Al-Qadim: The Genie’s Curse

Al-Qadim: The Genie’s Curse description

Now Wizards of the Coast isn't what it was before. For some reasons unknown to me they no longer officially support almost all of its settings (including the highly popular universes like Ravenloft, Planescape, and Dragonlance), leaving only the old and of little interest to Greyhawk, who had managed to annoy even the most loyal fans of the black elf the Forgotten Realms and Eberron, which is still new and quite original. In 2010, for the fourth edition of the rules was even reissued Dark Sun kings-priests and hobbits cannibals. A little, frankly. And in the early to mid-1990s, the setting is maintained to shocking. And it all made the game.

We we are not talking about the well-known large game universe like the same Ravenloft, Spelljammer, or at least Birthright, and setting about with the pipe is lower and the smoke thinner under the name Al-Qadīm, who "game universe" language does not turn to call though, because it offers not happen in a separate world, and on the Peninsula of Zakhara, which is located to the East of the Stream. Why this Zakharo not made a part of Forgotten Realms? Yes, because the setting of Al-Qadīm was created for adventure generation style tolkinutogo fantasy with orcs, elves and all owed, and in the style of fairy tales "Thousand and one nights" (or - if we are to speak exactly in the style of old Hollywood adaptations of these tales). It's hard to do with standards developed for the Forgotten Realms (well, does the halfling thief does not fit into the interiors of the Sultan's Palace), and had to create a new one. The result of creation was the publication of the book Al-Qadīm: Arabian Adventures and Al-Qadīm: Land of Fate with valuable guidance for masters and players. The first book of rules was published in 1992, in 1994 a great company Cyberlore Studios made the game Al-Qadīm: The Genie's Curse, but no less beautiful Strategic Simulations had it published.

The game, unlike the Gold Box series from SSI or from the Dark Sun, the second of which is The Genie's Curse is similar graphically, is not a classic CRPG with thoughtful genericos characters, leveling system, and more or less tactical battles, and its aksenovoy variety. Generici there is no General – hero we have one, and it is specified in advance: this is the son of a merchant of Zubin al-Hazrad (name select). By profession he is a Corsair. This, however, does not mean that this friend makes a living by plundering ships, just the corsair is the name of one of the classes of the setting. Pumping is also almost there. In any case, it is not implemented in ADnDшной system: there are no stupid numbers, with the designation of spas-throws, armor class, strength, wisdom, and other useless junk. Everything is easy and simple: there is a character level and the amount of experience needed to reach the next level. This allows not to distract from the gameplay, which is running on the locations, the destruction of monsters in real time, solving puzzles and talking to characters. And equipment as such either. In General, in terms of gameplay The Genie's Curse is very similar to another game from Cyberlore Studios - Entomorph: Plague of the Darkfall.

However, despite belonging to Al-Qadīm: The Genie's Curse to the subgenre of action-RPG, it has a very good storyline. The main character graduated to Corsair and received such a good and bread profession, decided to marry the daughter of the Caliph. My daughter is not against the Caliph not against, the family of the protagonist is also not against, and the Council would love them Yes, if not for one thing. I must say that the dynasty of al-Hazardou become a rich and respected, and because her service was Genie. Personal Genie to be very useful: you can make it do something good or, conversely, someone can fight for it. To al-Hazrati not resorted to the second option and did not offend the family of its competitors, the local government ordered them to sign a contract that they are not abused by the supernatural powers of the Djinn and not harm a false trading transactions. And once the town Zaratan, where the family lived, the protagonist, comes the news that the ship rivals al-Hazardou sunk, and not by itself, but with the help of a Genie. But that's not the worst: the ship sailed the Caliph with her daughter, and swept into the sea. And to top it off it is unknown where the missing older brother of the protagonist Talik. Naturally, the family of the protagonist immediately finds himself behind bars, and most of it is sent to deal with the case because he is the only member of the genus al-Hazardou, who could not summon the Genie, so to have something to do with that could not. There begins our adventure.

Side quests in Al-Qadīm: The Genie's Curse a little, but the storyline, as I said, good and may generate interest.

To summarize the above, the Al-Qadīm: The Genie's Curse is a good and not very challenging action-RPG based on a little-known DnD'shnomu setting with nice for its time graphics. It is unlikely that she can match with a series of Dark Sun or Ultima 7, but it is able to brighten up a couple of evenings.

Enjoy playing Al-Qadim: The Genie’s Curse online, it can be played on your browser and is free.

Source: Archive.org, Mobygames.com