Dungeon Siege

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 287 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 199 out of 287
  2. Mixed: 65 out of 287
  3. Negative: 23 out of 287
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  1. NewbieN.
    May 5, 2002
    6
    Pros: Amazingly nice 3D graphics. Some cool levels (such as the alien level) Cons: A bit too easy. Lots of copycat stuff from Icewind dale, Diablo II, and Baldur's Gate.
  2. keefbaker
    Nov 3, 2013
    6
    Well, graphically this game clearly looks awful now but who cares, it's not about that. I guess the primary problem is now is that while you can see the incredible influence this game has had on others, unfortunately its progeny such as Torchlight completely blow it out of the water now making this feel like just a basic grinder.
  3. Kurtz
    Dec 22, 2011
    7
    Quite a long and fun game with tons of items, areas and fun to be had. It does lack substantial depth however. Still the graphics are pleasing and the soundtrack is fantastic. The game however did not keep me enticed long enough to finish it and does become a bit monotonous.
  4. lucidanarchy
    May 25, 2012
    7
    I thoroughly enjoyed playing Dungeon Siege with my mates over a lan which brought endless fun. This is one of the best RPG's out there. I particularly liked the style of graphics.
  5. BitBurn
    Jun 1, 2002
    7
    Graphics are awesome. Sounds are great too. The music is also excellent. The gameplay..well in the beginning it's very interesting but as the game progresses it gets a bit dull.
  6. Qarren
    Mar 25, 2021
    7
    Did you know that, if you're astute enough, you can work out what this game is about solely by reading the title? After beating this game, I can only surmise that this game has something to do with conquering underground labyrinths full of monsters. Maybe they should have put something about that in the title.
    I want to go back to a time when games were still experimental, and genres    Did you know that, if you're astute enough, you can work out what this game is about solely by reading the title? After beating this game, I can only surmise that this game has something to do with conquering underground labyrinths full of monsters. Maybe they should have put something about that in the title.
    I want to go back to a time when games were still experimental, and genres weren't so strictly defined by what's marketable and proven a hundred times. You want an action RPG where you can control up to 8 characters who mostly automate combat so you can sit back and put the kettle on boil for a cup of tea. F&%k it, have a Dungeon Siege and make an Earl Grey for me.
    Is Dungeon Siege the greatest action RPG ever made?
    I don't know; is scat a valuable genre of p$rnography?
    Probably not, but if you made that claim I wouldn't think you any lesser. I just wouldn't ever hug you, or shake your hand.
    And finally:
    Was that line of questioning really necessary?
    You decide.
    The issue with a genre-expanding game like this is that fans like its uniqueness and don't want to hear the genuine criticisms the game deserves. It's an experiment, a dream brought to life; not the acting career of Ewan McGregor. On the other hand, people will hate this game more than it deserves out of a misplaced repulsion of games doing their own thing.
    Dungeon Siege boasts an amazing map to adventure through. There are no loading screens and the journey is vast. I can not understate how good it feels to immersively wander ever onwards, always feeling like there is an infinite, untapped breadth of world before you. I'd sell treadmills with this tagline.
    "Get fit, Dungeon Siege style"
    And then, of course, in small text:
    "Not a euphemism. We mean the treadmill."
    And what system could possibly enhance this force of wanderlust; this landscape that never ends? How about simplistic RPG mechanics that truly hit the root of "your characters get stronger over time so you feel their destructive power grow until every enemy before you has the life expectancy of an abortion." There isn't much to Dungeon Siege, but it's a satisfying experience because of it.
    There's no denying there's a repetition and tedium to the core gameplay loop, and that's drawn out over a long 30hr campaign; and that's just the singleplayer campaign. There's a separate multiplayer one I didn't play, plus an expansion. But I had my fun almost the entire way through. And I don't often have fun for more than 5 mins.
    Oversharing?
    That's journalism, baby!
    But now for the flaws. The obvious one is that the tedium, repetitiveness and long playtime won't be fun for all. But what is? Besides Dog's Life for the PS2, of course. However, you may have noticed that I stated that I had fun ALMOST the entire way through. There's a ludicrous difficulty spike when you reach the Goblin Mines dungeon. The game isn't particularly difficult so if you graphed this game's difficulty that Goblin Mine spike could pierce steel plate. This is overly noticeable when the final boss fight is a pushover.
    It was doable, but it wasn't fun. The issue this really causes is that difficulty spikes give cause to examine the mechanics of a game in the closest detail, in order to overcome the hurdle. You generally don't want that. Once you get to the Goblin Mines, suddenly you become overly aware of the game's real flaws.
    The characters are mostly automated. You can set general movement and engagement tactics, and you can also pause and micro-manage your mad lads. The definition of happiness is legitimately 'the time before you start to learn where the line between automation and management really lies in Dungeon Siege.' Look it up. And if you find something that proves me wrong, just remember to keep it to yourself. The best victories are the ones Qarren doesn't hear about. But when you start seeing all those times that your heroes stand around doing nothing less than a metre away from where their friend is being slaughtered, remember what I told you. Or when you give specific instructions to your heroes and they simply ignore you outright. Or when you have to pause before attacking anything because the boundary between a monster's hitbox and your own character's, or just the ground next to them, causes your battle to turn into something more akin to a flash mob devised by a paraplegic. Until then, even Oxford is simply wrong in their silly book.
    If there's also something to say about a story here, I don't know what it is. It's a beautifully renditioned world with stories to tell, but as far as a plot is concerned this b%tch is on molly.
