All I can say is: Congratulations, Basilisk Games. Having just finished the game, I can honestly say that what you've put together -- particularly in view of the rather brief list of credits -- is astonishing.... even on a processor that's running at a sixth of the speed that the specs suggest.
The graphics are clean and expertly done.
The music is literally on par with the best of any game that I've ever played, and serves its purpose of background music better than most.
The game play is fun and engaging, and of a sort that I really, really wish wasn't so quaintly referred to as "old-school": this is simply the style of game that I most enjoy playing. Some may (and have) dismiss it as no more than "nostalgia", but they're wrong about that. This, IMO, is the way cRPGs were simply meant to be, and while I can see how and why modern gaming has evolved the way it has, I think -- or rather, I know -- that there's something missing from today's crop of blockbusters.
As a first offering, this game hit the nail square on the head for me, so this is my great big thanks to everyone over there who put so much effort into making it happen.
Is there room for improvement? I'd certainly say so. I'm personally torn on the issue of classes -- I can see why some would like there to be more variety between a magic user and a fighter, but I also appreciate that a game becomes significantly larger when it has to be balanced for each of those wildly differing classes, and I personally also enjoy having the freedom to switch focuses mid way through a game without being obliged to start a new character for a Thief -- and the cartography skill needs a little bit of work as a game play device, IMO, but all that aside, Eschalon: Book I has literally rekindled my interest in a cRPG market that, for the last 5 years or so, had all but given up the ghost for me, save for 1 or possibly 2 titles that I'll play at some point down the road when I eventually get the hardware required for them.
Congratulations all around, guys. I sincerely hope this game proved to be as successful for you as it was fun for me. *big ol' thumbs up*
'Course, now I've also got unreasonably high expectations for Book II, but such is life.
