Champions: Return to Arms

Though it owes much to Diablo II, Champions: Return to Arms deserves recognition for bringing a polished hack-and-slash RPG experience (with a robust online mode) to the PS2.

Fans may remember Champions of Norrath, an EverQuest-based hack-and-slash RPG from the makers of Baulder's Gate: Dark Alliance. Now, Snowblind Studios and Sony Online have upped the ante with Champions: Return to Arms, a sequel that's a classic case of more, more, more. Fans, no doubt, will be pleased.

Diabolique

Comparisons to Diablo II and Dungeon Siege are simply inevitable. The game borrows liberally from Blizzard's Diablo cannon, from the socket-able weapons and armor to the branching skill tree system. But in the process of borrowing these elements, Return to Arms makes several long overdue improvements, mostly to help streamline annoying chores. For example, fallen enemies tend to drop fewer items (but more gold), so you won't need to re-visit town every three minutes to hock loot. These changes may seem insignificant, but they'll thrill burned-out Diablo II veterans.

Aside from the new quest--which boasts a fourth, insanely tough difficulty level for the ultimate high-level character challengeReturn to Arms includes two new character classes (a feline Vah Shir Berserker and the reptilian Iksar Shaman) and thousands of fresh item possibilities. You can also choose their allegiance (Good or Evil) in the very first level, a decision that resonates throughout the game. Online play is as fun as ever, and includes new anti-cheating measures and a highly-requested matchmaking system. As for controls, combat and inventory-sorting are quick and clean. Spell-casting can be frustrating, though, as aiming projectiles is often a trial-and-error process.

We Are the Champions

Visually, Return to Arms pleases with slick magical effects and atmospheric 3D environments, which range from dingy dwarven mines to eerie water kingdoms. Only the repetitive dungeon layouts hold back the game's look. Sound-wise, the foreboding music and melodramatic voice-acting lend a fitting aura of mystery. Still, these sensory features almost seem secondary to the compulsive gameplay. After all, who needs pretty sights and sounds when youve got demonic hordes to slay?

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