Dungeon Siege II
| Dungeon Siege II | |
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| Developer(s) | Gas Powered Games |
| Publisher(s) | Microsoft Game Studios |
| Designer(s) | Rayners Lane F.C. |
| Composer(s) | Jeremy Soule |
| Series | Dungeon Siege |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) | August 16, 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Dungeon Siege II is a role-playing video game and the sequel to 2002's Dungeon Siege. It was developed by Gas Powered Games and released on August 16, 2005. The story is a continuation of the Dungeon Siege storyline. An expansion Dungeon Siege II: Broken World was released in 2006.
Unlike Dungeon Siege, Dungeon Siege II takes a more varied approach to its gameplay. The original game was criticized for being too automated and lacking replay value. Developer Gas Powered Games improved the old system into a more versatile one that incorporates additional elements of strategy.
By default, the new system turns off much of the original game's combat automation and requires players to click once for each individual attack of their selected character. Fortunately for people who liked the combat system of the previous version, the new system can be made to behave more like it. Clicking on a monster and holding the right mouse button makes the character continuously attack until the monster dies; this is similar to the attack system in Diablo II. There are also options that allow the player's characters to automatically defend themselves and/or automatically continue to attack their targets, much like in the old system.
In the original Dungeon Siege, the four character specialities (also known as classes) differed only in the items and spells they were allowed to use. In Dungeon Siege II, each speciality (Melee, Ranged, Nature Magic, Combat Magic) has a unique set of skills, arranged in a skill tree reminiscent of those in Diablo II, that determines a character's particular strengths. For example, melee-oriented characters can get better at using a shield to defend their allies or they can improve their two-handed weapon skills to more effectively attack opponents. As in the original game, multi-classing (distributing experience and skills to more than one class) is possible, but it is best to do so with caution. A character learning skills in too many different areas may find him or herself spread too thin and unable to perform any role effectively.
In the expansion pack for Dungeon Siege II, "Broken World", two new character classes have been introduced. These classes are multi-class characters: the Fist of Stone being a multi-class of Melee and Nature Magic, and the Blood Assassin being a multi-class of Ranged and Combat Magic. These new classes have been given their own specialised skill trees in addition to the others, allowing them to multiclass more easily without being at as much of a disadvantage. For example, the Fist of Stone is able to cause small earthquakes when attacking to keep up with the damage output of a pure melee character, and the Blood Assassin is able to cause targets to hemorrhage blood to keep up with the damage output of a pure ranged character (as they multi-class, they cannot upgrade their weaponry as often and would otherwise be weaker in combat).
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