If I was a game developer, I certainly wouldn't touch the Action/Adventure genre with a bargepole. Just think how hard it is to come up with new ideas in a style which has been dominated by a few good games and flooded with a wealth of average or below par titles. Good luck to anyone who tries, and certainly good luck to VR1 Entertainment: developers of Nightcaster.

Nightcaster is a new title to come out next spring for the Big Black Box, and sells itself by being a 'fast and furious action/adventure game featuring intensely addictive real-time spell combat and exploration.' Sounds good, no? Well, if you've got huge spells in a game, you're halfway there I reckon. You take control of a chap named Arran, a young boy chosen by the force of Light and you'll have to guide him through his life as he gets older, learning over 40 spells for maximum destructive battles against more than 30 different enemies in a fight to defeat darkness and let light reign supreme for evermore.

Yeah, I know, seen-it-all-before story... but in a never-before-seen environment. To start with, Nightcaster uses a unique control system. Utilising dual analogue controls, you will be able to control Arran's movements independently. This will allow you to cast spells in any direction whilst moving around the maps. Arran will evolve through four ages: child, young adult, middle-aged and elder.

As he gets older, he will aquire more powerful spells to cast whilst his physical capabilities will decline. The graphics are very nice, the 3D world is fantastically detailed and boasts huge maps and a variety of scenery. Full use of the Xbox's features will be in place with dynamic lighting, shading and particle effects creating 3D spells and rich environments.

Dynamic music will be present using DirectMusic so the sound will change seamlessly depending on whats going on on-screen. Each of the creatures you will encounter will have differing behavioural properties, some will attack in packs while others prefer solo combat and all will react to spells in different ways providing lots of variety in gameplay, making you choose the best attack structure depending on who you're fighting against.

Action/Adventures can tread a very thin line between mediocrity and greatness and Nightcaster has the essence of an imaginative game making its initial outlook bright indeed. You'll have an engrossing storyline and addictive combat if everything falls into place. Look out for our review when Nightcaster is released next spring.

Preview By: Alex