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PS2 | RPG | Summoner

Boxart for Summoner
Summoner 12 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 4.5
  • SOUND: 4.5
  • CONTROL: 3.5
  • FUN FACTOR 4.0
  • AVG USER SCORE 2.8
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 3.5

Review: Summoner

Review by UNCLEDUST | 11/24/2000 | 14:47:41 PM PST

The PlayStation 2 is rolling out a healthy lineup of RPGs at its launch, with Summoner leading the way.

The PlayStation 2 is rolling out a healthy lineup of RPGs at its launch, with Summoner leading the way. But even with the immense graphical power of the new system, Summoner's unique mix of console and PC RPG elements doesn't quite form a perfect union.

Let's Go, Farmer Joe!
A war is brewing and Joseph, the lead character of Summoner, is caught right in the middle. A simple farmer born with the power to summon demons, Joseph is forced to lead a group of adventurers as they seek to accumulate several magical rings. The story moves slowly-mostly thanks to the incredibly deep history of the land and characters presented in the game. You can go on dozens of sub-quests that sidetrack you from your main goal, but help you gather necessary experience and items. After your party of four is fully assembled, battles get more interesting and the game becomes much more intense as you connect the many dots of information you have received throughout your numerous quests.

The World Is a Big, Scary Place
Graphically, Summoner presents a world bigger than just about anything presented in a console game before. This is good and bad-good because there's lots of cool scenery to explore, bad because the huge world can be a repetitive place that forces you to trek back and forth for several minutes to accomplish simple goals. Short draw-in distance and long load times are another annoyance. Character design is well done, but personages look rather lifeless up close.

The game's soundtrack is a fine mix of orchestrated music with solid voice-acting and sound effects, which enhances both the action scenes and the story scenes. Controls are the sticky spot for Summoner. While all the menus and commands are easy enough to find and use, they can be very cumbersome and awkward in the heat of battle with four party members and a summoned creature fighting at once. The real-time battle system is odd, with strange pauses and unwieldy A.I., which causes party members to run off when you need them or to randomly move or change targets. Also, spell-casting is unreliable at times, since you're stopped mid-cast if you get hit by a missile weapon.

A Good Start
Summoner is a good start for PS2 RPGs, but lacks the polish, artistry, and refined story line of some recent PlayStation RPGs. It delivers a deep story, however, and a unique game engine, and should give you weeks, if not months, of adventuring on your brand-new PS2.


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