Destinia

When it comes to cranking out 2D action RPGs, Gamevil has it down to a fine art. The company’s list of past achievements is unquestionably impressive, with the likes of Zenonia, Zenonia 2, and Illusia all ranking pretty highly with seasoned pocket role-players.

Destinia seeks to continue this string of sword-and-sorcery epics, and it doesn’t disappoint from a presentation perspective. The bold hand-drawn 2D visuals look fantastic, and the character portraits are equally polished.

However, as has often been the case with Gamevil’s titles, Destinia starts to fall apart under intense scrutiny. For starters, the storyline is so painfully generic that we’re almost certain it’s been used in a previous Gamevil title.

You assume the role of a soldier who is betrayed by his superiors and so joins a rag-tag bunch of outlaws with a shadowy objective. Initially distrusted by the group, you earn their confidence thanks to your skill with a blade and a natty line in open-necked shirts.

The already creaking plot isn’t helped by some particularly dour dialogue. Most conversations lack feeling and emotion, and instead sound like an argument between two teenagers on their way to school.

Once you get past the clichéd storyline and one-dimensional characters, Destinia’s allure is immediately apparent.

There are hours of playing time on offer, with countless side-quests to embark on, loads of NPCs to engage with, and an item construction system that's almost a game in itself.

The numerous quests can cause a problem, though. Practically every character you meet wants you to collect something or obtain an item, and it’s all too easy to be overwhelmed by your errands.

It’s a good idea to focus on one quest at a time, politely declining any further offers until you’ve completed your main objective.

Combat in Destinia is almost unchanged from Gamevil’s other releases.

You move around using a virtual D-pad and attack using a single on-screen button. Special attacks and items can be mapped to one of several item slots, so you can get to them in the thick of battle.

After you’ve become accustomed to the battle system and taken part in a few quests, you quickly realise that variety isn’t Destinia’s strongest attribute. The gameplay becomes almost stiflingly repetitive, and unless you’re a die-hard fan of the developer it’s unlikely to you want to soldier on until the very end.

Another issue is that the game uses real money to purchase in-game currency. Certain items are only obtainable with special coins, which cost actual cash. It’s possible to spend a staggering $79.99/£50 in one go, should you be crazy enough to consider it.

With three different character classes to choose from, several skill sets to unlock, and a player vs player multi-player combat mode, Destinia certainly isn’t lacking in content.

We’re just not sure it’s sufficiently different enough to warrant the massive investment of time that's required to see it through to its conclusion.