97 lines
4.8 KiB
Plaintext
97 lines
4.8 KiB
Plaintext
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DUNGEON MASTER
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Have you ever felt that some computer role-playing games with
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extensive graphics put too much into the graphics and not much into
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the game? Yes, they looked pretty, but became boring quickly, as
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there was little relationship between how nice the pictures looked
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and how well the game played. If you've shared this feeling, relief
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is here in the form of DUNGEON MASTER from FTL Games. A computer
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RPG, DUNGEON MASTER was initially released for the Atari ST (the
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version upon which this review is based; Apple IIgs version notes
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follow).
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The plot of DUNGEON MASTER is relatively simple. You are the
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Theron, apprentice to the Grey Lord, sent by your mentor to find the
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Firestaff hidden within the dungeon. You, as Theron Lord, first must
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enter the Hall of Champions (the first level of the dungeon) and
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find four champions to be your party. The champions are pre-created
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characters who are in mirrors in the Hall. There are 24 champions in
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all. Each champion has a name, at least one class, and several
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physical attributes. You can resurrect a champion, which means that
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the champion comes into your party exactly as shown, or you can
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reincarnate a champion, meaning tht you can give the champion a new
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name and optional title. The champion won't have any skills if you
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reincarnate him, but he will have better physical attributes. The
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available classes are Fighter, Ninja, Wizard, and Priest. The
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champions can be neophytes, novices, apprentices, or journeymen in
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any of the classes. Most champions start with more than one class.
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The dungeon contains monsters, traps, doors, levers, and an
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assortment of other items to work with while you are exploring. You
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can map or not, as you like. Mapping will make your journey easier,
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but will slow game play. Also (at least on the upper levels), there
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isn't a way to find out exactly where you are in the dungeon.
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The dungeon graphics are simple, but important (you actually SEE
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keyholes in the walls). Using the mouse, you can take a key from a
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champion's pack and insert it into the keyhole.
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The mouse is used extensively throughout the game: to transfer
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items between characters quickly and efficiently, to move around
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(although the keyboard can be used to do this, too), and for
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combat.
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Combat is in real time. When you see monsters in the square in
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front of you, you can select a champion's weapon from a menu and
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then choose the action the champion will take (usually Parry, Chop,
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or Melee). The monsters attack while you make your selections, so it
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pays to be quick with the mouse. There is no set combat sequence;
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everyone fights when able to do so. The monsters can run from you,
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and you can run from the monsters. "Hit and run" tactics work well,
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as monsters don't regenerate points they've lost when you attack,
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retreat, and re-engage. They will chase you, however, so you need to
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retreat to a truly safe place to rest.
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DUNGEON MASTER's magic system is unique. Instead of a spell list,
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there are magic symbols that are combined to create spells. Priests
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can cast spells into potions for later use; wizard spells dissipate
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as soon as the spell is cast. Scrolls scattered about the dungeon
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tell which symbols create which spells, and you can also experiment
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with the symbols to create your own spells. Most characters have
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"mana" (spell points) that are spent when casting spells and that
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recover through time.
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Game play is excellent. You feel as if you are actually in a real
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dungeon, instead of just plugging away at a computer. FTL has done
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everything possible to minimize the computer interface. Because of
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the real-time combat and graphics, tactics (such as hit and run)
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that you can't use in other computer RPGs are possible here. The
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puzzles are interesting, and become tougher as you go deeper into
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the dungeon. The graphics are excellent, although DUNGEON MASTER
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doesn't offer the number of pictures that other games for the
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68000-based machines do. The game is of limited scope (there's only
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the one dungeon), but the one dungeon is very well done. Highly
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recommended!
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APPLE IIGS VERSION NOTES
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The Apple IIgs version of DUNGEON MASTER works exactly as above,
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and offers superb sound and graphics. Game play is sluggish, and the
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animation of attacking monsters is choppy, but this game is _far_
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better than any other dungeon RPG ever published for the Apple.
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There is a strong feeling that you're looking through a window,
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rather than at a monitor screen.
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FTL games has pushed the IIgs flat out to provide a stunning
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experience. Origin, Sir-Tech, New World Computing, Interplay: This
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is how it should be done. I give DUNGEON MASTER a 10 out of 10 and a
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standing ovation!
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DUNGEON MASTER is published and distributed by FTL Games.
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******DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253
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