I really struggled to get into the expansion but the core game is just fantastic. I think I have 86 hours on the clock and was the best game I played last year. Really need to get back and give the expansion a little more time.

Curtis wrote:

making the whole thing a grueling slog

Sounds like fun.

Finally got around to firing tho up from Plus and it's good stuff! Had some rude introductions already to the save system and now save after almost any event. 

I was wondering about the Pawns though. I think I remember seeing that there were some friends list pawns that I could get hold of that were at least 50 levels above my starting point. Aren't they going to just totally game break everything or have I got it wrong? 
I ended up sticking with some randoms picked form my levels (wish at the time iirc?) but should you stick with one party or keep swapping out for new ones?

Ah ha. I should have guessed when it mentioned that any kit is donated to the owner of the Pawn. Will go hunt some more up to date little buggers then.

I've started this twice.  Am I playing a different game?  The thing I'm playing is a slippery, confused mess, with headless chicken NPCs getting in the way every time I'm trying to be a badass fantasy hero.

I also had that version. My favourite part was when all the NPCs were talking at the same time.

I did find that into/tutorial section a bit odd too. Seemed to have a large party of Pawns and not initially a lot of idea about what's going on. Some of the magic dudes seemed to buff you randomly, you have no real idea of your skill sets or how to use your hits and so it all felt a bit hacky, button mashy type affair that the fancy night lighting got me through really. The final boss fight and his climbability that suggested there was a bit more to it kept me in for the first town too. 

Once you get through that to start from absolute scratch, learn the basic moves, go it alone for a bit with your own chara and get the first selection of collect 18 boar testicles quests it felt far more like a large (and pretty.. but crappy draw distance. Roll on next gen please) type MMO mission thing without quite the full MMO actual humans to play with. Pawns seem to flesh out that with handy enough teammates to cure and buff as necessary. 

Very early days for me still but I do like it now I'm getting more into the crafting, enhancing and vocations stuff with some light control of your main Pawn it does look as if I could stick around for a bit. I always like a bit of a grind to get my pointless stats go up by one more point so perhaps it's just a good fit for me.

So I met the Duke (cue long, naff cut-scene) and just did the 'Arousing Suspicion' quest. Not sure how that shizzle passed Q&A. It completely destroys the narrative logic of the game.

Probably not going to continue with it tbh, but I agree that it does show flashes of greatness. A next-gen sequel with online co-op (and some decent writers/quest designers) and it could potentially be amaze.

I'm still balls deep in this too Dubs. Having to take it slow as time often doesn't permit but I've only just come off the back of yet another huge quest involving massive day long treks all over the shop, huge beasties of al manner to hunt and clamber all over with a light bit of cross dressing in the middle… I do love me a bit of the trusty Japanese madness now and again. 
Great stuff so fa but I'm thinking of swapping out my Strider (I think?) for a more brutal traditional English Ranger Longbowman. L33t Snipe3 to help out the Pawns...

Yep, got it from PS+ which is the Dark Arisen version.  Went there at the start of the game because the notification was annoying.  First enemy was a wolf, "pfft, I can take these" I thought, right before he mauled my whole party.  Looking forward to returning, I'll have to get a full Demon's/Dark Souls-themed party together for it.

Hanging around The Abbey waiting for nightfall at the moment.  Need to pull some ogre teeth.

Dubs wrote:

Yep, got it from PS+ which is the Dark Arisen version.  Went there at the start of the game because the notification was annoying.  First enemy was a wolf, "pfft, I can take these" I thought, right before he mauled my whole party.  Looking forward to returning, I'll have to get a full Demon's/Dark Souls-themed party together for it. Hanging around The Abbey waiting for nightfall at the moment.  Need to pull some ogre teeth.

You'll probably wanna clear the main story before attempting Dark Arisen, cause it's tough as nails and you'll wanna be leveled and proper tooled up.

Got Dark Arisen on shopto for around a tenner, playing it through now! Forgot how playable this game is!

So I picked up Gothic 4 and Risen 2 recently and realised they were shit so decided to give this another go.

Playin' mage as I didn't get on with the melee system at all last time out.  It still delights and frustrates in equal measures, but I'd love to see a next-gen sequel.  Unlikely now that Capcom has put all its hydra's heads in one basket with Deep Down.

Its worth trawling a few FAQs to figure out the fast travel system and how to climb bosses.

For instance, I've only now just figured out after played for countless hours that you push the left thumbstick forward to 'scale' the creature after the initial jump and grab move.

The lack of hand holding on this and many other issues can infuriate at times, but it's worth sticking with!

Not Dark Souls/10