GameClub Aralon: Sword and Shadow (by Crescent Moon Games)

You have a legitimate question, and I'll try to answer as well as I can without spoilery. I've beaten the game once already, and was well on my way to beating a second time when an updated version hit (and I started over from scratch), so I have a good sense of the overall story at this point. I should also add my usual disclaimer: I'm friends with Josh and Crescent Moon, so I'm not an unbiased observer here.

The overall story here will not strike folks as particularly original and the world itself (it's history, lore, etc) will definitely be familiar to fans of fantasy RPGs. It also doesn't have the dramatic arcs of something like Dragon Age, with the betrayal of the Grey Wardens, etc. Western RPGs in general have the cypher story-telling problem: the main character (you) is basically undefined, which can be the death-knell for a good narrative. Games like Morrowind and Oblivion compensate for this problem by putting in tons of lore and background material; Bioware RPGs tend to focus on creating vivid NPCs that definitely overshadow your character (and in Mass Effect 1 and 2 they have you play a specific, pre-defined character). Compare that to JRPGs, where the the protagonist have memorable names like Cloud and Chrono, and you get a sense that you're following their story.

Aralon benefit from a good set up that give you clear motivation to move through the story. It also has a few memorable NPCs -- though, interestingly, none of them are human -- and it manages to put you through a few actually poignant situations (including the ending). There's definitely lore and background, but thankfully (considering the platform) there are no long reams of text to read -- just enough to give you a sense of place. Another plus is the pacing, which, compared to Oblivion, is much more deliberate. Oblivion had a rinse-repeat structure that for me at least got old quick, and the trips to the demon dimension felt like a chore. Aralon takes you from one situation to the next, and even though the overall action is the same (it's an action RPG) it always felt like you were doing something new. Even some of the side missions are structured to make a parallel narrative of their own.

As in most WRPGs, the story is not at the core of the gameplay -- the structure gives you too many options for that to be the case. But you do have clear motivation and there are enough "moments" to make the whole trip worthwhile (IMHO).

 

One more thing about combat -- your experience of the game will change depending on which character class you choose. Warriors are more hack-and-slashy, though the addition of area effects and parry/riposte and block/shield bash move adds some complexity. Mages are all about power and in some ways the game plays a bit like a shooter when you're using them. Ranger and Rogues are all about tactics, since their attacks are initially less powerful and they have no area/group skills. You can stealth and ambush, back stab, set traps, etc. Personally, I find the Rangers/Rogues to be the most fun to play, but there's something really satisfying about doing a sweep attack and throwing all your enemies against the walls, or setting a whole mob on fire with a single spell. I would say that if you're not enjoying the combat, try a different class.