Dungeon Siege III (2011)

It would be unfair to say that the series has sunk far, as this doesn't look, sound, or play like a real Dungeon Siege game. They've changed so much that it's basically just a completely different entity with the Dungeon Siege name stuck on the front. If you want to experience what this franchise really has to offer then you'd better stick with the PC Dungeon Siege and its expansion.

The Kingdom of Ehb is being oppressed by yet another tyrant (the amazingly-named Jeyne Kassynder) and you must trot your way through various lands and side-quests before taking her down. Sounds familiar, but in the translation from PC controls to PS3 controller the spirit is lost. Not only do you NOT get to create your own character (you must choose between a whopping range of 4) but the immersive, visionary score and themes by Jeremy Soule are out the window, replaced with more generic cues by a couple of nobodies. I only ever got to partner with one other warrior in the whole quest (I played as Katarina and partnered with Anjali), which is much less satisfying than attacking in huge packs as with the first 2 games. There are no inns either. There are lots of buildings but you cannot enter most of them to meet people. The spell and melee operation is totally different too, simplified to the point where it almost doesn't exist. All you'll do is trot around and shoot. Katarina's rifle handling is terrible, and she'll frequently aim far wide of what you wish to aim for. Plain and simple, this kind of game does not belong on a console.

There are 55 trophies available (including the 10 from the DLC), but they REALLY make you work hard for them. You will spend literally hours with nothing being rewarded for your effort. Many of the trophies, including the Platinum are dependent on online play, which I don't agree with, and some of them are even glitched so you will not be rewarded despite meeting the requirements.

A poor effort, and a pale imitation of what this series should be.

Graphics B Sound B- Gameplay C Lasting Appeal C