If you're not familiar with the name Mage Knight, here's all you need to know: the tabletop strategy game features collectible figurines, endless hours of flexible tactics, an expansive fantasy mythology and a rabid fanbase. Except for the tiny action figures, that sounds like the makings for a good PC game, too. Enter Mage Knight: Apocalypse,Namco'sattempt to join the Action RPG ranks alongside games like Diablo and Dungeon Siege.
All of the core races from the tabletop game are represented, including a gloriously unarmored vampire succubus named Kithana, a dwarf with a "big gun" complex, a powerful Amazon fighter, an elven holy knight and a half-human, half-dragon wizard. Sound pretty close to the Diablo classes, don't they? Like Diablo, this fully-cooked formula balances your party's ranged attacks very well against getting up close and personal; you'll need both to survive.
Even though it may look like a simple but sassy hack-and-slash romp, Mage Knight naturally emphasizes teamplay. Whether you join four friends online or dive into single-player action with computer-controlled teammates, cooperative gameplay is key for your party of five. Together, you'll hunt for the oh-so-conveniently numbered five-headed Apocalypse Dragon. Better still; the story runs deep enough that you won't hesitate to head back through this lavishly detailed, war-torn world again in co-op mode with your friends.
