Recent reviews by v_hazard

Dex is a dialogue driven, Combat RPG from the side view perspective (think 2-dimensional platformer like prince of persia). It's a rare game that embraces a purist William Gibson cyberpunk universe semi-direct from the 1980's. It uses a simple RPG system. It has no character creation, and a mildly inconsequential character leveling system. And unfortunately it's lacking in some of the better qualities of a platformer as well. Combat feels overly chaotic when using firearms and overly scripted when fighting hand to hand. However, it still succeeds in presenting a very entertaining cyberpunk RPG title.

Dex wastes no time in getting you into the action and lets you know exactly what kind of cyberpunk game this is going to be. Its an RPG with lots of reading, it's a corps vs hackers vs new gods known as AI science fiction story, and it's not going to guide you through solving each of it's numerous puzzle-like quests. After introducing the player to an intriguing main plot Dex then throws the player into the grimy crime riddled city of Harbor Prime, with barely a direction to go. So it does well to give you numerous side quests to perform while you search for answers and explore the extensive city. WIth it's endearingly homegrown voice overs and corny dialogue.

The city, Harbor Prime, needs a mention, because it's one of the highlights of this game and a great joy to see done so well. Dex uses 2 dimensional side view areas in a 3 dimensional city scape and it makes it feel natural. It's hard to explain in vague terms, but when you are in the Chinese Quarter district and you see the entrance for Taijo as a lit street market extending beyond the backdrop of a level, and then you see it represented in the top down view of the city map it makes perfect sense and it makes the city that much richer to explore.

Dex is lacking in a few prized elements of an RPG, such as class and gender open character creation. It also possesses platform game controls that are sometimes itself the challenge rather than the platform levels and enemies. Specifically combat becomes un-fun when you can't run and aim a firearm simultaneously. These shortcomings aren't enough to make me stop enjoying it, though. I really am enjoying Dex.