Quest 64

A Massive Adventure RPG

Celtland has been cast into chaos by the theft of Eletale's Book. This mystical volume contains the secrets of the Spirit Tamers. Control Brian, a magician's apprentice, as he explores the expansive countryside and villages on his quest. If he does not reclaim the book, the Kingdom of Celtland will be cast into darkness forever.

• Over 50 deadly spells
• More than 100 characters
• Unique battle engine, incorporating traditional dueling and magic spells

"...will set the standard for 3D epics."

• Nintendo Power

"...will provide diehard RPG players and newcomers to the genre with many hours of solid gameplay."

• Q64

Source:

Back of Box

THQ breaks new ground with the first RPG for the N64. Spanning a beautiful island rife with magic and danger, this exciting epic chronicles the bold bid by an intrepid young magician to find his father and save his people from an overwhelming evil.

Quest 64 takes place in Celtland, a island amicably shared by three kingdoms: Kennishire on the northern coast, Carmagh in the fertile heartland and Highlands in the wild and forbidding south. The magical spirits of the four elements -- fire, water, earth and wind -- coexist peaceably with the people of Celtland, thanks to a pact forged with the magicians of Kennishire's Melrode Monastery.

All is calm and content until one night, when unseen forces steal the precious Eletale Book from a crypt in the monastery. If evil forces gain possession of the book, they could use the knowledge it contains to unleash untold horrors on the island, breaking the pact with the spirits and destroying the cities.

As the story opens, Lord Bartholomy has been missing since he left the monastery a month before in search of the missing book. The Lord's son, Brian, is determined to find him. Rejecting the advice of the monastery's Grand Abbot, Brian sets out for his first stop: the imperial court of King Scottfort in Dondoran.

Along his epic journey, Brian can enter seven cities, meet more than 100 characters and find scores of items. Compared to many RPGs, Quest 64 is fairly straightforward, with a minimum of backtracking and branching routes. Veteran RPG players may wish the developers had taken the time to build in a trading system and less linear story line. First-time adventurers, though, will appreciate the game's scintillating graphics, brisk pace and easy-to-grasp mechanics.

The richly varied landscape of Celtland encompasses idyllic farmlands, gloomy forests, steep canyons and labyrinthine caverns, all depicted with a lush palette. Simple texture maps convey the distinctive looks of the cities and terrain without slowing frame rates. Excellent alpha effects gradually turn day to night and back again.

Characters whom Brian interviews tend to be a bit stiff, but Brian himself moves naturally, even drooping his shoulders when he's low on Hit Points. The game's graphics really shine, though, in combat, when the entire screen virtually explodes with soaring flames, iridescent arrows, tumbling boulders, giant water spouts and other spectacular effects. The only downside to all these pyrotechnics is that they can make it hard to see how much damage a particular attack is causing.

As a magician-in-training, Brian will have to master 10 increasingly powerful spells for each of the four elements. He does this by winning precious spirits, symbolized by gems, from defeated enemies. Other spirits are concealed in houses, castles and caves. The game's lack of a trading system makes searching for spirits the primary reason to explore the towns.

Brian's single most valuable spell is probably Healing, a Water spell. However, different enemies are vulnerable to different kinds of attacks, so it won't do to load up on one kind of spirit. Also, keeping your spirits balanced increases your staff attack.

All in all, Quest 64 is a worthy first RPG for the N64. Players seeking a straightforward saga with impressive graphics should pick up their staff and begin the adventure.

Source:

www.nintendo.com