Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny

Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny description

In 1984 the German roleplayer Ulrich Kisow decided to make a "your answer" the popular Western system of Dungeons & Dragons, basic books which he had already managed to translate into German. So on light there were unjustly deprived of attention in our vast alloy "system setting" under the title Das Schwarze Auge. Unlike other similar clones, DSA quickly became their identity, went through several editions and even ousted his great dungeon-dragon ancestor in the top of sales.

Realms of Arkania is the first and very successful attempt to make a computer game on the system. Very interesting to note the time of occurrence of such publicly - 1992. Died down glory series Gold Box, computer incarnations of AD&D, and then the market goes Studio FANPRO with his trilogy, the giver yet tasted the delights of computer simulations gamers a new adventure. The "hallmark" of all three games Arcania (is the name of the main continent of the setting of the base) are attempts to fit all the splendor of the table in the computer memory. A very impressive assortment of gun shops and grocers (taught Katalog Otto of the Germans "bad"), often playing a special role in the adventure, set the unattainable standard for most RPGs in the next few years. But most importantly - yourself, role attributes, or rather their number. Just think about these numbers: 14 (!) the basic characteristics like strength and dexterity, 52 (!!) skill 85 (!!!) spells, each of which is also a skill! And all this - just to describe one character. And all of them in the party may be six - plus randomly came alone NPC.

For someone like that just seem to complicate and even perepletenie; for someone (at least fair) - German meticulousness. Let monstrous, um, "mathematical" apparatus is terrifying when you receive a new level (the process of improving the characteristics is a mini-game in which... and you can lose! "And your skill point goes to the auditorium...") and even more character generation "handles", without using the built in wizard, but it makes sense: every line of this long list, the developers have tried to somehow implement in the game, which greatly diversifies the process. For example, players can use a spell to read the thoughts not controlled directly companion-assistant. How many of today's games provide such self-evident for vysokomarochnogo the world?

The story tells of the early adventures of the famous (it will be revealed in further episodes) the group of "those adventurers from torvela", only just making the first steps in a dangerous world. The "landscape" where we can make it happen, is something vaguely resembling the Scandinavian Peninsula (which, incidentally, is also the hallmark of the time), with a characteristic landscape and place names. The goal is simple: go there, do not know where, get... well, at least this is known: Grimming, the legendary sword of the great Chisellike. The fact that the orcs have it (the sword) really don't like is good for that... what are the orcs? In fact, around answer to this question turns the action all three parts: in the first our heroes trying to stop the gray Horde, the second of Newt looking for a legendary Stone, called to unite elves and dwarves to... well, to stop the grey Horde. Not disappeared from the orcs and the third. Looking ahead, we note that the nice feature of "Nordic trilogy": the fact that the first two parts of the adventure is not over, as characters can and should be exported to later and start, thus, not a stitch, and with an impressive dowry.

What about the gameplay, in 1992 Attic Entertainment Software only feels the most successful shape the future of gameplay. It was a bunch of "tactical battles on isometric special screen plus study mode from the first person," and that's not counting all the mini-games such as traveling, hunting and herbal (which is a very impressive part in the life of our party, and economic in particular). In addition, the creators experimented with the visual component, so it is here, in the first part of the adventure, you can see a very... unique perspective on certain role-playing aspects. For example, the owner of a tavern in a turban.

Otherwise, perhaps, add anything not necessary, in order not to spoil the experience for those who want to touch this wonderful artifact of the "epoch of developed alevism" when computers were not yet the only "providers" of universes, and the Board game is not niche specific hobby for connoisseurs.

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Source: Archive.org, Mobygames.com