Champions of Krynn
| Developer: SSI | Graphics: |
 | |
| Publisher: US Gold | Sound: |
 | |
| Year: 1990 | Difficulty: |
 | |
| Genre: Role-playing game | Lastability: |
| |
| Number of players: 1 | Rating: |
7/10 | |
An old-school RPG, with a “rough around the edges” look but true to the rules of Dungeons & Dragons. This is the first episode in a trilogy, set in the Lancedragon (Dragonlance) universe, followed by Death Knights of Krynn (1991) and The Dark Queen of Krynn (1992).
Its presentation and mechanics are similar to Pool of Radiance: managing a group of six companions (highly customizable, occasionally aided by NPCs controlled by the computer), a first-person view during exploration phases (by “view”, I mean a pathetic little thumbnail in a corner of the screen), and a turn-based tactical combat system in isometric 3D. When your characters get too powerful or the repetition gets on your nerves, you can let the computer handle the fights, freeing you up to focus entirely on the stewardship (collecting loot, selling it, buying arrows, memorising spells…).
Compared to its predecessor, there’s more variety in character creation (more races, fewer restrictions between classes) and some adjustments in the interface and the magic system. Mage spells are now affected by lunar cycles, and the introduction of deities gives clerics different abilities.
This is a game that requires patience and preparation (spending time creating and equipping your characters to start), and frequent reference to the gamebook (adventurer’s journal) in which most of the dialogues and descriptions are recorded. Its reading, complemented by numerous illustrations, helps create a believable atmosphere (despite, of course, many recycled graphic elements).
|
