Knight Lore (ZX Spectrum)

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Description

Our hero must reach Melkhior, a somewhat eccentric wizard who is the only one who can save him. As with most Ultimate titles of the day, reaching him is a long and treacherous challenge, involving both puzzle-solving and action, meaning that each screen requires thorough planning and precise navigation.

The game uses the isometric viewpoint in a manner similar to the later Head Over Heels, using monochrome but detailed graphics and techniques to avoid flickering sprites. The game lasts for 40 days and nights - at night your character turns into a werewolf. Ultimate's individual style of eschewing straightforward instructions in favor of feature lists and riddles is put to good use here, with the story detailed in a rhyming poem of sorts.

Screenshots

Promo Images

Alternate Titles

• "ナイト・ロアー ―魔城の狼男―" -- Japanese spelling

Part of the Following Groups

• Game Engine: Filmation
• Gameplay feature: Day / Night cycle
• Sabreman series
• Theme: Werewolves

User Reviews

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Critic Reviews

Your Computer	Jan, 1985		100
Sinclair User	Jan, 1988	10 out of 10	100
Popular Computing Weekly	Nov 29, 1984		100
Personal Computer Games	Jan, 1985	10 out of 10	100
Sinclair Programs	Jan, 1985	99 out of 100	99
Crash!	Jan, 1985	94 out of 100	94
Sinclair User	Feb, 1985	9 out of 10	90
Eurogamer.net (UK)	Aug 20, 2007	8 out of 10	80
ASM (Aktueller Software Markt)	May, 1986	9.5 out of 12	79
Happy Computer	Feb, 1985	Unscored	Unscored

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Trivia

1001 Video Games

Knight Lore appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Release

Knight Lore was released about one year after it was finished. Ultimate felt the new isometric graphics would hurt the sales of the 2D game Sabre Wulf, so they held it back.

Awards

• ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)
  • February 1991 (issue #41) - Included in the list Greatest Games of all Time, section Arcade Adventures (editorial staff choice)
• Retro Gamer
  • October 2004 (Issue #9) – #22 Best Game Of All Time (Readers' Vote)

Related Web Sites

• CPC-Power (in French) (for Amstrad CPC: dowloadable releases; artwork; additional material)
• Internet Archive, a non-profit digital library (for ZX Spectrum: downloadable release; additional material; online emulation of game)
• Knight Lore Remake (for MSX: freeware downloadable remake by Retroworks)
• Knight Lore remake at Retrospec (for PC: freeware downloadable remake by Peter Hanratty)
• The BBC Games Archive (for BBC Micro: downloadable release; additional material)
• Wikipedia, a free online Encyclopedia (combined platform view entry)
• World of Spectrum (for ZX Spectrum: additional material; player reviews; magazine references; magazine adverts)