Oooh. New RPG. It's a bit small for a review, but I feel like writing something so here we go...
'The March' is to be the first installment in the 'Shattered Kingdoms' campaign and - rather appropriately - involves a great deal of marching (interspersed of course with the usual pummeling and killing).
The hero of this saga is the enigmatic Sir Daniel, a man of very few words. Although his reticence characterises him quite effectively as a strong, stoical sort of gentleman, it does tend to leave us wondering what exactly is going on. The map is not what you would describe as plot-heavy, there is some discussion of a wicked king, Agbon, but little is revealed of him beyond the fact that he is a morally questionable character of royal status. Sir Daniel's part in this story also remains a mystery.
Sir Daniel has been charged with bringing to Altaras a gift of precious treasure, to be presented to the king. It is up to us to see that he does not fail. This is complicated by the fact that we are given control of Daniel alone - his men follow meekly behind him, accompanying the treasure-wagon. This mechanic sometimes presents a problem in that the wagon is being driven by the most inebriated man to ever have lived. The wagon weaves, ducks, and veers in the most obscure directions at the most inappropriate of times. The royal escort struggle to keep up with it, and the entire party often ends up a long way from their commander.
The mission itself is not heart-stoppingly difficult. The map is fairly linear and mostly involves following the road while the wagon trundles merrily along behind you. You will, however, encounter several parties of highly aggressive monsters - all intent on stealing your treasure (and possibly your internal organs). Combat can be quite frustrating, as you do not have direct control over your units, therefore the game is heavily reliant on Sir Daniel's healing ability. This can cause problems if, say, Daniel is engaged in a cutscene, admiring a peaceful fountain, while his entourage is getting systematically rampaged by a tribe of furious centaurs.
Overall, this map shows promise. It's not magnificent, but it works. Some attention to the story could make it more engaging (use this opportunity to give us some information about the world and the characters) and some tinkering with the wagon and soldiers would smooth out some of the combat issues. Will be interested to see how this unfolds.
Approved
