There are no shortage of objectives, but like so much of the gameplay, these are issued from what feels like a higher power. You are constantly being told where to go and what to do. Even the strategy decisions are limited by certain restrictions narrowing your choices considerably. The game doesn't really let you see the big picture so you'll just have to obey orders blindly. You'll be asked to fetch, kill, find, and hire soldiers to join your party.

Crystals are the game's currency, which can be found in different caches throughout the environment. They come in three different colors and are used to activate and upgrade things such as spells and attributes. They can also be sold and traded, although the process for using them requires the use of sliders in the menu which is annoying to use. Weapons include various swords, axes, bows, and maces in addition to defense items such as armor and shields. A visit to the blacksmith shop will allow you to upgrade weapons either by adding things to existing ones or combining them into special hybrids. You're going to need specific materials for some of these upgrades, and if you don't have it on hand, you may have to sacrifice another weapon in your inventory to be melted down.

Comparisons will be made to World of Warcraft, Diablo, and to a lesser extent, Gauntlet, considering the online multiplayer mode, but Stranger is not even close to being in the same league with these classics. The graphics are not only dated, but at times they are downright ugly. Blurry textures, blocky polys, low res characters, and non-interactive environments cheapen the overall ambiance of the game. The maps are big, I'll give it that, but they are largely unpleasant to wander around in for any length of time. The average monsters are cloned ad-nauseam with passable detail. The only exception are the bosses, which show some imagination in design and animation. The soundtrack is ethereal, making it perfect for atmosphere, but melodically unmemorable. Cutscenes are poorly voiced and generally not very well produced.

Part of me feels the need to defend this game, as I find myself almost feeling sorry for it. It's like a well-meaning kid that , because of inadequate parents, didn't get the break it deserves.

By Cole Smith
CCC Senior Writer