shepherding Fallout: New Vegas through its final stages of development.

• Dungeon Siege III Review

  Treasure Test
  

  Everything you need to know about co-op action RPG Dungeon Siege III (PC, Xbox 360, PS3) is contained in the animation that plays when you open a chest. The lid flips open and a spray of gold and magic weapons is shot nine feet into the air like some heavy-duty party popper, before coming crashing down at your feet.
  

  It's ridiculous. Even the most out-there of Hollywood's fantasy heroes would raise a chiseled eyebrow at chests being so excited to see them that they squirt their contents across the room. Yet this animation is also lovingly crafted and completely hypnotising, just like the rest of Dungeon Siege 3.
  

  The game tells the story of the 10th Legion, the legendarily skilled army that marched East in order to found the game's fantasy kingdom of Ehb, but in the centuries of prosperity that followed they lost their holdings and most of their number. But when somebody puts a bounty out on surviving 10th Legion descendants (which includes you), your ancient fighting force is roused from its slumber like a sleeping bear prodded with a sharp stick. Your objectives, then, are three-fold: (1) Restore the Legion to fighting strength, (2) Find out who put the bounty on you, and (3) Poke them with an even sharper stick.
  

  Ehb and Flow
  

  The plot, however, is only as important as you want it to be. Between the world assuming the shape of a series of long and very pretty corridors, and the game's breadcrumb help system that tells you in exactly which direction you should be fighting, you could easily complete Dungeon Siege 3 in a demented haze without listening to a word that anyone has to say. You'd be missing out on a variety of entertainingly difficulty decisions (kill the prisoner or free her? Negotiate with the local savages or attack quickly?), but it's the combat on offer that represents the greatest of the game's achievements - and will be more than enough to keep anybody playing.
  

  Just like the chests, combat is hypnotising and lovingly crafted. The visual effects of your chosen character's many abilities all flash and crackle excellently. Defeated enemies all crumple to the ground in a comedy fashion, the environments and enemies change quickly enough that you're always gawping at something new, and the fights have a strange way of absorbing however much attention you feel like giving them.

  
  This is what makes DS3 a fantastic co-operative game. With the exception of the occasional boss fight, you can be idly chatting to whoever might be sat next to you while playing the game as a button-masher, and you'll still probably come limping through the battles in one piece.

  
  But equally, if you're playing the game alone or you and your friend want to go ripping through the enemy like a pair of sawblades, using all of your character's abilities in precisely the right situation while remembering to dodge and block transforms the game into a nightmare that'll keep you on your toes.
  

  Shirt off your back
  

  The only problem with the game occurs when you try to put all of that hard-earned loot to good use. It's not that the equipment screen is that much of a pain to navigate around, it's just that you won't really care. Stopping periodically to check and see whether you've found any trousers that are better than your current trousers is tedious when it should be thrilling. You'll feel like a model stalking down a catwalk, only to have to get changed into a slightly different scrap of fabric in an undignified fashion. It's all the sadder because loot is something the first two Dungeon Siege games knocked out of the park.
  

  But never mind that. This is a great little action game whether played alone (and with an AI partner), or with a friend or three, and it has chests so eager to please that they shoot loot nine feet into the air. Sometimes, that's more than enough.
  

  

  Sieging:
  + Dazzling, fast-paced combat.
  + Consistent variety.
  + Simple, solid story.

  Sucking:
  - Dull equipment management.
  - No sense of danger.
  - Too few boss fights.

• Dungeon Siege III DLC coming next month

  Square Enix's hit role-playing title Dungeon Siege III is to receive a new injection of downloadable content next month that will add several extra hours of gameplay.

  The Dungeon Siege III: Treasures of the Sun content pack is out on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in October and will see players travelling beyond the world of Ehb to the new Aranoi Desert region.

  Once there, they will be able to embark on a new story arc that sees them searching for a lost hero of the Legion, defeating new enemies as they discover the secret of a hidden relic of the Azunite faith.

  Treasures of the Sun will include never-before-seen monsters, abilities, items and locations, as well as raising the level cap from 30 to 35 so gamers can power their characters up further.

  The DLC will also introduce a new enchanting system and the ability to re-allocate Talent and Proficiency points.

  Dungeon Siege III, from RPG specialist Obsidian Entertainment, launched in June 2011 and offers moral choice and robust action in a role-playing experience for up to four online players.

