90 lines
5.2 KiB
Plaintext
90 lines
5.2 KiB
Plaintext
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SORCERIAN
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SORCERIAN is a Japanese import from Sierra On-Line. Unlike most of Sierra's
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titles, SORCERIAN is not an adventure, but an action role-playing game. (This
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review is based on the IBM-PC version.)
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In SORCERIAN, players assemble parties of up to four characters to tackle the
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15 different adventures included. Characters have ability ratings, classes,
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equipment, and experience, just as they would in a normal role-playing game. The
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difference in SORCERIAN is that in the adventures, the party moves as a group in
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real-time across the screen. In fact, play in SORCERIAN bears a strong
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resemblance to the various scrolling graphics games popular in arcades and home
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video games (e.g., SUPER MARIO BROTHERS).
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Players who relish a pure role-playing experience may be put off by this form
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of presentation, and by the arcade nature of combat. However, underneath its
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arcade skin, SORCERIAN is a true RPG, and a clever one at that. Players will
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find that each quest has a plot and a set of puzzles to be solved. Clues must be
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found, and objects collected and manipulated in the correct order to get through
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each adventure, just as in any other role-playing game.
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Play in SORCERIAN is very simple. Once players have selected their characters
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and assembled a party, they can choose an adventure to play. The 15 adventures
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are broken down into three scenarios of five loosely linked adventures. In
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general, players will want to play the adventures in order, as characters with
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some experience are required to complete the later numbered adventures.
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In the adventure, the party moves as a single group in a line across the
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screen. The perspective is strictly two-dimensional in a cut-out view. Players
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use the keyboard to move the party and to have the party attack or use their
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weapons or magic. To look at an object, enter a door, or pick up an object,
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players must have the characters jump directly in front of it. While this is odd
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(indeed, rather comical), it is straightforward.
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An interesting twist in SORCERIAN is that much of the complexity of play occurs
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_after_ the adventure. In town, players must determine what training to give
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their characters. This training takes both time and money, but is required if
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characters are to reap the benefit of new experience levels. Potions may be
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purchased, or mixed for a fee from herbs collected during the adventure.
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Finally, players can have magic placed on their items.
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The magic system in SORCERIAN is both complex and unique. As mentioned above,
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players may have their items enchanted. However, items are not given a simple
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spell. Instead, players must choose which of seven gods to have enchanted in the
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item. Several gods must be added in combination in order for spells to be cast
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using the item. The seven gods may be combined in nearly endless ways, each
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combination providing different spell-casting abilities. The entire system is a
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bit bewildering, but mastery and use of magic is essential in the later
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adventures.
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The graphics in SORCERIAN are reasonably sharp, if unspectacular. Much of this
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is due to the two-dimensional perspective. In addition, the graphical style is
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that of Japanese animation, with characters resembling children, and the
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monsters having a decided cartoonish look. Fans of Japanimation will enjoy this
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style; role-players who prefer a more realistic look to the graphics may not.
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SORCERIAN supports VGA/EGA (640x350x16) graphics mode only. It requires 512K
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RAM and may be installed on a hard disk. An 8MHz processor is recommended. There
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is no copy protection. The interface is keyboard driven, though a joystick may
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be used. Roland, AdLib, GameBlaster, and IBM music card sound modes are
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supported. SORCERIAN comes with both high-density 5-1/4" (1.2 MB) and 3-1/2"
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disks. Double-density (360K) 5-1/4" disks are available.
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The interface is straightforward, allowing players to concentrate on their
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quest. The puzzles are usually of medium difficulty and require considerable
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traversing of the territory in each adventure. This can get a bit old,
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particularly since the layout of the screens makes it somewhat difficult to keep
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track of where your party is.
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On the plus side, I liked the relatively short adventures that allow players to
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feel a sense of accomplishment more often than in most games. In addition, this
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permits players to try other adventures when hopelessly stuck in the one they
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are currently playing. Another nice feature is that players may choose to have
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their characters re-play an adventure in order to gain further experience before
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tackling the next level. The penalty for doing this is that each time the
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characters go on an adventure, a year of time passes, and age will eventually
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have detrimental effects on characters' abilities.
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With 15 adventures, gamers will find that SORCERIAN offers outstanding value.
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Players will have to decide, though, whether a psuedo-arcade style role-playing
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game with two-dimensional graphics suits them. I found SORCERIAN to be a
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refreshing break from other, lengthier quests, with the ability to play
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individual adventures a definite plus.
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SORCERIAN is published by Falcom and distributed by Sierra On-Line.
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*****DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253
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