Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1984) PC

The first installment of the cult RPG series, created by Andrew Greenberg and Robert Woodhead in 1981 for Apple II computers (PeCet reissue was released three years later). The player will lead a team of up to six heroes and his main task will be to kill the evil sorcerer Verdna and recover the powerful amulet that once belonged to Trebor, the title Mad Overlord. Verdna, who is hiding on the tenth level of a giant labyrinth, is not the only opponent that the player encounters during the game. During the exploration of underground caves, he will often have to face various monsters who want only one - his death.

When creating a team, the player can choose from five races (man, elf, dwarf, gnome, hobbit) and eight professions (among others priest, mage, warrior and thief). All heroes are described by six coefficients (strength, piety, intelligence, vitality, dexterity and happiness), which can be increased after advancement to the next level of experience.

Labyrinth, after which we will come to move we see from the perspective of the first person (rotation every 90 degrees). It consists of lines marking the contours of the walls, while the only more advanced graphic elements are images of the monsters we are currently fighting with, as well as chests and a similar assortment of them. Wizards is a typical text product and it is with the help of numerous messages that orders are given to the team. If someone is not scared by visual simplicity and a bit clumsy interface, Wizardry will certainly provide him with a solid portion of entertainment.

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Last updated on 15 September 2023