Graphics
As you work your way through Titan Quest you should be suitably impressed by the number and variety of creatures in the game world. Within the first few hours of play you’ll have encountered many different types of satyrs, harpies, spider demons, zombies, skeletons and even a bloody great Cyclops. So there’s no doubt that there’s enough variety in here to keep you interested.
A little later in the game you’ll visit the Gorgon’s cave to take on Medusa and her two sisters… no, sorry, no kinky fourway action here, it’s a battle to the death. Just wandering around the countryside can get you into trouble with wild creatures such as carrion crows and boars, which will attack you if you get too close. This makes for an action packed game from the moment you start as there’s always someone spoiling for a punch up. As you move through the game these wild animals get beefier, to provide a consistent challenge as you yourself level up.
Click for larger imageThe actual environment in Titan Quest looks awesome. Developers Iron Lore have built in a day and night cycle which is enhanced by a great use of sound. Nightime sees the countryside a much quieter place with just those irritating crickets chirping away broken up by the occasional grunting and snorting of nearby creatures. When day breaks the landscape is softly lit by the Sun’s morning rays and you hear the birds starting to wake and sing from the trees. All it needs is Edvard Grieg’s ‘Morning’ to make it complete…
The detail built into the Titan Quest world is superb. On your travels you’ll come across villages that have been attacked and set alight, the flames crackle and burn realistically, even swaying in the wind. As you run through fields the plants sway and move under your feet as you pass which all helps to add to the feeling of immersion. The scenery is nicely varied, ranging from swamps and marshes to small towns, farmlands and cities. Also dotted around the landscape are plenty of caves to explore and plunder, each filled with lots of different creatures.
Click for larger imageThe draw distance is impressive too as occasionally you’ll see what is waiting for you ahead. You can be standing at the top of a cliff that leads down to a beach and down below you’ll see some creatures milling about on the sand. The perspective and scaling is for these moments is near perfect, giving a great feeling of depth and realism and, to top it all off, everything in the world has real time shadows (if your system can handle them).
