Titan Quest: Atlantis Review Summary

*Shadows of the Past* dazzles with deep skill mastery, stunningly varied locales, and fresh loot systems but stumbles with a forgettable story, janky performance, and a disappointingly short, linear journey.

New skills and mastery expansions: The update adds new skills and increases the mastery level cap to 40, providing players with more abilities and deeper progression. This includes new mastery skills and expanded skill trees.

Beautiful and varied locations: The expansion features visually stunning and varied locations, with detailed environments and beautiful designs. Specific mentions include the Hesperides Gardens and other aesthetically pleasing maps.

Graphical improvements and QoL updates: The expansion introduces significant graphical enhancements, including detailed environments, improved fonts, and new graphical options. Quality of life improvements such as inventory management and game speed have also been noted.

Enjoyable and fun experience: Players have expressed enjoyment and fun while playing through the expansion. The overall experience is described as enjoyable and engaging.

New areas and monsters: Players can explore new areas and fight against new types of monsters and enemies. These additions include mythological creatures and uniquely designed enemies.

Weak and uninteresting story: The story and quests are described as weak, dull, and lacking depth. Many players found the storyline boring and uninspired, with only a few quests being interesting.

Performance and graphical issues: The game suffers from various performance issues, including frame drops, freezing, and lag. Additionally, there are graphical bugs and minor font glitches.

Short and linear gameplay: The gameplay was criticized for being short and linear, with a duration of only 4-5 hours. Players found the overall content to be meager and disappointing.

Atlantis visually unremarkable: Players found the design of Atlantis to be dull and lacking grandeur. The visuals were described as a gray-green mess and did not capture the captivating mythology expected.

High price not justified: Many players felt that the game was overpriced for the content provided. The price was seen as too high and not justified by the amount of gameplay or quality of content.

New skills and mechanics introduced: The update includes a variety of new skills, mastery skills, and mechanics. Players can also find new items, equipment, and rewards.

New Tartarus game mode: A new endless mode called Tartarus has been added, featuring infinite waves of enemies and modifiers. This mode includes various restrictions on certain playstyles and pet classes.

New enemy designs and types: The update introduces unique enemy designs and new enemy types. Players can expect to encounter new mobs and bosses in various locations.

New quests and storyline progression: The update includes new quests, both fun and additional side quests. Players can also expect storyline progression and new levels in schools.

New relic tab and item rarity: A dedicated tab for relics and scrolls has been added. Items now have rarity highlighting, with weapons glowing based on their rarity.

Severe performance issues: The game suffers from significant performance problems, including poor optimization, severe frame drops, and laggy gameplay. These issues are widespread and affect various aspects of the game.

FPS drops in specific areas: Players experience FPS drops in certain areas and during specific actions, such as combat or when using certain graphical settings. This includes problems with DX9 and DX11, as well as issues with the Color Grading option.

Game freezing and crashes: The game frequently crashes and freezes, particularly in certain areas like Atlantis or when opening the map. This includes issues with black screens and hanging.

Bugs and technical issues: Players encounter various bugs and technical issues, including texture issues, rubber banding, and character getting stuck on the map or terrain. These issues contribute to a glitchy and buggy experience.

Multiplayer and targeting issues: There are problems with multiplayer functionality and targeting issues. These issues affect the overall gameplay experience and can be frustrating for players.

Wait for discount to buy: Many players suggest waiting for a significant discount before purchasing the game due to its lack of value at full price.

Recommended for Titan Quest fans: The game is highly recommended for fans of Titan Quest and its expansions, as it enhances the overall experience and offers new items and locations to explore.

Not for casual players: The game is recommended only for hardcore fans and experienced players, not for casual players or those who have already completed previous expansions.

Worth it for specific features: Some players find the game worth buying for specific features like new skills, items, Tartarus mode, and graphics, even if the overall content is lacking.

Not recommended for new players: The game is not recommended for new players unless it is on sale, as it may not provide enough value or enjoyment for those new to the series.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00.

Story completion: 3.5h.

The game starts as boring due to repetitive quests but becomes fun with the Atlantis expansion, which offers better pacing and new content.

Reported time to anchor: 2h.

Friction: Repetitive item delivery quests; Poorly designed maps; Tedious and easy gameplay.

Unlock drivers: Atlantis expansion; Beautiful new maps; Enhanced multiplayer experiences.

Value-Conscious Veteran: Strategic and economical, preferring to get the most value out of their purchases. Motivation: Enhancing their Titan Quest experience without overspending. Stance: sale.

Mechanics-Focused Critic: Analytical and detail-oriented, focusing on gameplay mechanics and improvements. Motivation: Exploring and critiquing new gameplay mechanics and content. Stance: deep sale.

Nostalgic Fan: Nostalgic and hopeful, focusing on the emotional connection to the game. Motivation: Reliving and preserving the experience of their favorite game. Stance: sale.

Monetization: The reviews for this DLC indicate a general sentiment that the price is too high for the content provided. Many users suggest waiting for a sale before purchasing. There are also complaints about the perceived value of the DLC, with some users feeling deceived by the amount of content offered. Additionally, there is mention of high in-game costs for items, which could be a point of frustration for players.