I've had a great time with the game and the community.  Even with the current state of beta, the game is still a great way to waste 30 minutes.  I can see this staying on my computer for a long time.  I'm eager to run through single player as well as see how I rank against the masses of new players come release.

*signed AZ post*

Everything is said in this 

I have to agree with Frogboys review really, I think the game is great fun and the graphics are really awesome, fits the gameplay really nice, However atm there are a few things that just makes me wanna quit the game Im in at that right moment when it comes to ballance. Slow effects, Stun Effects, Rook overpoweredness, teleporting are the ones that comes to mind directly. They are just a few things but I consider them game breaking so I have high hopes they will atleast be demi-fixed for the day 0 patch.

As such my review right now would look very simmilar to Frogboys except for his ambitions for the retail version, I think the game will reach those kind of scores after a few patches at first.

You know intelligent use of the Z axis has been pretty commonplace in RTS for a long time now? Even starcraft had arbitrary height levels back in the day. Heck, the SupCom engine that DG started with had terrain height affect gameplay in some of the most realistic ways out there. They can add a lot to a game.

I've kind of distanced myself from DG lately so I won't do any kind of scored review here, don't wanna drag down the thread meta-score with my jaded numbers.

I'd just like to echo AZ's sentiment, the shining star of DG's early synopsis was the generals/assassins gameplay idea; The massive scale difference between units looked cool, but nothing to get excited about; The beautiful graphics were, well, beautiful, but there's plenty of eyecandy competition out there and I'd had my fill of games with revolutionary graphics and bland gameplay. What really got me interested was the idea of players being able to compete head to head with two completely different types of game play.

Assassins came as expected but in my opinion too the generals came out heavily watered down, they shared too much of their gameplay with assassins, 90% of their skills were focused on the generals rather than the units. Even the units themselves felt lacking, not just in power but in character, they had no quirks or special uses, just a melee damage, a ranged damage and a healer and an extra melee or ranged depending on the general.

Without that unique element the rest of the game feels very bread and butter, very plain. It's reasonably solid, but leaves me craving variety quicker than it should. The maps were good looking, but beyond the graphics they were flat, featureless geometric shapes. Even things like defensive walls between towers were just aesthetic, they didn't block LoS or projectiles and you could even walk through them if there's room between towers. The assassins were differentiated, but mostly by different permutations of damage/range/stun/AoE/slow in their skills, like cookies in different interesting shapes. Things like that, that lacked an extra bit of depth, added up across the spectrum and in the end I feel like I've seen everything the game has to offer within a dozen games after every update.

So yeah solid looking, good foundations but somehow missing the mod con's.

QFT

I love support and feedback from devs and all but this game wasn't what I was expecting when I was all hyped up with the hybrid gameplay that i pre-ordered 6 months ago, sadly I'll probably be looking to get a refund (already tried but was told i could only get it after release, so i stuck with it for a bit longer and still am not impressed). Enjoy my 13 dollar donation to your company for the few times i did play GPG

I can see why people can get into this game and hope it becomes something greater at one point but many of my gripes were already stated in the well articulated post by Droopy, thx lol

I only have the beta to go on so here's my 2 cents.

Graphics: 5 stars

Gameplay: 5 stars

Multiplayer: 2 stars. Too hard to get the game going. I want to press a button and have it put me in a game (not Pantheon). I hate the 'custom game' thing except when i am playing with buddies which i don't really have in the beta lol.

Fun factor: 4 stars. needs more balance.

As one of the early critics of this game, I am glad to see it have come so far. Given the state of the competition, this may be the only fun multiplayer strategy game of the year unless starcraft turns out well and gets out this year.

Graphics: 10/10

Graphics are great.

Gameplay: 9/10

Some leaves me wanting more, that does not outweight me not wanting to come back.  Deinately need more Demigods, as well as maps. 

Maps:  8/10

Only six right now, if you release this game with just 6, I really think you are going to get a ton of reviews talking about it.  Soooo many RTS's come out with like 20+ maps, you certainly can do the same.  In fact, basically required to do the same.  YOU NEED A MAP DEVELOPEMENT TOOL FOR THE COMMUNITY.  This is a must.

AI:  8/10

Since the beginning the AI has been trouble, but seems to have gotten better.  I think it actually knows it is alive and can play the game finally.  I do not think any player will have problems with it, vets may in the future though.  I would strongly suggest AI mods for players to be able to create.

Music:  10/10

Great sound effects and music.

Online: 6/10

No built in voice chat, very disappointed.  I mentioned this a month ago in my review of the game.  With the upcoming technology age tons of games being more fun and open with voice communication, the least you can do is put that in there.  

Built in friends list.  It should be just like *click* friends list opens, right click on friend, join game.  Simple.  This makes the game more user friendly and easy to navigate online.

Also, more lobbies, becuase you do not have friends list in game, you need to have this option.

And the rewards for Patheon?  I do not see any hype about it or anything to MAKE me want to play in it.  What if I wanted to play in the tournament with my friend?  All the information should be there.

This over any other RTS type game: 7/10

I still feel it is unfinished, everyone knows an unfinished game is and usually always will be just that.  It will get a decent review "Feels like it is" is the correct saying.  I can barely convince my friend to get it because it does not distinguish itself from other games other than graphics.

My main problems that will still stick with me about this game,

I really do not like not being able to control the units, I honestly think many other people will feel the same.  Sure you get minions as general, but the fact is you can not control the constant flow of units.  I really hate that.  You can not even have a guard function of some kind, really lame.

No voice chat or build in game friendlist.  You can not talk in game, hardly any rts type games have brought this into play (WiC did) and as new as this game is, it should have it.  You need to able to join off a friendslist in game, with private messages, group chat, and all that jazz.  I honestly can not believe you do not have this.

