Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader

Synopsis

The last RPG created by Black Isle Studios (the developer behind Fallout 1 and Fallout 2, along with Planescape: Torment and Icewind Dale 1 and Icewind Dale 2). According to the game's chronology, during the era of the Third Crusade (1189-1192), Richard the Lionheart's mass murder of prisoners resulted in a ritual, which tore the fabric of reality and allowed magic and demons to invade the previously medieval world. The game itself takes place during the 16th century, where you, a descendant of Lionheart, must stop an evil villain from fully opening the portal (as it was only slightly cracked open back in the 1100s.) 

Gameplay

Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader implements the same SPECIAL (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck) system used in the Fallout games, along with the skills, perks, and traits systems that were also used in those games. Lionheart, thanks to the setting, also implements magic skills for players to use. Just like all other games from Black Isle Studios, Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader includes multiple companion characters that can accompany the player character, but unlike Fallout (where the companions actions could be somewhat controlled) and Planescape: Torment (where they could be controlled just as much as the main character), the companions in Lionheart are completely AI-operated. 

Reception

Even though Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader was developed by a renowned studio, and used the popular SPECIAL system, and had a well-composed musical score,  it received a relatively lukewarm reception from critics. The main complaint from most critics was that unlike most Black Isle games, where diplomacy was often just as much of an option as combat (with the exception of Icewind Dale), a combat-oriented character was really the only way to get through the game. Lionheart received a 64 from GameRankings.com, and a 57 from Metacritic.