All-Time Highest Rated Games Tagged 'fantasy, core' on The Great Games Experiment All-Time Highest Rated Games Tagged 'fantasy, core' on The Great Games Experiment http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/css/logo.jpg All-Time Highest Rated Games Tagged 'fantasy, core' on The Great Games Experiment en-us Final Fantasy 3 Snes This is another addition to the treasured Final Fantasy RPG series from Square. Released in the US as Final Fantasy III, this SNES title is actually the sixth FF game -- the previous Japanese titles did not make it across the sea, and to keep continuity on the series, the game was renamed to part 3. Whatever you call it, however, this is one of the most engrossing RPGs of its era, Final Fantasy III stands up well to the test of time and still intrigues RPG fans to this day. Known for its intriguing storylines, the Final Fantasy series has always been filled with imaginative plots and twisting storylines. In Final Fantasy III, magical beings called The Espers return from centuries past to destroy the rational and mechanized new world.
]]> 13 Feb 2007 06:52:15 Final Fantasy VI Final Fantasy VI was a landmark title in the series, and set the tone for many later console RPGs, both of the Final Fantasy line and elsewhere. Released originally as Final Fantasy III in the U.S., the game has been re-released under its original title for the Playstation. A GBA re-release is scheduled for early 2007.
]]> 09 Dec 2006 07:46:38 Ultima VII - The Black Gate From the Moby Games description:

You are the Avatar, returning to Britannia after 200 years of absence. Strange ritual murders are committed in the land while an organization known as The Fellowship is gathering a huge following. And there is this being known as The Guardian whose mockery follows you on your travels. Your old companions will join you on your quest through Britannia as you slowly discover the secret behind the Fellowship and the Guardian.

Ultima VII features completely revamped graphics and controls. The traditional Ultima top-down view of the world now fills the entire screen, with other informational windows overlaid on top of it only when necessary. Both world interaction and dialogue are fully mouse-controlled. The tactical combat system of previous Ultimas was replaced with a real-time system where only general strategies can be set and party members fight automatically.

The Britannia of Ultima VII is a large virtual world with lots of details: hundreds of NPCs can be talked to, virtually every object in the game is usable in some way and many side quests await the player.
]]> 05 Dec 2006 02:27:09 Planescape: Torment Planescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Microsoft Windows by Black Isle Studios. Released on December 12, 1999, the game takes place in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Planescape campaign setting. Unlike other computer role-playing games, such as Baldur's Gate, Torment places emphasis on conversation and storyline instead of combat.

The game begins in Sigil, where the protagonist, an enigmatic and heavily scarred immortal dubbed The Nameless One by the game's interface, wakes up in a mortuary with no memory of his identity and past experiences. Assuming the role of The Nameless One, players embark on a quest to solve the mysteries surrounding him.

Torment received almost universal critical praise, and has since become a cult classic. The game was added to Gamespy's "Hall of Fame" in August 2004, and to Gamespot's "Greatest Games of All Time" list in October 2005.

(from the Wikipedia page on Planescape: Torment)
]]> 04 Dec 2006 09:51:58 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Ring of Fates Square Enix's Nintendo-based Final Fantasy offshoot made a small splash on the GameCube, but now it's coming back in a big way on both the DS and Wii. The DS version of Crystal Chronicles, surnamed Ring of Fates, made its playable debut at the Jump Festa in Tokyo.

Square Enix hasn't had to dumb down the gameplay in Crystal Chronicles any in the move from GameCube to DS. We can also confirm that the game's presentation hasn't taken too much of a hit either. The world and characters are colorful and detailed. Cinema scenes feature full voice-overs; this doesn't seem to be the case for all areas of the game.
]]> 13 Feb 2007 10:19:44 Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales Chocobo Tales follows a story from a Chocobo's point of view. In the story, an evil book's been opened and almost all the Chocobos have been sucked into the pages. One was spared. You are this Chocobo. It's up to you to save your friends from the bookworld by performing tasks and playing mini games that propel the story forward.

The RPG portion takes place in full 3D, with a style and visual appeal that's to be expected from Final Fantasy. But when Chocobo gets sent into the book, the game takes on a very unique style all its own. It's very smililar to a pop-up book which almost looks like it was drawn with crayons.

With Chocobo Tales, Toshiyuki Itahana, of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles fame, brings his signature character design stylings to the tale of a chocobo's journey through a land of fairytales. Creatures from the by-now familiar FF bestiary take on roles in Aesop and Brothers Grimm tales--like the Tortoise and the Hare becoming the Adamantoise and the Cactuar--in Square Enix's chocobo-themed take on familiar childhood yarns.
]]> 07 Mar 2007 01:11:19 Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones Tell us about your game here
]]> 14 Dec 2006 12:59:20 Final Fantasy V Final Fantasy V is a classic SNES Final Fantasy game. It was originally released in Japan sometime in 1992, and the US didn't recieve it until 1999 under the title Final Fantasy Anthology, being packaged with Final Fantasy VI. It has you take the role of Bartz, a young man set out on a quest to travel the world. He runs into Lenna, a princess, Galuf, an old man who lost his memory, and Faris, a pirate. They later gain the power of the crystal of wind and are able to use Final Fantasy V's job system. There are over 22 jobs in this game, and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. It plays similar to Final Fantasy IV and VI, but using the Job system is key. This game is definately worth checking out.
]]> 29 Jan 2007 09:38:06 Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Step inside the most richly detailed and vibrant game-world ever created. Oblivion is the latest chapter in the epic and highly successful Elder Scrolls saga and utilizes the latest PC and next-generation video game hardware to fully immerse you into the experience.
]]> 25 Nov 2006 06:28:05 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind A strange land, home to the dark elves, is under siege from within. The evil Dagoth Ur strives to conquer all, and the Tribunal which protects the land are weakened and can no longer hold out against the onslaught. To Morrowind, to the island of Vvardenfall, you are sent, to do battle with Dagoth Ur and free the false gods of the Tribunal from their ancient folly.
]]> 09 Jan 2007 10:43:39 Kingdom Elemental Kingdom Elemental is a light-hearted and comical real time tactics game with serious game play. Set in a fantasy setting Kingdom Elemental takes core game play elements from RTS, tactics and RPG games and combines them into a game that is easy to play without investing most of your real life. Kingdom Elemental features an unlimited number of possible tactics by pitting combinations of your ten hero units and their unique abilities against waves after waves of enemies ranging from the lowly kobold to the mighty minotaur.

