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BATTLE SYSTEM
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INTERACTION
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ORIGINALITY
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STORY
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MUSIC & SOUND
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VISUALS
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CHALLENGE
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Easy |
COMPLETION TIME
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5 to 15 hours
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OVERALL
4/5
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Rating definitions
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Wanted: Hero. No experience necessary. Visit beautiful Spielburg,
fight monsters, defeat brigands. Reward and title "Hero of
Spielburg" to the successful applicant.
As a recent graduate of the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence
School, Spielburg's offer seemed perfect. Especially that part about
"no experience." Unfortunately, the poster may have exaggerated
a bit. Spielburg's current state of affairs is rather sad, and most
of the inhabitants have given up all hope, leading to an overall
decay in the atmosphere. Fighting monsters is part and parcel of
the hero's lifestyle, but no one said anything about a forest chock
full of deadly fiends hungry for hero sandwiches. Brigands? Yeah,
there's brigands
a full company that's managed to choke off
all trade and kill every other hero sent against them. That reward
had better be pretty big
Quest for Glory I: So You Want to be a Hero is a VGA remake
of the 1989 Sierra classic Hero's Quest. Having run into trademark
trouble with the original, Sierra released this updated version
with new graphics and interface. While most of the plot and story
remained the same, the input was switched from text driven to mouse
driven as seen in QFG III.
The story itself is fairly simplistic. By asking around the town,
the Hero quickly gets a grasp of key local events: the brigands
have locked down trade, there's a bunch of monsters around, the
Baron's children have disappeared, and a hideous ogress named Baba
Yaga is causing all sorts of trouble. Clearly, a Hero's hand is
needed.
Nice to meet you too.
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While that summary may encompass the vast majority of the story,
the real key to QFG I's success is its personality
and presentation. The valley of Spielburg is host to a wide variety
of places and characters, each with their own distinctive aura and
character. From Erasmus the kindly wizard and his familiar Fenrus
(or maybe it's the other way around) to the colorful and bouncy
Meeps (who say
meep!) to the reclusive yet garrulous 'Enry
the 'Ermit, Sierra has stuffed the land with memorable characters.
The writing will either be atrocious or superb, dependent on one's
own view of puns, paronomasia, breaking of the fourth wall, reference,
and other word-plays that go bump in the night. Much of the fun
lies in simple discovery through poking around to see what secrets
the valley has to offer.
Before beginning, the player is asked to select one of three classes:
fighter, magic user, or thief. While each character has its own
particular emphasis (ie, fighter is the only class to get a sword
and shield, the thief has access to the thieves guild), it is possible
to build a hybrid character by allocating points in the initial
creation process. Gaining a new skill costs fifteen points from
the pool of fifty, as opposed to simply bumping up a characteristic/skill
which costs five points.
These classes not only have a direct bearing on the starting stats/equipment
but also greatly affect the method of play. When confronted with
a dangerous monster, the fighter will most likely rush in and slay
it, while the magic user could either Calm it, Dazzle it and run
away, or fry it with Flame Bolts. Of course, the thief was sneaking
around and was never seen in the first place. Puzzles will require
different solutions, and accessible areas/equipment may depend on
one's class.
Each character comes with six base stats, up to seven skills, and
two or three pools (health, stamina, mana); each individual asset
ranges from 0-100 in level. Unlike many other RPGs, QFG I
does not incorporate a traditional level system. Instead, stats
are increased as they are used: pick up a few rocks and toss them
around, and the character's throwing skill will increase. This is
in turn might affect an increase in a base stat (such as agility)
which might in turn increase one of the base pools (stamina). Thus
it becomes quite necessary to practice any skill that needs increasing
but trying to perfect a skill can be quite trying.
Big, bad and rather ugly. |
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QFG I is also unusual in that it doesn't place a great emphasis
on combat, unless one is playing a fighter; most of the game can
be completed without ever entering into an encounter. Still, most
players will opt to wreck some havoc, and all three classes are
well equipped. Various monsters will appear on screen and follow
the character around; if the monster touches the character, then
combat is initiated. Characters can either thrust, swing, or dodge.
The fighter can also block with his shield, and a magic user has
access to a few combat spells. The Hero will lose the battle if
the health or stamina pool is reduced to zero; health is lost due
to being hit, and stamina depletes with every action.
Aurally, the game has done well with the limited hardware that
was available. A nice variety of effects and soundtracks add to
the atmosphere. This VGA remake also shows a beautiful attention
to detail in the visual realm, with modeling that looks like it
was based on claymation. The graphics have aged very well and provide
a charm all their own.
The game itself is relatively short if one runs straight through
it, but most of the charm will come from taking the time to explore
the environment through the mouse-driven interface. Of course, the
answers to puzzles are not always obvious, but discovering the myriad
of ways to die is all part of the fun. A few mini-games exist to
pass the time and increase the skills, and there is replay value
due to the differences in the classes.
Overall, QFG I comes recommended to any RPGamer who enjoys
exploration and a good, old-fashioned graphical adventure with RPG
elements. The pacing and structure may seem simplistic by today's
standards, but the game retains much of its original charm.
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