Fans of games that touch on the dungeons and dragons realm of fantasy have hit gaming gold when they got to play in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth thanks to two very stellar Lord of the Rings games released by EA.  That might be fine and dandy, but fans like myself are clamoring for more.  I mean, come on, who doesn’t want to fight off wave after wave of those nasty orcs while going up against dragons and demons?  Atari gives us a somewhat familiar action-packed button-masher called Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone.  But does following in the very footsteps of EA’s two brilliant games make for a gaming gold again?  Let’s just say that that this one might not be gold but it is just too hard to put down.

If you’re ever read a Forgotten Realms book the name R. A. Salvatore will most certainly ring a bell.  He has written dozens of fantasy novels and is the best at his craft.  He also just so happens to have penned the story for this game.  Demon Stone’s story tells the tale of a fighter named Rannek, a sorcerer named Illius and a female half-breed rogue called Zhai that meet in the kingdom of Damara during a massive battle against evil orcs that invaded the peaceful land.  Thrown together by fate, the three take shelter in a mine only to witness the rebirth of two demon rivals long since vanquished by a human wizard named Blackstaff while the pair was battling each another.  Now with dangerous foes reawakened and with both demons vowing to fight for who will enslave and rule the realm, the three become the chosen heroes to save the realm by fighting the demons and their hordes. 

With a wonderfully rich and sweeping story of good and evil, Demon Stone is filled to the brim with interesting characters, great dialogue and plenty of twists along the way.  The characters have their own personalities, which you will come to discover on your own since they converse during in-game exploration.  You’ll come to know things about each character that fleshes them out and makes them likeable.  You’ll know that Rannek is a virtuous fighter true to his warrior’s code despite the fact his family and friends have been slaughtered and that the half-elf Zhai feels like an outcast and thus has always depended on herself rather than trust others.  All three also have their own skills, strengths and weapons of choice.  Rannek is a fighter with a love for swords and powerful axes.  Illius has his staff but is knowledgeable in his magical arts so he’ll have a number of spells to learn.  Zhai has her knives and short blades that serve her well because, well, rogues are known for their sneakiness and stealth kills.

The first level not only allows you to get a sense of what each of the three characters have to offer but how close the game comes to mimicking those of EA’s two Lord of the Rings games, The Two Towers and The Return of the King.  Let’s take the first level, for example.  It will automatically bring to mind the battle for Helm’s Deep with it’s backgrounds filled with humans battling orcs while arrows and debris falling everywhere thanks to catapult fire.  Your characters can also collect gold and experience points to purchase weapon, armor and skill upgrades just like a certain game featuring Hobbits.  You’ll even be facing a large number of enemies in this game like . . . well you get the idea.

And boy oh boy do the enemies surround you like a swarm of paparazzi that just caught sight of J-Lo.  But, of course, instead of showering you with quick snapshots, this swarm will be swinging axes and swords in your general direction.  Thankfully you can switch between the three characters with a press of the D-Pad to take advantage of each of the character’s abilities.  You’ll find that you’ll need the aid of specific characters during the course of the game.  Rannek has brute strength that can be used to clear wreckage while Illius has powerful spells that can open magically sealed doors.  Zhai can jump and whenever she discovers shadowed areas (usually seen as dark patches with sparkling flecks) she can sneak around for a limited time and perform instant stealth kills.  So while a lot of the game does feel like EA’s two games, Demon Stone has plenty of its own distinct features.

Now on to the things that hold the game back from being truly awesome.  For starters, the enemies are both the game’s strength and its weakness.  You’ll be up against many different creatures that have their own distinct attacks, but often times you’ll find yourself in situations where you’re surrounded by enemies that don’t instinctively begin attacking you.  There were a large number of times when I found myself surrounded by four orcs that just pumped their fists in the air wondering when they’d attack.  Secondly, this game leads you on a set path so when you can explore some of the surroundings, you’re forced to simply be on your way, which makes this just a button-masher (but a fun one).  And there are times when your own companions are barely able to clear a room without you helping them.  Lastly, and this one is really upsetting, Atari has neglected to include a co-op multiplayer option.  With so many enemies and tough bosses to fight, a multiplayer co-op mode would have made up for the poor AI of your computer-controlled companions.

Demon Stone is also surprisingly easy on the eyes and really does come somewhat close to the graphical wonder that is The Two Towers and Return of the King on the PS2.  Really, it most definitely is a beautifully rendered game with an impressive amount of detail.  You’ll be astonished by the number of enemies on screen at once and even more so when you see how neatly detailed every character looks during the battles.  Zhai, Illius and Rannek look great during the heat of battle or during the beautifully rendered cut scenes.  Even with so many characters on the screen at once, the framerate hardly ever drops and slow the action down.  A great-looking game all around.

Like any epic put on film or video game for that matter, it rightfully deserves a score that is both grand and dramatically sweeping.  Demon Stone not only delivers in this aspect but it also offers wonderful voice acting and some pretty darn amazing sound effects.  The score compliments the cut scenes and in-game action beautifully and it gets dramatically intense in all the right moments.  Yet it’s the voice acting that really propels the story and thanks to actors Patrick Stewart (Professor Xavier from the X-Men movies) and Michael Clarke Duncan (from The Scorpion King and Daredevil fame) the great dialogue just comes off even better.  There are also some pretty spectacular sound effects, particularly coming from the various monsters you fight or the grand battles you join in early in the game.  My only complaint, and it’s a minor one, is that sometimes the score drowns out the sound effects a little.

If you’re a fan of fantasy and action, Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone shouldn’t be missed.  The game swims in some very familiar waters and that’s not so bad considering the fact that EA’s two Tolkien-inspired games were extremely entertaining.  It did fail to offer a multiplayer option and that is totally unforgivable since there are more than enough enemies to slay and the three characters have their own distinct skills and attacks.   If you’re a fan of the genre, do pick this one up, you won’t regret it. 

Gameplay: 8.0
It's hack-and-slash Forgotten Realms mayhem and you’ll love every second of it.  Being able to switch between any of the three very distinct characters so easily makes for some great tag-team moments, although often times you’re the one helping out your computer-controlled companions instead of the other way around.

Graphics: 8.7
Beautifully rendered character both during the game’s action and in cinematic cut scenes come close to rivaling those found in EA’s Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.  The backgrounds are filled with gorgeously rendered landscapes and your jaw will drop at the sight of huge battles that unfold before you.

Sound: 8.2
The voice acting is top notch all around and actors Patrick Stewart and Michael Clarke Duncan are just magnificent since the dialogue is wonderfully written.  Yet what will hook you in is the score that is nicely epic, although it does seem to overshadow some of the sound effects.

Difficulty: Medium
You’ll be literally surrounded by enemies who both slash and block your blows and oftentimes come at you in pairs.  Then again you’ll find yourself wondering why the ogre standing next to you is just pumping his fist instead of taking a swing at you.  Great boss battles, though.

Concept: 7.5
There are plenty of upgrades to build your characters up and plenty of extras to unlock in each chapter.  Unfortunately you are forced on a path with little else to do but move the awesome story forward and there’s no option to play this one with a friend like The Return of the King.  No multiplayer options for a game that screams multiplayer just breaks my heart.

Overall: 8.0
You’ll have a hard time not to have a blast playing this game.  Fans of the Forgotten Realms books will quickly fall under the spell of Demon Stone, a game with both style and substance.  Yes it gets repetitive and yes it might seem like just a button-masher, but it’s an enjoyably addictive action game fans of the genre shouldn‘t miss.