Kingdom Elemental combines the popular fantasy, strategy, tactics and RPG genres into a compact gameplay package. It is easy to pick up and play and has a simple 2d interface to get users involved in the 3d action.
]]> 23 Nov 2006 12:34:44 Panzer Dragoon Saga Panzer Dragoon Saga (titled Azel: Panzer Dragoon RPG in Japan) is a role-playing game released in 1998 exclusively for the Sega Saturn. It is the third game in the Panzer Dragoon and the only one which is not a rail shooter. The game centers around the plight of Edge, a young boy thrown into an ancient conspiracy.

Category: Turn-based role-playing game

Release date: April 30, 1998 (US)

Developer: Team Andromeda
]]> 26 Mar 2007 11:27:38 Chrono Cross
Twenty years after the events in Chrono Trigger, a new set of adventurers are preparing for a battle that will surpass even space and time...

The life of the young boy Serge from a small, secluded fishing village takes an exciting turn for the worse when he is mysteriously transported to a parallel universe. While exploring his new surroundings, he is attacked by unknown assailants, bur rescued by a beautiful girl. Seeking to make sense of what is going on, Serge agress to join the young woman, Kid, on her quest for a hidden artifact.

Little did he know that an adventure of cosmic proportions awaits him on his journey. With agents from a parallel universe searching for him, his life has been anything but dull. Even more unsettling is his encounter with the mysterious demihuman, Lynx, who claims a familarity that Serge does not feel. Hunted on all sides with nowhere to turn, he must puzzle out the motives of his pursuers, all the while trying to understand his own role in this similar yet vastly different world from his own.

Featuring a story line developed by the creator of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears, Chrono Cross has been christened the "Best RPG Creation" by it's development team. With multiple scenarios cast along a single story thread, and many different endings, each replay can result in an entirely new adventure.

In addition, a brand new battle system makes combat smooth and innovative by introducing an elemental field system and combo system that gives the player unparalleled flexibility in their fighting options. The elimination of random battles also quickens the pace of the game, and places the choice of where to battle in the players hands, with character designs by a famed Japanese illustrator and music by the original Chrono Trigger composer, Chrono Cross features visuals and sounds that bring its magic to life.

Additional Game Features:

  • Battle System: Much more than the simple "select a command and watch its effects" system that has been a part of RPGs for so long, Chrono Cross takes the strategic element in battles to a whole new level. A combo-system allows the player to choose between three levels of attacks, and string them together to form effective fighting patterns. As characters increase in level, new techniques become available, letting two or more characters combine their attacks to form powerful combinations. Random battles are also a thing of the past. Now all enemies can be seen on screen, giving players the option to avoid or outrun unnecessary battles.

  • Magic Elements: Much like the new battle system, the magic system in Chrono Cross introduces new strategies into the game that completely changes the scope of spell effects. Magic in the Chrono Cross world is governed by the use of elements, or spells which are assigned a position on an element grid. Depending upon its position in the grid, weak spells can have their strength boosted considerably at the cost of a slower casting time, while strong spells can be cast quicker, but at the cost of reduced effectiveness. Additionally, each spell and character in the game has an elemental color, which alters its effectiveness against opposing and allied colors.

  • Branching Story and Multiple Endings: Despite being a sequel to the popular Chrono Trigger, the story of Chrono Cross stands on its own merits. Developed by the same team responsible for Chrono Trigger and Xenogears, the epic tale spanning two parallel worlds features all of the elements that made the previous titles great, but adds its own brand of uniqueness. Forty plus characters make for an enormous number of side quests, while a branching storyline and multiple endings insure that players won't be putting this game away anytime soon.

  • Hand-drawn graphics and dazzling CG sequences: While gameplay and storyline are truly the elements that seperate a great RPG from a mediocre one, it takes well-developed visuals to tie them all together into an attractive package. In addition to lush hand-drawn backgrounds and character designs by a famed Japanese Illustrator, Chrono Cross also features cutting-edge computer graphics. Produced by the same team that developed the CG sequences from Final Fantasy VIII, the computer animation in this game represents some of Square's best work.

  • A multitude of playable characters and intertwining game scenarios.

Developer: Square Company
Publisher: Square Electronic Arts
Released: JP November 18, 1999 in Japan, August 15, 2000 in North America.
]]> 23 Jan 2007 04:05:30 Wonderboy III: The Dragon's Trap ABOUT THE GAME/STORY:
Join Wonderboy in his third(of four) installment of the series. Wonderboy, after critically wounding Meka Dragon is cursed, and is turned into a hideous lizard! Take Wonderboy on a quest to return him to human form with the holy Salamander Cross.

THE PLAYER:
In the game, Wonderboy has 6 forms:

Hu Man - Used only for a short while at the beginning of the game, is the most powerful. Can be attained by entering WE5T 0NE 0000 000 on the password screen.

Lizard Man - Hideous lizard monster. spits fireballs, has no shield.

Mouse Man - Tiny creature, capable of walking up certain walls.

Piranha Man - Fish creature capable of swimming.

Lion Man - With his immense might, he can swing the sword in a full arc, and is capable of destroying blocks below him.

Hawk Man - Capable of flying, but is harmed if he goes in water.

