Avadon 2: The Corruption

Avernum is a collection of bite sized unique locations paced by quests and area progression. Geneforge is series of story-based encounters driven heavily by player-choice and discovery. Avadon, meanwhile, is a linear treadmill of excessive simplistic combat encounters with inconsistent difficulty, nonexistent player agency, and such a quantity of worthless loot that "g" will become your most pressed button on your keyboard. The story constantly interrupts itself as you formulaically swap between 3 main plotlines that tie together at the end. Your companions' stories exist primarily to inconvenience you the further you go into the game. Skill progression is extremely simplified to the point of feeling like a limitation and not a real customization source. The entire game is a drudgery with little of interest happening at any point.

Developed and published by Spiderweb Software, Avadon 2: The Corruption is a classic isometric role-playing game that builds upon the foundation of its predecessor with a larger world, deeper storytelling, and greater player freedom. Set in the troubled lands protected by the Black Fortress of Avadon, the game places players in the role of one of its loyal Hands, elite agents tasked with preserving order as political unrest, betrayal, and corruption spread across the Pact. Although it continues an established storyline, the narrative is written in a way that allows newcomers to quickly understand the setting and immerse themselves in the unfolding conflict. Rather than focusing on cinematic presentation, the game prioritizes meaningful role-playing, presenting a world where every alliance, conversation, and decision contributes to a larger political drama. The story is easily the game's greatest achievement. Every mission gradually reveals new layers of conspiracy, personal ambition, and ideological conflict, making the journey feel far more complex than a straightforward battle between good and evil. Players frequently encounter difficult choices that test their loyalty to Avadon…

I'm a big fan of Spiderweb software, and have been playing Jeff's games for around 30 years, and the first Exile game. I'm consistently and pleasantly surprised by the depth of the story and the gameplay, the worldbuilding and the joy of discovery. I played this several years ago, and loved it. Played the original Avadon on iOS and had a blast. Now I'm on to the third to complete the series! Highly recommend checking out his recently remastered games, especially the Geneforge series too.

Continuing my journey through the Avadon series. Like the first one, the stories intersect in a way that makes the world feel lived-in and evolving. The graphics are simple, but the characters and the political tension between the factions kept me hooked for another long playthrough. [The Breakdown] Graphics: Potato-friendly Gameplay: Solid; consistent old-school RPG Story: Deep; great world-building Difficulty: Easy to learn Grind: Average Worth the price? Yes Rating: 8/10

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A deep storyline and engaging play. Time was spent on the adventure rather than the graphics. Love the playstyle.