  Published: 05/09/2011

• RPG developer Obsidian hints at Dungeon Siege 4

  Internet detectives got busy today when the homepage for legendary RPG developer Obsidian was replaced with an image of an ouroboros - that's a dragon in a circle eating his own tail - along with the number four and a cryptic message: "What do the words mean? Nothing. The Dirge of Eir Glanfath is sound without form, a lone voice crying out in mourning because it must."

  Those canny souls who poked around in the page's HTML source code found another clue: "X . X X . X X To tenderness, fellowship. To fellowship, vigilance. So bring we all to the Night Market. I am the Spindle of Esenath. Know me by my light and stand with me in darkness."

  Clicking on the logo took visitors to a forum on the Obsidian message boards dedicated to something called "Project X". Obsidian developed Dungeon Siege 3 last year, while Dungeon Siege publisher Square Enix has confirmed it is working with a western developer on a new game, leading fans to speculate that this is a tease for a return to the kingdom of Ehb.

  It might be a while before Project X, whatever it may be, sees the light of day. Obsidian is currently hard at work on the South Park RPG, The Stick of Truth, for THQ. That's due for release in March 2013.

  Published: 11/09/2012

• Dungeon Siege III - Review

  
  

  

  Treasure Test

  Everything you need to know about co-op action RPG Dungeon Siege III is contained in the animation that plays when you open a chest. The lid flips open and a spray of gold and magic weapons is shot nine feet into the air like some heavy-duty party popper, before coming crashing down at your feet.

  It's ridiculous. Even the most out-there of Hollywood's fantasy heroes would raise a chiseled eyebrow at chests being so excited to see them that they squirt their contents across the room. Yet this animation is also lovingly crafted and completely hypnotising, just like the rest of Dungeon Siege III.

  The game tells the story of the 10th Legion, the legendarily skilled army that marched East in order to found the game's fantasy kingdom of Ehb, but in the centuries of prosperity that followed they lost their holdings and most of their number. But when somebody puts a bounty out on surviving 10th Legion descendants (which includes you), your ancient fighting force is roused from its slumber like a sleeping bear prodded with a sharp stick. Your objectives, then, are three-fold: (1) Restore the Legion to fighting strength, (2) Find out who put the bounty on you, and (3) Poke them with an even sharper stick.

  

  Ehb and Flow

  The plot, however, is only as important as you want it to be. Between the world assuming the shape of a series of long and very pretty corridors, and the game's breadcrumb help system that tells you in exactly which direction you should be fighting, you could easily complete Dungeon Siege III in a demented haze without listening to a word that anyone has to say. You'd be missing out on a variety of entertainingly difficulty decisions (kill the prisoner or free her? Negotiate with the local savages or attack quickly?), but it's the combat on offer that represents the greatest of the game's achievements - and will be more than enough to keep anybody playing.

  Just like the chests, combat is hypnotising and lovingly crafted. The visual effects of your chosen character's many abilities all flash and crackle excellently. Defeated enemies all crumple to the ground in a comedy fashion, the environments and enemies change quickly enough that you're always gawping at something new, and the fights have a strange way of absorbing however much attention you feel like giving them.

  This is what makes DS III a fantastic co-operative game. With the exception of the occasional boss fight, you can be idly chatting to whoever might be sat next to you while playing the game as a button-masher, and you'll still probably come limping through the battles in one piece.

  

  But equally, if you're playing the game alone or you and your friend want to go ripping through the enemy like a pair of sawblades, using all of your character's abilities in precisely the right situation while remembering to dodge and block transforms the game into a nightmare that'll keep you on your toes.

  Shirt off your back

  The only problem with the game occurs when you try to put all of that hard-earned loot to good use. It's not that the equipment screen is that much of a pain to navigate around, it's just that you won't really care. Stopping periodically to check and see whether you've found any trousers that are better than your current trousers is tedious when it should be thrilling. You'll feel like a model stalking down a catwalk, only to have to get changed into a slightly different scrap of fabric in an undignified fashion. It's all the sadder because loot is something the first two Dungeon Siege games knocked out of the park.

  But never mind that. This is a great little action game whether played alone (and with an AI partner), or with a friend or three, and it has chests so eager to please that they shoot loot nine feet into the air. Sometimes, that's more than enough.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good:

  • Dazzling, fast-paced combat.
  • Consistent variety.
  • Simple, solid story.

  The Bad:

  • Dull equipment management.
  • No sense of danger.
  • Too few boss fights.

  Published: 22/06/2011

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