GAMEPLAY ELEMENTS:
Not much really to say, but it is a standard platform with basic RPG elements such as equippable items, and special weapons to aid wonderboy in his quest.

WHY IT IS GOOD:
With it's colourful graphics, well pixeled sprites, many varying locales and lots of different enemies, it's a fun game for everyone to play without getting bored at all.
]]> 03 Feb 2007 09:37:55 Final Fantasy IX Final Fantasy IX (ファイナルファンタジーIX, Fainaru Fantajī Nain?) is a console role-playing game developed by Square Co., Ltd. in 2000. It was published in Japan by Square, in North America by Square Electronic Arts, in continental Europe by Infogrames, and in the United Kingdom and Australasia by Square Europe. It was the last original game in the Final Fantasy series to be produced for the PlayStation. The game was developed alongside Final Fantasy VIII, but took a completely different path in line with fans' requests to return to the series roots via castles and other allusions to games in the series. Final Fantasy IX introduced new features to the series, such as the Active Time Event, Mognet, and a revamped equipment and skill system.

Set in the fantasy world Gaia, Final Fantasy IX's plot centers on a war between two nations, sparked by an ambitious queen. Players follow a young thief named Zidane, who joins with the others to defeat the Queen. Soon after embarking on their quest, they discover that the queen's campaign is a cover up for a greater plot involving a parallel world and Zidane's past.
]]> 06 Feb 2007 10:00:58 Final Fantasy III Final Fantasy III is the third game in the popular Final Fantasy Series. As with the rest of the games, this is an RPG. Four light warriors go and save the world from evil, similar to the story of the original Final Fantasy game. It has a job system where you can give a character a job, and then they gain the unique advantages and disadvantages of that job. It was recently released on the Nintendo DS as an enahnced remake, including new jobs, expading the storyline, 3d graphics, and being released outside of Japan for the very first time.
]]> 29 Jan 2007 09:19:47 Final Fantasy VIII In a time of both sophisticated technology and powerful magic, an evil sorceress corrupts the world's largest military power through manipulation and deception, enslaving mankind to do her bidding. Her goal is not something as simple as world domination; but to completely conquer all of space and time.

To counter the turn of events, various leaders head combat training schools, known as Gardens, that turn out elite fighting forces. Known as SeeDs, they defend, serve, and protect humankind from the sorceress. The sole purpose of these academies is to vanquish the sorceress and save humanity as we know it, although they take many other assignments for the right price.

A small, loose-knit group of SeeD graduates find themselves wrapped in a much bigger endeavor than simple military combat. Now, a gunblade specialist, together with a diverse group of young heroes, must set aside his fears, face the emotions he's run from, and become the leader that he never wanted to be.
]]> 14 Jan 2007 09:18:24 Freedom Force vs The Third Reich
When Nuclear Winter returns with a plot to destroy Freedom Force and the free world, gaming's greatest heroes must team up with a flurry of fresh faces! As the sinister soviet's plan unfurls, patriot city's finest find themselves flung through time into the greatest conflict the planet has ever seen: World War 2!


The second of the series, Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich is a superhero tactical-rpg/strategy game with an extensive character customisation system. As in the original Freedom Force game, the interface is intuitive and easy to use, the storyline is lighthearted and humorous, and there are excellent character development tools.

Missions are framed within stylish cutscenes that are highly reminiscent of the golden age of comics. Nearly all of the action and movement in the game can be controlled by mouse, but shortcut keys are also functional. Gameplay is in real time by default, but with a turn based aspect, as with a tap of the spacebar you can pause the game and issue orders.


Additional game features

  • A brand new chapter in the ever-expanding Freedom Force universe.

  • Six new playable heroes from two distinct eras of comic books.

  • A hoard of new villains bent on world domination.

  • Radically enhanced graphics running on a brand new engine (Gamebryo).

  • Vastly improved multiplayer, including several completely new modes.

  • For the first time in gaming, a trip to the Golden Age of comics.

  • Create your own comic battles with story-based multiplayer.

  • Fully destructable environments.

  • Real-time shadows, dynamic lights and more new rendering features.

  • Create your own hero with the hero editor.

  • Robust Modding tools.


Computer Gaming World's Strategy Game of the Year 2002!


Developed by Irrational Games, and released in the U.S. on March 8, 2005 by publisher Vivendi Universal Games.

System Requirements:
733 MHz P3 or Athlon processor or equivalent. 128MB RAM, ATI Radeon 7000 or NVIDIA Geforce GTS or equivalent DirectX 9.0c compliant 32MB video card with hardware T&L. 700MB hard disk space. DirectX compatible sound card. 56K modem or broadband internet connection for online play. Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
]]> 16 Dec 2006 03:04:54 Kid Icarus The all time classic, Kid Icarus.

In Kid Icarus players take on the role of Pit, who is on an epic, Metroid inspired, quest to save Angel Land from the evil Medusa and, in a Zelda style, save the goddess of light, Palutena.

Kid Icarus was one of the first games to feature multiple endings based upon how it was completed.

Kid Icarus has been re-released for download on the Wii as of 2/12/207.
]]> 07 Feb 2007 05:15:08 American McGee's Alice Based upon characters and elements of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland", this 3rd person adventure contains elements of platform jumpers, shooters, action and puzzle games, all in a highly stylized and colorful world of fantasy.

Years have passed since Alice's trip through the looking glass. After surviving the fire that killed her parents, Alice is driven by despair into a catatonic state and institutionalized. The famed Cheshire Cat is teenaged Alice's constant companion as she finds herself once again in Wonderland.

The land is not as she had left it though, more twisted than ever, and her journey reflects that of the depressed, anxious, even suicidal girl battling for sanity and balance once more as she fights to overthrow the cruel Red Queen and put things right.

Alice's arsenal includes an exploding Jack-in-the-Box, nasty dice, an ice wand, and much more.

