M
ost of us at Maximum PC really dug Oblivion—some of us could do little
else until we’d “finished” it, including sleep, eat, shower, or hit our dead-
lines.... When it was finally over, we went through a little withdrawal depres-
sion—there just wasn’t another game out or even on the horizon that appealed
to us as much.
We dabbled with fan-created add-ons and some of the game’s pay-to-
play content, but they barely scratched our exploration itch. Finally, the first
official expansion is here, and it was worth the wait.
In Shivering Isles you gain entrance to the Realm of Sheogorath—the
stomping grounds of the particularly nutty Daedric Prince of Madness—and
defend the land from “certain destruction.” OK, so the role of champion isn’t
exactly new, but the landscape certainly is. Sheogorath is unlike
anything we saw in Cyrodiil, and even at one-quarter its size, there’s
a lot to see.
Not only are the flora and fauna of Sheogorath unique, but so too are its
denizens. Sheogorath is generously populated with new NPCs, quests, sub-
quests, and baddies looking to split open your skull with their axes, swords,
arrows, and other implements of destruction. The main quest took us about 20
hours to beat, and there’s about another 10 hours of “smell the roses” content
tossed in for those that like to take the scenic route. You can play the game
with a new character or tackle it with your existing hero—either way, the game
will adapt to match your skill level.Well, almost. Aside from one nasty fight, the new content’s a bit too easy.
(If you’re looking for a challenge, it’s probably best to create a new character.)
The add-on is really more about dialogue and politics than unbridled brawling,
which might not be for everyone. And there’s not enough high-level kit to be
found, either.
However, the writing for this expansion kept us entertained throughout the
adventure. The scads of laugh-out-loud moments in this add-on again
made personal hygiene optional
until we finished our quest.
—Steve KlettThe Elder Scrolls IV:
Shivering Isles
Oblivion with a healthy dose of laughing gas
Y
ou never want to get on the bad side of God, especially when you’re one
of his elite angels. That’s what happened to Ryan Lennox (who bears
more than a striking resemblance to Ryan Reynolds), the rugged protagonist
of Infernal. You step into his forsaken boots as a fallen angel who is look-
ing for redemption—but still isn’t afraid to kick ass and take names. After
signing a contract with the devil, you’ll do dirty work for both good and
evil, smiting rogue monks, heretics, and other supernatural menaces in this
single-player-only fragfest.
The game takes you through monasteries, ironworks, and even an
aircraft carrier—varied locations that ensure you won’t notice the repetitive
action. The fast-paced gunfights take a cue from other established third-per-
son shooters: We jumped, dived, and circle-strafed while blasting away at an
endless supply of gimpy minions. Infernal even has a unique gameplay gim-
mick—using built-up mana power, you can unleash a hellfire attack that dra-
matically augments your current weapon. We also dug the ability to harvest
souls, which gives you upgrades and lets you reclaim health.
The game’s pace is hindered only by its mazelike levels. We felt very
restricted within the confined space of the maps and got bored with the
countless puzzles requiring us to find keys and alternate routes through
passageways. Even worse, we found ourselves occasionally stuck between
objects while using the game’s cover system. There’s no harsher punish-
ment than being trapped in a dark hallway, stuck to a barrel while goons
spew vulgarities at you from afar.
When it comes to shooting and killing, Infernal doesn’t disappoint.Mercenaries and mini-bosses were no pushovers—we needed to score head
shots and use cover to avoid losing our own noggin. The game includes plenty
of exciting weapons, ranging from RPGs to plasma rifles, and everything gets
kicked up a notch when you enable hellfire. Soft bloom and subtle lighting
effects had us convinced that the developers went all out with the
visuals. Too bad we can’t say
the same about the gameplay.
—NormaN ChaNInfernal
The gaming equivalent of a David Goyer action movie
90 MAXIMUMPC july 2007
reviews Tes Ted. Reviewed. veRdic Tized
Sheogorath is resplendent with detail and chock-full of impressive-
looking (but not so tough) baddies to keep your sword-arm swinging. though not as effective as the no-look punch, the no-look shot is
still pretty flashy.7
infernal
$40, http://www.infernalgame.com
ESRB: M8
shivering isles
$40, http://www.theelderscrolls.com
ESRB: M