Night Watch: Review

Frankly, I am a fan of the work of Sergei Lukyanenko. And perhaps one of his most beloved works I have a cycle "Night patrol".
Yes, I am the same fan who vies the names of the main and not very heroes, seeks to analyze all the intricacies of the plot in detail. But the reviewer should be objective, so during our review I will try to forget about my preferences.
Let’s start the operation.

Everyone get out of the gloom!

Press releases and interviews taken from the developers of Nival Interactive have more than once forced to sigh admiringly and count the days before the release of the game in the calendar. Moreover, "Night patrol" He promised to be interesting not only to those who are in the know, but also to completely third -party players, by hearsing familiar with others and their magic. Judge for yourself, incredibly beautiful step -by -step tactics in familiar Moscow surroundings, flavored with magic, entertaining plot and other goodies. It sounds great.
But, alas, fate loves to talk to us good kicks. In practice, everything is much less rosy. Patient, on the operating table. Sister, alcohol!

Acquaintance with the dusk

Already scrolled in my advice head a possible option for the beginning of events? Some inexperienced student-mage falls into the alteration and. Sit down, two! Our hero is a killer with a good name Stasik. The typical Hitman, who passed the conscience in the liquid-vodka stall.
Stasik suffers. Acute lack of financial resources. And so, in order to correct an unenviable position, he accepts the order of a strange man, vaguely reminiscent of a famous actor. The order is a pretty girl who, apparently, so successfully sent a charge of female charm to the hormonal centers of Stas that he does not dare to shoot at her. The customer appears as if from nowhere and explains that the denyuzhka said: "Bye bye!" And flew away. But they can be returned if you finish the work.
A dilemma stands in front of Stas. But it costs for a short time – a bright sorceress Olga appears in the arena, and everything immediately clarifies.
Stas is an incomplete different (I explain, this is a person with potential magical abilities who still does not know about them), the customer is the head of the Moscow daytime patrol Zagolon with his own person, planning to lure the Glaveroi on the dark side.
After spectacular fireworks and folk dancing peasants with a tambourine around the fire, Zavolon is retreated, and Olga introduces Stas to the course.
Such is the plot tie, and, probably, you guessed that our hero is from now on – the operative of the night patrol.

Magic rod – in the right hand, the amulet – to the left. You know where you have the right hand!? What spoon is you holding? This? Here in it is a rod, and in another – an amulet!

Such an intricate title marks the transition to, in fact, gameplay. I think it is not necessary for me to give the smallest details, because a rather sensible tutorial awaits you. Make the most unobvious moments, teach to apply skills and develop characteristics.
First, you have to choose one of the three specializations of the character.
AKA wizard is a specialist of combat, medical and household and applied magic. Its main weapons are powerful spells, and this character develops, receiving new, more effective spells.
Sorcerer – enchantment specialist. Takes everything that falls by the arm, and enchantes. But this does not mean that he can force, say, to give the bench to enemies in susals. But the amulet – will create, the rod – squeaks, the healing spell will hang on the apple. The choice between the magician and the sorcerer is quite complicated, but I advise you to decide so. Confuse allies – take a sorcerer. He will help comrades great. If you want to go through the game, fighting – the battle magician will be more useful.
Well, the third specialization is a shift. Knows how to contact the animal, and his combat skills in this state are significantly increased. The enemy magician will break into many small magicians, if not with ease, then, in any case, without much work.
By the way, specialization does not cement Stas tightly in narrow framework. No one prevents the sorcerer, capable of lotting a sensitive crack in a magical duel, and this is perhaps right.
The role system is godlessly cut. Well, what is the role -playing system when a beautiful phrase "character development" call them the gradual acquisition of new spells. Yes, they are beautiful, and they can jerk so that the fish will jump out of the aquarium, but why is it all, if the depths and thoughtfulness are from Gulkin’s nose.
The game is positioned as tactics. Do not believe, friends. To the real tactician, like Fallout, Jagged Alliance And "Silent Storm operations" She, like a Paris city. And if now the standard is such tactics – either hang yourself or shoot developers for hack. Yes, tactical elements are definitely present, but this is also cut down "I can’t". You think that the character’s position affects the injuries received by him, and the degree of severity is calculated depending on the place of lightning or fire ball? No, nothing like that is at all.
We either prem into battle, or shamefully dump from the field of scolding. And the tactical element is limited to the selection of spells suitable for the situation. Very sad. But there is an element of sober calculation here. After all, the game is on the film license, and, therefore, is obliged to be friendly to a wide player. If in order to get comfortable in the gamers, you need to study a multi-page guide, this is not very good.
But stop rain. Give a pure truth. And the verdict is as follows: tactics-boorrate, definitely, Will not like it. It’s too much.

We wander in the plot more often

To great joy, the plot is fascinating. It is truly exciting. The writer Leonid Kaganov worked on him, whom Sergei Lukyanenko himself recommended Nivalians. Well, the developers and players benefit from this. Very even, interesting and delaying narrative. Bitch, even if there is, do not come across eyes. Hence the paradox. The gameplay is weak, there are few speakers, tactics are mercilessly carved as a class, but, thanks to the efforts of Kaganov, is played with great interest.
The only complaint causes humor. No, he is not bad. But jokes are somewhat flat. It was possible to attach more efforts to such an important and necessary aspect.

Ba -bah – not good. Here is b-ba-bah-it will go.

Graphics, as you can judge by screenshots, is not bad. Juicy special effects, beautiful spells, even the dusk was not spoiled by the indefatigable flight of designer thought – in fact, one to one with a book description. In general, great.
But we can’t do without a slap. Models of characters, of which there are two and a half, do not add optimism. Very kind of uniformity annoying.
Sound portions are measured on pharmaceutical scales. No more, no less than necessary. Fireball flies with a characteristic "HSH-SH-Sh!", explodes with loud "Ba-bahch", And from the discharges lightning vibrates the reperton drum. Voice acting at the proper level.

We will summarize today’s successful operation. The patient is step -by -step "tactics" with a trimmed tactical component, underdeveloped role -playing system, a good (no more) graphics, very, very worthy sound accompaniment and an excellent plot. It is worth playing, at least in order to evaluate the script of the work of a professional.
Tactics-veterans are not recommended, because the grief is most likely to outweigh positive emotions. Everyone else is quite possible. Especially after watching the second part "Night patrol", which threatens to go out this year.
Let’s decide on the final assessment. Six and a half? Little. Seven? It seems that there are also few, but here are seven and a half – already a lot. Therefore, we will dwell on seven out of ten.