Powered by the Quake III engine, Alice was designed by American McGee, developed by Rogue Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, who released the game in October, 2000. It is of possible interest that American McGee's site no longer holds reference to the game.

The game features a soundtrack composed by former Nine Inch Nails drummer Chris Vrenna. The voice of Alice was performed by Susie Brann.

The related Universal Pictures film "Alice", starring Sarah Gellar in the title role is apparently set for release to coincide with the publication of Duke Nukem Forever.
]]> 15 Dec 2006 06:21:37 Dominions 3: The Awakening The Dominions series are created by [user=Illwinter] studios (2 guys) out of Finland and published by [user=Shrapnel Games], one of the last online refuges of PC-based, independently produced war- and strategy-games. Dominions is a turn-based game of province conquest, income management, army customisation and management, combat tactics and management and ultra-light diplomacy (single player that is, multiplayer you can make diplomacy as intricate as you like). Finally, there's bit of stat-based hero management, as your units age, obtain experience and battle wounds, learn new spells and obtain power-up items (crafted by trained mages and based on supply of magic gems). It's a blend of Sid Meier's Civilization, Risk, [game=Heroes of Might & Magic], [game=Europa Universalis] and about 10 different mythologies, fictional and historical. Just for kicks, there is a dash of roguelike, Nethackish randomness, in that in any particular battle any of your carefully groomed commanders may die a sudden, horrible death regardless of how well-protected you think they are.
]]> 29 Nov 2006 08:57:25 Kings Field II The first King's Field was an excellent game,
and its like-minded sequel is even better.

Published by:ASCII Entertainment Software, Inc.
Developed by:FromSoftware, Inc.
Released:Nov 20, 1996

ESRB Rating:Teen
Genre:Adventure, Role-Playing (RPG)
Perspective:1st-Person Perspective
Genre:Medieval / Fantasy, Real-Time
]]> 10 Feb 2007 03:47:43 Dragon Force Dragon Force is a rare and extremely sought-after role-playing strategy game, released for the Sega Saturn. It was created in Japan by Sega and translated into English by Working Designs in 1996. It has since been re-released on the PlayStation 2 as part of the Sega Ages series.

Category: Strategy role-playing game

Release Dates: March 29, 1996 (JP), November 30, 1996 (US), September 1997 (EU), August 18, 2005 (JP Sega Ages re-release)

Developer: Sega
]]> 26 Mar 2007 10:16:52 Crisis Core The game is a prequel to Final Fantasy VII and is also the fourth entry to the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series, which also includes the games Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- and Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-, as well as the CGI movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and the anime, Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-. Production is being overseen by Yoshinori Kitase, the director of the original Final Fantasy VII, with Hajime Tabata serving as director. Tetsuya Nomura will be responsible for the character designs.

Very little information about the game has been released of now except that it will be on the PSP. It seems that the game will mainly focus around Zack, a 1st Class SOLDIER and Cloud Strife while he is a lowly Shinra Guard. Another character also present in the game is Aerith Gainsborough as her voice is heard in the trailer of the game. This game appears to take place around the events of Nibelheim outlined in Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-.
]]> 26 Jan 2007 04:06:10 King's Field: The Ancient City Published by:Agetec, Inc.
Developed by:FromSoftware, Inc.
Released:Mar 26, 2002

Genre:RPG
Perspective:1st-Person
]]> 10 Feb 2007 04:03:48 Betrayal at Krondor Based on Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar saga (and co-written with Feist himself) is Betrayal At Krondor, a new tale in the Riftwar universe. Exploration in a 3D world and turn-based combat complement the story, which is divided up into nine chapters. Each chapter has a goal to achieve before moving on to the next chapter, but how that goal is met is up to you.

(from the Moby Games Betrayal at Krondor page)
]]> 09 Dec 2006 09:11:56 World of Warcraft Four years have passed since the aftermath of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and a great tension smolders throughout the ravaged world of Azeroth. As the battle-worn races begin to rebuild their shattered kingdoms, new threats, both ancient and ominous, arise to plague the world once again. Rich in legend and filled with adventure, the World of Warcraft awaits! For the first time, players experience the lands of Azeroth from a new, in-depth perspective. As heroes, they explore familiar battlefields, discover new lands and take on epic quests and challenges in Blizzard's massively multiplayer, on-line, role-playing game. Welcome to the World of Warcraft.

A monthly subsription fee is required.
]]> 25 Nov 2006 05:25:09 Warhammer Mark of Chaos From the Developer's web site:

MASTER THE ART OF WAR: Warhammer: Mark of Chaos is about WAR, focusing on the armies and battles while de-emphasizing the tedious aspects of base and resource management.

From the contributor:

Warhammer: Mark of Chaos had an amazingly rough launch. Multiplyer failed to work properly out of the box, and patches for those issues corrupted saved campaign games in addition to breaking the save / load system. At that time, the only solution to play the single player campaign was to re-install and not play multiplyer. It was a frustration that overshadowed an otherwise enjoyable game. It is important to note that the game is very much a 'build your army and fight the other guy' process and not a resource-driven RTS. It is not particularly hard, the AI is not very bright, but the visuals are well crafted and the mechanics are farly faithful to the Games Workshop system.
]]> 29 Jan 2007 09:08:46 Aveyond Aveyond is an independent RPG in the style of the classic 16-bit console RPG adventures like the best selling "Final Fantasy" series and "The Secret of Mana."

Rhen Darzon's life in her quiet village has been peaceful and uneventful until the day a mysterious priestess, barely alive, comes to her for aid. Within hours, Rhen becomes captured by the evil forces that had attacked the priestess, and she slowly becomes aware that her life has never been what it seems. She discovers powerful magical powers within herself, coupled with a dark destiny that she must choose. As the "chosen one," she and her companions must face the powerful demon Ahriman bent on destroying the land.