    Dungeon Siege is a cult classic, and rightfully so. I've never joined a cult, but I'd sign away my soul for this one. The pros outweigh the cons. The unique experience is worth the Lovecraftian hell you make a reservation for. If you don't like it, that's fine. But industry lessons should be learned here.
    And not just to avoid the Goblin Industrial Complex.    … Expand
  7. kailoone
    Jan 20, 2018
    7
    Well I have been playing this game around 1 week now, started it on a 1st of september 2015. The game looks very good even for an old game, it has nice music too. I think I would have totally loved this game back in 2002 when it was new. I feel it hasn't aged well it feels very slow and not so rewarding at times. I am in chapter 7 out of 9 at the time of this review, so I can say I haveWell I have been playing this game around 1 week now, started it on a 1st of september 2015. The game looks very good even for an old game, it has nice music too. I think I would have totally loved this game back in 2002 when it was new. I feel it hasn't aged well it feels very slow and not so rewarding at times. I am in chapter 7 out of 9 at the time of this review, so I can say I have played it fairly enough to give a review about it. Well to begin with like I mentioned the graphics are really nice even for an old game, music is a little repetitive but very well done overall. Sound effects are very detailed, I noticed how they would change according to global positioning. The story is very akward, I mean it's about a farmer that gets news about evil rising and suddenly he becomes hercules... I mean wtf? This game feels alot like Diablo 2 most of the time, one thing I really hate about this game is it doesn't have town portal or I haven't seen it yet but at this height of the game that I am currently at (chapter 7/9)it would be pointless to add town portal. So just to wrap things up, -graphics 7.5/10 -music 8/10 -sound effects 8.5/10 -story 5/10 -gameplay 6/10 Last appeal I rate this game a 7, I feel it was a great game back in the day but it didn't age well and playing it feels a bit pointless at times, too much grinding and little story or purpose doesn't help at all. it is a better game than diablo 1 or 2 but it is not better than other titles from its era like Darkstone, Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale. This game had lots of potential and must have been great in it's era but sadly it didn't survive the test of time, I recommend it but only if you love hack and slash games and cant get enough of it, otherwise do not get this game.… Expand
  8. Mobile
    Aug 21, 2018
    5
    ENG RU
    Personal assessment overestimated and raised to five, as there are a couple of interesting points, but in General above the three I would not put.I was very disappointed with this game, as a child it seemed to me much nicer and more interesting. Now going through it experienced only strange and incomprehensible emotions, how could you make an RPG where there are no quests (there    ENG RU
    Personal assessment overestimated and raised to five, as there are a couple of interesting points, but in General above the three I would not put.I was very disappointed with this game, as a child it seemed to me much nicer and more interesting. Now going through it experienced only strange and incomprehensible emotions, how could you make an RPG where there are no quests (there are only about 5-10) and basically all the plot, there is no conversation with the characters, in addition to a couple of replicas without any semantic message, there is nothing that should be in the RPG, even if it is a clone of Diablo, but I do not see the point to pass the first part of DS, when a couple of years ago came out Diablo 2 that looks and plays much more interesting and deeper. Would have added anything other than killing mobs, then another thing and just a game, go through the pile of mobs and try himself to captivate and cheer.
    Личная оценка завышена и поднята до пяти, так как есть пару интересных моментов, но в целом выше тройки я бы не ставил.Был очень разочарован данной игрой, в детстве она мне казалась намного приятней и интересней. Сейчас же пройдя ее испытал лишь странные и непонимающие эмоции, как можно было сделать RPG где нет квестов (есть только около 5-10) и в основном все сюжетные, нет разговора с персонажами, помимо пары реплик без всякого смыслового посыла, нет ничего, что должно быть в RPG, пусть это и клон Diablo, но я не вижу смысла проходить первую часть DS, когда пару лет назад вышла Diablo 2 которая выглядит и играется гораздо интересней и более глубоко. Добавили бы что либо кроме убийства мобов, тогда другое дело, а так просто игра, иди вперед через кучи мобов и попробуй себя сам увлечь и развеселить.    … Expand
  9. chosen0ne
    Oct 7, 2021
    5
    I loved this game as a kid, but I have to say that I don't think it's aged well. The combat is just so...boring. I like juggling all the characters, but the attacking is just poor and the AI is bad. I tried to get back through it and after like 30 hours, I couldn't bring myself to finish it. At least finding the best items was fun and building your party's abilities was enjoyable.I loved this game as a kid, but I have to say that I don't think it's aged well. The combat is just so...boring. I like juggling all the characters, but the attacking is just poor and the AI is bad. I tried to get back through it and after like 30 hours, I couldn't bring myself to finish it. At least finding the best items was fun and building your party's abilities was enjoyable. Overall though, it's only okay.… Expand
  10. DorlGaming
    Jun 4, 2023
    6
    The game does not have a bad atmosphere, interesting role-playing system, but has a rather unfortunate approach to the combat system and low frame rate.

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best PC Game of 2002
18
#18 Most Discussed PC Game of 2002
18
#18 Most Shared PC Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Adrenaline Vault
    60
    It's positively gorgeous, but playing through the majority of the title feels more like a chore than it does like fun.
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  2. Media and Games Online Network
    90
    A breathtaking work of art; an epic masterpiece that stands out in today’s jaded gaming market.
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  3. G4 TV
    80
    [It] will likely prove as influential as all it's inspirations.
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