Aveyond 3-3: The Lost Orb

I might have given this a game a "depends" if there was the option but there isn't, so here goes. First off, if you really want to give it a shot, buy the first one, not the set. Due to the huge maps you'll be well past the two hour limit before you get a sense of whether you like it or not. Get the rest if you like it. I've been playing RPGs since the Dragon Warrior days. And yes I know I just dated myself. I really wanted to like this. I bought it as part of a set, and ran into problems (technical) with the first one too far in to return. So I'm forcing myself to play through the rest. But I'm done. Halfway through the third of five I am just done with oversized maps that force you to double back and loop around constantly (even towns. Even in towns there's dead ends everywhere.) There are some good things. There was a lot of care put into customizing some of the assets. The story is interesting. The magic mirror express is handy but far from a complete circuit. Enemies are visible and largely avoidable which is nice if you're getting in a bit of trouble out there and trying to get back to a town. But for the love of God if you're not giving me a sprint option then don't take away the winged shoes I had the last two games. Items you need to complete quests shouldn't be in random boxes you have to stumble across. Trekking through the same labyrinthine caverns every time you have to go between two places is drudgery - have a magic door open or something. And what RPG takes away your only healer to tend farm animals?! And the worst thing? The story spans four games, and quests that turn up in one game may not be solvable until the next, even though they're in your journal. So there's more hours blindly stumbling around trying to solve an unsolvable quest. I know it says I played for nine hours. Most of it was running around in pointless circles. Just saying.