Aveyond is a thrilling fantasy role-playing game with tons of secrets, items, spells, vast dungeons, monsters, mysteries, and quests! It features beautiful 2D graphics, an epic story, and a completely original musical score. Boasting over 50 hours of gameplay, 60 quests, and hundreds of locations across five large islands, Aveyond offers MANY MANY hours of exciting adventure!
]]> 22 Nov 2006 11:52:04 Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura Imagine a place of wonder, where magic and technology hold equal sway, and an adventurer might just as easily wield a flintlock pistol as a flaming sword. A place where great industrial cities house castle keeps and factories, home to Dwarves, Humans, Orcs and Elves alike. A place of ancient runes and steamworks, of magic and machines, of sorcery and science.

Welcome to the Land of Arcanum

Arcanum is the first game to come from the development house Troika Games, LLC, started by former Fallout team members Tim Cain, Leonard Boyarsky, and Jason Anderson. This team takes the depth of gameplay and world-building in role-playing games to entirely new levels of realism and excitement.

Arcanum creates a compelling new world where magic and technology coexist in an uneasy balance. As Arcanum opens, the mechanical age has only recently arrived in this ancient land where Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and other races have learned to survive in the new sprawling industrialized cities. But this radical shift from magic to technology has created a potentially explosive situation. As the townspeople and other thinkers begin mass production of light bulbs, batteries, eyeglasses and guns, the Mages grow leery. This tightly wound setting is the starting point from which the character must set out on his quest.
]]> 05 Dec 2006 05:04:59 Dark Messiah A dark cloud has fallen over the Might and Magic universe, and as the young hero Sareth, you must stop the spread of this dismal plague. Your epic journey begins 18 years after the events of Heroes V, and now, the revelations of your past may light the way in your pursuit of the truth. As you explore the secluded region of Ashan, you'll be confronted by the Dark Messiah's many minions, such as the orcs, the savage goblins, the elusive trolls, the fire-breathing dragons and the most morbid of all, the dreadful undead.
]]> 14 Jan 2007 06:46:29 Cute Knight A young woman seeks her destiny, and the truth about her past in this roleplaying game from Hanako Games. Beneath the city lurks a deadly dungeon full of perils and treasure. But most of the action and tough decisions take place when the young woman is in and around town, trying to find her place in this life and unravel the mystery of her past. Find romance, find a job to pay for fighting lessons, or spend time as a street musician learning your trade and playing for tips. This is not your traditional dungeon - delving, dragon-slaying tale! It's something of "The Sims" meets "Princess Maker" meets "Dungeons and Dragons".

Everyday decisions such as where to work, what to learn in school, or how to handle one's social life has an effect not only upon your short-term wealth and well-being, but has long-standing ramifications in what your character will eventually become as she reaches full adulthood.

There are over 50 possible endings, from warrior to barmaid to princess and plenty in-between. The dungeon beneath the city, and events that occur during the game, and the items that can be found are all different every time you play. This is a game that is designed with replayability in mind, so there is plenty of fun and excitement to be had.
]]> 23 Nov 2006 12:18:33 Icewind Dale Icewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios.

The game is set in the Forgotten Realms Icewind Dale region of Dungeons & Dragons, but takes place decades before the events described in R. A. Salvatore's books which popularized the area. An expansion to the game, Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter, was released in 2001.

Based on the BioWare Infinity Engine, the game features pre-rendered backgrounds, and an isometric camera perspective with sprite-based characters. This engine was used to power Black Isle Studios' previous game, Planescape: Torment. Icewind Dale is based on a real-time modification of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition ruleset.
]]> 25 Jan 2007 05:24:54 Heretic Raven Software teamed up with Id Software for the second time in its creation of the hit fantasy action game Heretic. Based on a modified DooM engine, Heretic pioneered a revolutionary new inventory system for character item use that has become commonplace in the FPS genre. Id Software published the game under its flag and it was distributed by GT Interactive.

Players took the role of Corvus, an Elven hero whose race was nearly eliminated by a horde of evil monsters from another dimension. The first episode of Heretic was released as Shareware as a precursor to the full version of the game, Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders.

Heretic won several awards for excellence, appeared in such notable publications as USA Today and Playboy, and opened many new doors in the computer gaming software industry for Raven Software and its team of developers. Heretic was Raven Software's most popular, highest acclaimed, biggest selling game to that point.

(from the Raven Software Heretic page)
]]> 13 Dec 2006 01:18:12 Final Fantasy XIII Final Fantasy XIII is part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis series and will be an RPG for the Playstation 3 Console.

Final Fantasy XIII was announced at Square Enix's E3 2006 Press Conference in Las Angeles on May 8.

White Engine
Final Fantasy XIII will be using the white engine to create the game. This will allow for seamless graphics with billions of polygons on the screen. The E3 2006 trailer is supposedly not done using the White Engine.

Main Developers
Director: Motomu Toriyama
(FINAL FANTASY VII, FINAL FANTASY X, FINAL FANTASY X-2)

Character designer: Tetsuya Nomura
(FINAL FANTASY V~VIII, FINAL FANTASY X, FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN, KINGDOM HEARTS)

Art director: Isamu Kamikokuryo
(FINAL FANTASY X, FINAL FANTASY XII)

Main programmer: Kazumi Kobayashi
(CHRONO TRIGGER, XENOGEARS, CHORONO CROSS, FINAL FANTASY XI)

Movie director: Eiji Fujii
(FINAL FANTASY: The Spirits Within, FINAL FANTASY XII)

Main theme: Nobuo Uematsu, SMILE PLEASE Co., LTD.
(FINAL FANTASY series)

Composer: Masashi Hamauzu
(FINAL FANTASY X, DIRGE of CERBERUS -FINAL FANTASY VII-)

Producer: Yoshinori Kitase
(FINAL FANTASY series)
]]> 25 Jan 2007 08:55:27 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers Square Enix debuted its anticipated Wii and Nintendo DS versions of the multiplayer GameCube RPG, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles.

