Gaming Dragon's Dogma' proves a letdown despite its potential, writes Bruce Gorton

GAME: DRAGON'S DOGMA

• SYSTEM: XBOX 360
• PRICE: R499
• AGE RESTRICTION: 18

Dragon's Dogma is a remarkable failure - it gets some things right and some basic things wrong.

In the plus column it has a beautiful world based on Mediterranean, not Norse, mythology. This is a change from the cold north.

It also gets the ''boss battles" absolutely right. The bosses have vulnerable points that can be removed to make the battle easier, and the monsters are all reasonably unique.

The ''non-boss battles" are against varied enemies who each handle differently.

The classes are well-defined, fun and different to each other, and while your pawns tend to talk non-stop, your ability to trade them gives the game an interesting dynamic. Unfortunately, there are basic things wrong with this game. Foremost is that Capcom shipped it with only one save slot.

I haven't seen this for years ; it means that if you make a mistake and save, you cannot go back.

Most games allow multiple saves.

Fast travel is limited which, given the large area within the game, means that, after a few hours, things get tedious.

While enemies are varied, they are not random, and they spawn in the same places.

The side quests are, well, bad. Too many of them are simply kill quotas and notmuch thought has gone into making them interesting.

The quests for hunting fantastic beasts are fun because of the boss battles, not because of the quests.

The story and writing are neither good nor bad, but the game deserves better.

The plot revolves around a dragon that steals your heart, prompting your quest to get it back.

The game starts on an epic note, which then becomes an excuse for you to go on a big journey to kill big beasts.

Overall, this game will be appreciated for its potential. It is like Morrowind - flawed, but redeemable if Capcom perseveres with it.

The good

Great boss battles, nice scenery, varied enemies and fun combat.

The bad

So-so writing, only one save slot, the game opens up with an advert for DLC, and the lack of quick travel can make the game tedious at times.

Rating: 6/10