Amazon.com: The Ultimate Wizardry Archives : Video Games (original) (raw)
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2000
First off, I've just gotta ask what's up with the first review on this site? A glowing review that's logged more than 100+ positive votes? That's a lot of traffic. Not that I would accuse anyone of having a hundred friends and employees drop by the site to plug a product, but . . .
As for the game itself. Wizardry Gold, the most complex game in the pack, does have a few very nice features. In particular, there are several groups of NPC's running around trying to accomplish the same quests that the PC's are, which provides a nice sense of urgency that most computer games lack. Also, the magic system is very good. Since each character's spell points are distributed around between six different schools, you're forced to employ a bigger variety of spells than in most RPGs.
That said, the game is VERY DATED. In spite of the 1992 date on Wizardry gold, it looks and plays like something from the mid 1980's. The graphics are extremely primitive, to the extent that they actually impede game play. Because every wall and every tree looks exactly the same, it's hard to navigate. Also, you can't see monsters until you are actually in combat with them, and many special features (alcoves with urns, panels of blinking lights, etc.) have no graphical representation at all, so you have to physically step on every square to see if there is something there.
Interaction with NPC's is also extremely rudimentary. Most NPC's will only talk about three or four subjects, usually say only one sentence on the subject, and usually repeat the same thing that every other NPC says on that subject. This makes it hard to figure out what is going on in the world, and to get a handle on the backstory behind all the quests and NPC's. The NPC's in this game are primitive compared to those in Might and Magic 6,7, and 8, which are in turn primitve compared to the NPC's in Fallout 2. (A game with the best written characters that I've seen yet.)
All in all, I think modern players will find these games frustratingly primitive. Those looking for a good RPG should try Fallout2, Might and Magic 6,7, or 8 (they're basically all the same), or the Baldur's Gate games, in that order.
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