For the Wii, the game will be called Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers.

The game is being designed to take advantage of all of Wii's unique features.
]]> 04 Mar 2007 10:57:56 HeXeN Raven Software's HeXen actually began development as an expansion for Heretic that was originally slated to hit the shelves as "Heretic II." However, the game design so expanded beyond the original game that this proposed the expansion of the Heretic universe took on a bold new identity of its own...HeXen: Beyond Heretic.

HeXen was developed over a period of 8 months, published by Id Software and distributed by GT Interactive in 1995. The game introduced the 3-D gaming world to the "hub system" of level progression, rotating polygonal brushes and multiple character classes that were available in both single player and multiplayer. All of this combined to help HeXen raise the bar for the first-person shooter genre. HeXen pushed Id Software's DooM engine to its absolute limits and surpassed Heretic as Raven Software's most popular, highly acclaimed title.

The success of HeXen prompted a mission pack, Deathkings of the Dark Citadel, and several ports to home console gaming systems including the Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64 and the Sony PlayStation. HeXen also became the first Raven Software game made available for the Macintosh.

(from the Raven Software Hexen page)
]]> 13 Dec 2006 01:40:26 Radiata Stories You play as Jack Russell a young man who only gets into the Radiata Knights because his father was famous. Jack is certainly not the sharpest sword in the armory, but he is willing to do anything to help his friends. The story is pretty simple but is still lots of fun. This game never takes itself too seriously and is very humorous to play. Plus it has lots of replay value with over 175 playable characters you can recruit and the choice between siding with the Humans or the Fairies in the coming war.
]]> 08 Feb 2007 11:53:27 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Square's first game for a Nintendo console since the days of the Super NES takes the lush fantasy world from the Final Fantasy franchise and adds-in Gauntlet-style four-player action. The game does away with traditional experience points and instead focuses on action-oriented combat with a unique co-op slant. Up to three friends can join in on the quest, by using Game Boy Advance units connected to the GameCube as controllers. While all the main action takes place on the screen, the GBAs enable the players to access menus, organize their spell spheres, and perform upgrades without slowing down the action.
]]> 13 Feb 2007 09:55:23 Asheron's Call 2 Asheron's Call 2 was the short-lived would be successor to the successful mmorpg Asheron's Call. The original title enjoyed great popularity, with speculation (uncomfirmed by Microsoft) that subscription reached as high as 120,000 players at it's peak. Asheron's Call 2 did not meet the expectations of the publishers, having launched in November of 2002 with "Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings" and continuing on with the "Legions" content expansion until the plug was pulled on December 30, 2005.

The original game still lives beyond it's sequel, now having been returned to the control of the developer Turbine Entertainment Software, and has moved on to it's second expansion "Asheron's Call: Thrones of Destiny", currently the latest content available.

As for Asheron's Call 2, although players were chiefly approving of the content, gameplay dynamics and greatly enhanced graphics, the original Asheron's Call player base was somewhat divided, and at release the game suffered initial problems of server instability, engine bugs, balance and combat flaws, and critical chat system problems. Also of note are the high system requirements, challenging to many gamers of the time, and perhaps even moreso to the rpg community in particular.

Although Turbine and Microsoft proved capable and commited to addressing the many release issues, the game never overcame the poor launch. Although the publishers have not disclosed the numbers, it is estimated that Asheron's Call 2 peaked briefly at about 50,000 players, and was closer to 10,000 at the time that is was cancelled.

Additional Game Features:

  • Brand new graphics engine, new combat system and an updated interface.

  • Third person adventure in a subscription based mmorpg.

  • Combat, exploration and adventure in the persistent lush fantasy world of Dereth.

  • Free monthly (or sometimes bi-monthly) content updates.

  • Create from a choice of 3 basic races, each with dozens of branches on the skill tree available to develop a unique character.

  • Complex gameplay and combat systems based on a hybrid class-skill system. Player rank levelling according to XP, increasing and unlocking skill potentials.

Developer: Turbine Entertainment Software
Publisher: Microsoft, subsequently Turbine Entertainment Software
Released: November 22, 2002

System Requirements
98SE/2000/ME/XP, 2 GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, 128MB DirectX 9.0-compliant video card w/ T&L and vertex shaders, 56K Internet access, compliant sound card
]]> 23 Jan 2007 11:28:53 Final Fantasy Versus XIII Final Fantasy Versus XIII part of th Fabula Nova Crystallis series and will be an Action game for the Playstation 3 Console. In Latin, Versus means "Change in direction".

Final Fantasy Versus XIII was announced at Square Enix's E3 2006 Press Conference in Las Angeles on May 8.

Not a merely a sequel, but a wholly independent story unfolding in a different world with different characters. This title will appear alongside FINAL FANTASY XIII on the PlayStation 3 system.

Main Developers
Director & Character designer: Tetsuya Nomura
(FINAL FANTASY V~VIII, FINAL FANTASY X, FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN, KINGDOM HEARTS)

Movie director: Takeshi Nozue
(FINAL FANTASY IX, FINAL FANTASY X, FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN, KINGDOM HEARTS)

Composer: Yoko Shimomura
(LEGEND OF MANA, Parasite EVE, KINGDOM HEARTS)

Producer: Shinji Hashimoto
]]> 25 Jan 2007 09:58:43 The Settlers: Heritage of Kings From the Developer's web site:

Exerpts from the FAQ:

The Settlers: Heritage of Kings still is very much about building up an economy. Affectionately made animations and a living environment have consequently been a part of the series. The player still can just sit back during the game and watch the busy little settlers doing their work.

It was important to us that the Settlers Saga evolves further. Therefore there have been several changes since The Settlers 3 and 4 including the new graphics style, the 3D environment, a storyline and the heroes.