Those two online features.

Just a note: Released version will have friends lists and private friends chatting that's always available (even in-game).

With a join game option I hope?

If I were writing for rock, paper, shot gun I would probably say that Demigod is the funnest PC game that's come out in a very long time.

Every critique you will find of Demigod will likely still conclude that the game is hella fun even when it's against just computer players.

The Demigod beta is not perfect. I have a long list of things i'd like to see in it for the future. But Demigod can't be compared to some idealized game. It can only be compared to other games that people can get today and there's nothing that touches it right now in my opnion.

I enjoy the game, I hate the idiots err the AI.  They are probably the dumbest bots i've ever seen in my life, and trust me bf2142 had some dumb bots.  I would say that if in Pantheon mode, dont use the AI at all because it's just added help for the other forces.  Those free kills help the other team more than they help you and definitely if playing in slaughter mode.  They follow the same line in every map and you just wait for it.  You need to try and level the playing field as the sniper regulus can basically just sit back if he's a smart player and never die.  He shouldn't be able to snipe you all the way at their main base into yours, and he should fight like the rest of the players.  He shouldn't have the ability to stay in his base and just plunk people off as the forces of darkness have nothing to match that type of play.  Everything else beyond that seems fine.  I picture games being 4v4 and the light having only regulus because they wont have to come out of their base hardly ever.  He should be fixed to a little bit longer range because of what he does, but should have no ability to shoot across the map with nothing to counter that from any darkness players.  Just watch some games with players who know how to play, regulus is a "sissy" shoot and run back into the base.  Make him have to fight in order to get his points, not shoot a shot and run like a little girl.

Other than that you have the sync issue and thats about it.  I'm still quite disappointed about the game, seems the game is lacking from the devs lacking in common sense.  I know you can't please everyone but come on, at least make it so each side has a way to counter each other like the other characters do, that is called player balance. 

Networking/connection 2/10

balance with regulus 4/10

balance without regulus 7/10

Game play minus prior issues 7-8/10

Overall i'll go with a 5

Don't worry too much though, i'll play it because there is nothing else out there at the moment, but rest assured the sync issues continue to go unfixed will be my last stardock purchase.  This should be #1 priority followed closely by the balance of light/darkness and "regulus the vagina"

LOL@Dakiny:

You'd have a little more credibility if you hadn't just accused one of the highest ranked players of cheating because he beat you (with Regulus). http://forums.demigodthegame.com/345230

It's usually considered a good thing if there are significant differences in outcome based on skill and experience with the game.

If he'd beaten you with the Rook or some other Demigod I can't help but think your review would be complaining about how that demigod is unbalanced.

QFT

Xan, you're welcome to your opinion and thats fine, but take it for what it's worth.  How would you consider it skill when prior to the AI/questionable abilities of others gave him the game?  Prior to that taking effect he was an easy kill.  He was killed once by myself and then I brought him down to a 100 points and another player killed him.  This is when the either extremely stupid AI took over and let him just keep killing them over and over, by then his was up at level 12 or 13 while the AI/whatever was at 2, myself at 5 and the other at 6.  If skill is considered taking out AI then thats pretty pathetic.  Attack all you want, but that is not skill.  Considering the other AI/bot wasn't killed even half as many times as the original but was attacking him and his base, not to mention would teleport or attempt to teleport away.  You guys seem to have a tight knit community and thats fine, discount it all and make yourselves look like asses, no sweat off my balls. 

It's nice hiding behind a monitor to talk trash, no repercussions, you're a real badass. Pathetic but yet a badass.

Try working on your leveling. If he's level 12 feed or no feed, you should be at the very least level 9. Even then, you have a really big gap.

kitkun easier said than done when every 2 minutes he's killing the same AI/ whatever and leveling again and again.  After 15 and we're still stuck at 6 and 7, killing off the little worthless folks it's fairly inevitable that you're done.  It was taking him 5 shots at that point to take out a full dark tower, 2 to take out the AI/whatever and 4 for myself and the other human.

You mean Regulus was easy to to kill until he leveled up some?  Shocking!

You need to work on your game and stop throwing this crybaby fit about Flurus.  Notice how nobody supports you?  You are spouting nonsense.  You let a huge level deficit to occur which shouldn't have happened no matter what and you really weren't supporting your AI teammates.  Flurus is one of the top players, you are not.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get online, play Wagnard and then post a rage thread about how Rook is overpowered.

Everyone and their dog knows that Rook is overpowered. Those who insist otherwise are in denial and the subject of my earlier replies.

That brings up another point. Demigod never got a serious public look at balance. We got a few piddly updates, but there was never a dedicated balance patch and gameplay for Beta 3 like Stardock suggested there would be.

No way!  You're nuts!  I beat 1v1 playing as Sedna against a Rook AI opponent and beat him easily.  And it was NIGHTMARE AI, that is like totally way harder than playing a human player!

EDIT: Gamma has all the balance updates in it which we didn't get to play with.  We'll get them at release.

And, as with all last minute balancing, I'm sure it will be subpar, and a few days of public play will reveal many problems.

I'd assume so as well.  But oh well, they are commited to continually working on the balance for awhile.

Ya know just like Every game EVER made balance is gonna be off for a while. You can't expect perfect balance right out the door. But it will certainly get better.

EVERY Demigod is overpowered.  On the IRC channel, there are arguments every day over which Demigod is "overpowered". Rook, Unclean Beast, Regulus, Sedna, Queen of Thorns, Torch Bearer.  (though the vampire lord is probably the one everyone agrees isn't "overpowered").

In my experience, what is overpowered is the demigod that defeats you.