I've played every released iteration of Demigod and I'm happy with where the game has gone, even though I wish it had taken a much more distinctive flavor. The game is very easy to learn and that's what the goal was, so Stardock and GPG succeeded in achieving their vision. The AI has really improved and puts up a pretty mean fight now. I've trounced the AI nearly 100%, save for a loss on my first test run or I when I wasn't playing to win. With 3C, I lost 3 matches in a row last night. I played as a General with an all General team vs. TB, UB and Rook, and the AI was merciless in chasing me down for a death strike or falling back when clearly being kited into a wall of towers. The game is very stable single-player, no crashes at all.
The flow of gameplay is quick, a long match hitting the desired 30 minute mark with high tier units and artifacts. The end battles tend to lead to definite climaxes with huge armies of minions and dramatic music. It really looks and sounds like the End of All Things for one team. Every move in Demigod really counts but you really don't have a lot of time to think about it so you're constantly looking at the mini-map, seeing where the other Demigods are, flag ownership and minion upgrades. It seems the majority of element in Demigod plays a crucial role to the gameplay so I think it's a fun and solid offerering.
The game is beautiful, great graphics and smooth animations, especially each Demigods deaths. A lot of personality is shown when they are respawned and their eventual fall. Where I think Demigod falls on its face though are the artifacts. Whatever items you equip, they only thing they change are the numerical stats and abilities. It'd be a herculean effort on the art department for them to somehow reflect a graphic representation of the artifacts for each Demigod given their drastic design differences, but I wanted to SEE the new gizmo or item on a Demigod. Bling is cool when you have a singlular avatar that the whole game hinges upon.
The Demigods themselves are great but as most everyone requested, there needs to be some variations on Demigod skins. Also, it'd be nice to have a Demigod taunt button, a la Team Fortress 2. Yeah, it's not critical and it doesn't really do much for the game and probably everyone is focused on capping another flag instead of taunting over a fallen foe. But I think it'd add even more personality to the Demigods. I mean, how cool would it be to see Rook go into an emo-rage smashing his hammer around, pounding his chest and roaring after having pancaked someone? It'd make replays that much funner to watch.
The maps are awesome and provide for some wonderful scenery. Fully functional. But I really wish Stardock and GPG went overboard and integrated the wonderful backdrops into the match. Say for example, the prison map with the demon encased in crystal? Instead of a Citadel simply crumbling for the end scene how about you show that and then the demon breaking free of the crystal, filling the whole screen with his palm held out and the opposing team is teleported into his palm. Maybe the demon eats them, immolates, squishes them, etc. Something nasty to end the match with a really epic scene to make the players go, "Wow... they died and I don't think a life crystal will help..." Also, it'd be nice to see maps have further personality with a special minion portal tied to it that players contest over. Demon prison would spawn imps, Water would have water nymphs, etc. Also each map would have some sort of apocalypse trigger to fight over. Say for example, the map with all the water. It'd be neat to have a flood super trigger that would wipe the board clean of minions and Demigods.
Anyways, that's stuff I wish to see in a sequel or a really ambitious patch/expansion. As the game stands, it's great fun and good job to Stardock and GPG.
('-')y