That is also the reason why we do not speak of The Settlers 5 but of the Heritage of Kings.
]]> 29 Jan 2007 10:09:59 Otogi: Myth of Demons Otogi was a great action game for the Xbox that sold rather poorly. Its unfortunate, as the game was quite entertaining.
]]> 07 Feb 2007 04:48:53 Kings Field Genre: Fantasy Role-playing (PSX)
Publisher: ASCII
Developer: ASCII
Release Date: January 1, 1996
]]> 10 Feb 2007 03:32:57 Sword of Mana Long, long ago, there was a goddess. She cherished all life and transformed herself into a Mana Tree to watch over the world.

Thus the legend began.

Sword of Mana is the prequel to Secret of Mana for the SNES. There are new characters and new dungeons to explore with similar gameplay and controls.

There are multiple characters to play and many different weapons and items to use as you fight for Mana.
]]> 28 Mar 2007 09:54:27 Septerra Core Septerra Core is a PC only rpg developed by Valkyrie Studios. Players encounter intriguing puzzles, strong character development and fast paced strategic combat, all driven forward by a story which takes place in the original, highly detailed fantasy world of Septerra, so named after it's 7 layers, each with distinctive characteristics, geography and politics.


Additional Game Features:

  • Hundreds of locations for players creates a large, fully explorable world with seven continents.

  • Highly developed storyline and characters offer fifteen chapters of gameplay.

  • Simple interface allows players to tap into the complex options of the game, without overly complex menus.

  • In addition to the main character, players may choose from eight companions, each with a unique background story, motivation and skill set.

  • Engage enemies in a combat system that has all the strategy of turn based combat, but keeps the game fast paced.

  • Over 140 NPCs that respond to your characters with over 5 hours of recorded dialog.

  • Experiment with item combinations to create over 100 spell effects by collecting a deck of "Fate Cards."

  • Large 16-bit backgrounds that are natural and non-repetitive.

  • Hundreds of Items and Weapons allow you to tweak out your characters.

  • Highest quality production, including 640x480 graphics, 16-bit color, completely recorded dialogue and fully animated movie sequences.

  • Artwork inspired heavily by the Japanese anime genre, employing stylised characters and fantastic landscape, combining futuristic science fiction elements with, for example, medieval concepts.

Developer: Valkyrie Studios
Publisher: Monolith Productions
Released: October 31, 1999

Minimum System Requirements

Windows 95/98, DirectX 5.0, Pentium 200, 4X CD-ROM, 32 MB RAM, DirectX-compatible sound card, Mouse and Keyboard
]]> 19 Dec 2006 10:42:49 Divine Divinity Divine Divinity is a computer role-playing game. There are 3 character classes — Fighter, Mage and Survivor (Thief), each with a special move. Unlike most other RPGs, the player's gender affects his/her skills, giving a total of 6 character choices to choose from.

Divine Divinity takes the player on a fantastic quest in a land torn apart by corruption and dark magic. Throughout his journeys the player will get the chance to develop his character as one of six character types, and meet a variety of people and fantastical beings. By combining the best features of the RPG genre, and introducing many new features, Divine Divinity aims to appeal to both hard-core and new RPG players.

There are four huge maps totalling over 20,000 screens, with a very wide range of environments. For instance there is an elven forest, a demon wasteland, farmlands, towns, fortifications and extensive sewer systems. The world is extremely extensive, and includes numerous small details such as epithets on tombstones.

For the player's choice of character, there are three classes and two genders, totaling six possible starters. Each has an individual appearance which can be altered by placing equipment on them, such as armour or helmets.

The three classes are Survivor (a rogue-like character), Warrior and Wizard. They have slightly different stat conversions; for example a warrior gains 6 health points per constitution point, whilst a survivor gains only five points. Each of the character classes also has a unique movement form, such as a sneak ability for the Survivor. But other than this it is a game does not use character classes—any class can use any of the other two skill paths, which each have 36 separate skills.

A random equipment generator allows an extremely wide variety of items, and in this sense it is similar to the Diablo 2 computer game. Items can be upgraded using objects called charms, as well as the enchant item skill, allowing further customisation. There are also slightly more than 50 (relatively) fixed items, with varying powers.

There are more than 150 NPC characters, many with detailed background stories and depth, and a large number of varied villains.

A very extensive and adaptive soundtrack was written by Kirill Pokrovsky for the game. RPG vault gave Divine Divinity the award for Outstanding Achievement in Music. They said, "It very proficiently supports the changing moods and locations in the game, never becoming either overwhelming or repetitive."
]]> 25 Jan 2007 06:27:45 The Wheel of Time
Enter the Wheel of Time and dare to seize ultimate power.

Based on Robert Jordan's best-selling series of fantasy novels, The Wheel Of Time is a gaming experience that will become your world. A first person action/strategy game with story-rich elements set in a lush, high resolution universe of mystery and wonder. A single player quest through mystical and expansive environments. Unique multiplayer dynamics with three game types. All with strategic spell combat. Because power is not given...TAKE IT!

Wheel of Time is a first-person 3-D action/strategy with role playing elements. The environments are taken directly from the pages of Jordan's books, vast in scope and shaped around the quest of Elayna Sedai, Keeper of the Chronicles of the White Tower. Other characters from the fictional work are also portrayed faithfully in the single player quest, as you vye with them for the remaining seals needed to unlock the greatest of powers.


Additional Game Features:

  • Seize power by the strategic use of over 40 mystical artifacts.

  • Totally immersive 3D environments with rich, state-of-the-art graphics.

  • The richly-textured world of Robert Jordan's hugely popular novels brought to life!

  • Enhanced Unreal engine technology in blazing real-time!

  • First person action in single player quest and multiplayer.

  • Wonderful atmospheres enriched by a great soundtrack of Celtic-rock fusion music created for the project by a colaborration of Robert Berry and Lief Sorbye.

