Wizardry Gold

"An old, but great RPG."

Even though this game is outdated compared to today's RPG's, it is extremely large yet fun. For anyone that likes RPG's that take a long time to beat, this is a great one. Besides having a lot of secrets, it has a good storyline, and a great fighting system. Anyway, on to the review...

Graphics - 7/10
For a game of this age, they're pretty good. The only gripe that I have with the graphics, however, is the repetition. (The forest scenery doesn't really change, and neither does the dungeon layout.) However, the enemy detail and weapon detail is alright. You don't really see anything with incredible graphics, but they do set the mood.

Gameplay - 10/10
With so many classes and ways to fight, this is where Wizardry really shines. First off, you can pick between 11 classes, each with their own stats. Then, depending on the roll (which determines your stats), you can pick their professions. Some professions for classes are easier to get than others. For the full benefit, just look at the average stats for a profession.

Then the wandering part is pretty good. It starts off pretty linear... at first. Shortly, you reach a part of the game where you can pretty much do whatever you want to do. With so many combat skills/spells/profession abilities/etc., you will see how deep this game really is. It has so much, that it will take you days to beat.

Even starting out, you may want to create several characters because of the sheer number of abilities from class professions and races.

Sound/Music - 7/10
It's decent at the most. NPC's talk when giving you information, and you can tell their position with your party depending on how they talk. Other than that, you will hear the clang of weapons, the opening of doors, and the yells of enemies. There is very little music, however, but this type of game doesn't really need it.

Controls - 10/10
At first, all the icons and such will be confusing to a new person. After time, however, you get used to using the keyboard/mouse together. Eventually, you forget you are even using them because of the ease of the GUI.

Fun Factor - 10/10
With so many quests and secrets, it's hard not to enjoy this game. Essentially, like most RPG's, the NPC's help out a lot. The NPC's also add another element to the gameplay, as they can affect what ending you get.

In conclusion, if you like turn-based RPG's that have a good storyline and great gameplay, then this is the game to play. It may be outdated, but it still is a great experience to newbies and older players alike.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/14/03, Updated 12/18/06