dave taylor @deltro1a

Phantasy Star (SEGA Master System)

Wonderful RPG

The Good
The story and graphics are just beautiful. It´s deep, but doesn´t complicate anything too far. It´s a good RPG to start on, if you´ve never tried the genre before. With diligence you see how your characters improve and how you find all kinds of places and gadgets to help you defeat the evil and save the world. Three different worlds to travel and a party of four very different characters makes this excellent. Top that off with different means of transport in the game!

The Bad
It is very easy to die and lose in the initial part of the game, struggling to defeat random enemies in the fields. Some clues are less obvious, some locations can be difficult to find.

The Bottom Line
A wonderful colorful cute RPG. The line drawing and text rendering of speech is just perfect. Try this and you´ll fall in love. The sequels departed a lot from the original colour and feel, unfortunately, but then, they were on faster machines. An 8 bit rpg that truly showed what the Sega system could do. worth it.

By dave taylor on June 17, 2015

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (DOS)

One of the top CRPGs

The Good
The goal of the game, achieving avatarhood in the virtues, is excellent and unique even to this day. It´s quite realistic in the sense that just like daily life, you have to be careful what you do or say, you have to be fair and whilst achieving your goals, reach out and cooperate with the right people. The graphics were basic but playable. The speed of play and fluidity is fantastic. The game is deep and with notions that make you want to keep coming back.

The Bad
The main world is a little poorly drawn, but then it was limited by machine capabilities at the time. You need good vision or a large screen. In some ways the game is very long to complete and it´s very easy to lose hit points. It takes dedication, and if you don´t use outside help, there´s a lot to write down and even put down on paper to make maps--so you don´t become lost.

The Bottom Line
It´s been said this could be the best computer rpg of all time. It is very good but I decline that judgment. Similar great crpg´s include Phantasy Star (sega) and Magic Candle (dos). These similarly had large worlds with the requirement for a party, and if not completely the same, they still had elements of morality, albeit indirectly compared to Ultima IV. This game is a challenge for you, it is well worth it. Besides it, another of the Ultimas to look for is Ultima 6, which in a way had similar moralistic goals. For anyone who wants to try a game of quest with problem solving and just generally requiring thought and planning, go for this one, and don´t put it down until you´ve seen it all!

By dave taylor on June 17, 2015

The Magic Candle: Volume 1 (DOS)

The Ultimate old-school RPG

The Good
The game is superb. Graphics are sustainable enough, and play is stable. The story is deep and long--probably the greatest asset the game has, as well as the uniqueness. Getting away from the "kill the final boss" idea allows the party of players for focus more purely on attaining the tools needed to quell the coming evil, by re-imprisoning the arch-demon. The party has to work together, and apart, use both items and verbal skills, weapons and spellcraft. Some parts of the game are optional but to absorb yourself in the beauty of the world, you´ll want to see it all. The game unfolds as you go, with hints and new places to keep you enthralled. It´s medieval fantasy at a great level.

The Bad
There isn´t much to not like. The game requires patience and dedication, just like other role playing games. Getting used to the controls is a challenge and movement seems slow. Writing lots of notes is important. The combat can be tough.

The Bottom Line
If you like traditional rpgs, this game is a must. It has been compared to ultima and yet it´s different. The manual itself tells quite a tale about the world, the style of play and so on. It´s a universe to discover. It is more about planning and puzzle solving rather than just hack slash. The reality is big in party members need food, get tired and may even need replacing along the way. This game belongs in the hall of video game fame. It´s a game that should be played in original. I doubt it could be remade to the same feeling and effect. Don´t overlook it, and don´t get frustrated by your first few hours. Understand the magic of the world and the story and you´ll get addicted without a shadow of a doubt.

By dave taylor on June 1, 2015