Developer: Legend Entertainment Company, under license from Robert Jordan
Publisher: GT Interactive Software
Release Date: Oct 31, 1999 in the US, February 11, 1998 in Japan and Europe

Alex Harris of ACTIVENETWORK said,
Wheel of Time uses an enhanced version of the Unreal engine to bring Robert Jordan's world to life. In addition to the Unreal engine's core capabilities like 24-bit color (with MMX), multiple dynamic (and colored) light sources, complex geometry, smooth character animation, real moving/rotating brushes, seamless level transition, and a powerful scripting language, they have endowed the engine with a host of WoT-specific effects. The particle system they created for Wheel of Time makes for some of the coolest explosions and smoke effects you've ever seen. In addition, they went in and provided support for weather effects like rain, snow and wind.

System Requirements
Pentium 200, 32MB RAM, 500MB HD space, Windows 9x compatible sound card, 3-D accelerator, DirectX 6.1, internet connection required for online play.
]]> 27 Jan 2007 07:41:31 Asheron's Call
The Portal to Dereth Has Opened!

Welcome to the online role-playing game Asheron's Call, where thousands of players inhabit a beautiful 3D fantasy world to make friends and seek out perilous adventure. Customize your alter ego with a unique appearance and balance of heroic skills, then enter a magical frontier of terrible monsters, breathtaking vistas, and fast alliances. With over 500 square miles that offer ever more wonders to explore, Asheron's Call gives you a world of unparalleled scope and freedom, the richest setting yet for creating your personal saga or joining your friends in an epic campaign.

The sun sets in a fine shroud of mist, reddening the stucco of a cheery hilltop inn as wind sighs through the groves; in the mountains, a giant banderling shadows a warrior party amid a lulling patter of snow; and somewhere below the flagstones of the deepest Empyrean excavation, the clicking, chittering Olthoi share mad and bloody dreams. Fond human fantasies meet strange nightmares in the magical realm of Dereth. Escape into 500 square miles of hills, mountains, deserts, forests, towns, and dungeons, where no invisible boundaries interrupt your journey over the vast open spaces. With or without the stunning effects of 3D hardware acceleration, your computer becomes the window on a living world. Storms sweep the countryside, the sun sinks into the west, the moons rise and fall, and dawn creeps over the horizon.

Asheron's Call develops a heroic fantasy setting familiar enough to draw you in yet mysterious enough to draw you onward. A varied host of monsters populate the benighted, medieval terrain; mysterious artifacts of great power embellish vast treasure hoards; and sorcerers, fighters, and rogues plot both heroic alliances and base villainy. However, Asheron's Call retains a strong flavor all its own, with an original backstory and creatures, and unparalleled flexibility in character creation and development. After selecting your attire and facial features from millions of possible combinations, customize your skill set to make your character truly unique. As you defeat foes, you can allocate experience to not only specific skills but also the base attributes like strength and intelligence. And the allegiance system grants you power and prestige as you recruit followers to your service. Enter the vast and magical world of Dereth, where a new and heroic identity awaits you!

Additional Game Features:

  • Persistent online rpg in fantasy realms.

  • Developer's made bold changes to rpg's of the time of origin, normalizing character classes and magic.

  • Multi-part quests are only part of the adventure options over an expanse of (currently) 9 servers.

  • Technical stability in a game that is believed to have supported well over 100,000 players at it's peak.

  • Extensive support, documentation, and online communities.

  • Asheron's Call is not a static game, the threat changes, and the world along with it.

  • Complex and dynamic magic system, with a spell economy in place to limit the effectiveness of certain spells.

  • Numerous melee and missile weapons include sword, staff, dagger, axe, mace, spear, bow, crossbow and more, as well as unarmed combat.

  • Complex allegiance system of monarchs, patrons and vassels benefits allies in building XP.

  • Attentive administration of the server community roots out unscrupulous cheats in order to keep the game fun and sporting for the rest.

  • Latest expansion "Thrones of Destiny" updated the graphics engine as well as making changes to gameplay dynamics (2005).

  • Subscription fee of $12.95 per month at time of this posting are in addition to the purchase price of the game(s).

Developer: Turbine Entertainment Software
Publisher: Microsoft (1999-2004) then by Turbine who continue to publish and support the content(2004- )
Released: october 31, 1999


Minimum System Requirements
  • Multimedia PC with 333 MHz processor or higher
  • Microsoft Windows 98, Me, 2000 or XP
  • 64 MB RAM
  • 300 MB available hard drive space for typical install, 100 MB available hard drive space for swap file
  • 4x CD-ROM drive or higher
  • Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
  • Internet access


    • The expansions Dark Majesty and Throne of Destiny (the latest and current edition of Asheron's Call) have added content to this original version, which has outlived it's own sequel as Turbine Software continues to sell and support Asheron's Call. The "buy now" link for this game may not apply to the original content.
    ]]>     23 Jan 2007 02:21:36     Styrateg Are you in the mood for some great turn-based strategy? Or a fantasy quest that cuts straight to the tactical combat? Styrateg combines simple yet compelling turn-based strategy with traditional roleplaying-game elements to create an easy-to-learn, fast-playing adventure!

    Your odyssey begins when you receive a letter from your old friend, Gregorius, now a prior in the western march. Evil is pouring over the border and the kingdom's armies are being overrun. He begs you to defend the kingdom with your unique powers and martial skill. Before long, you will amass a small army of your own to protect the kingdom and strike back at the heart of the invading darkness!

    Styrateg allows you to play one of several characters with their individual special abilities. As you undertake several quests your character will gain experience, levels, magical items, and new powers. You will also gain new and unusual troops to command as you do battle with ferocious enemy forces. The turn-based gameplay allows you to take your time with your moves, but the pace remains brisk and exciting.
    ]]>     23 Nov 2006 03:30:32