Expeditions: Viking

Rich storytelling and a robust party-driven, old-school RPG with turn-based combat gives this game luster and excitement. Expeditions: Viking harkens back to the good old days of gaming when players could waste hours playing Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, or Neverwinter Nights. Of course, this is a more modern development, but that sense of grand adventure is present. Players have the ability to make decisions that shape their clan and open up (or close) new avenues of adventure. The game has a solid storyline, enough difficulty levels to appeal to every level of experience, and graphics that carry the theme and spark the imagination. Players should be aware that there are no visible options to tone down the violence or temper the language to create an atmosphere for younger players. The bloody death blows -- which aren't overdone but rather are appropriate for the weapons used to deliver the final blows -- and the use of expletives drive home the game's setting and feel.

The audio plays second fiddle to the graphics, but it's decent. This is really more of a text-driven game, with players receiving several choices as responses. You can also save at any point, making it possible to revisit and make different decisions. One thing that players do need to keep an eye on is what weaponry to take into battle. There seems to be a random bug that cancels weapons and has the controlled character marching into battle trying to use fists against opponents' weapons. Checking out armaments in the inventory, upgrading as needed, and playing to character archetypes prior to engaging in battle does help lessen the frequency of this minor flaw. There's a lot to be said for picking the right weapon to go into battle with; for example, taking a bow into a solo battle against a warrior with a sword and shield reduces the chances of winning by a lot. Overall, Expeditions: Viking is a terrific find that's rife with options, customization abilities, and a great deal of fun. This is an easy recommendation.