In the game, you start out as a peasant with just the clothes on your back. You come across a body which is carrying an obsidian code disk (copy protection) and a leather scroll. The body is also wearing a bracelet, which you also take. You'll find yourself in a museum very shortly, and the main quest of the game will be given to you by the museum caretaker. You will want to visit the caretaker anytime that you've completed a major task. He may raise your level and attributes, allowing you to survive harsher challenges that lay ahead.
The game consists of towns, castles, dungeons, and the museum. Towns offer a variety of places for your character to spend his hard earned loot. You can visit weapon and armor smiths, grocers, healers, boat salesmen, banks, and casinos. The casinos offer games of chance where you can win a fortune, or lose one.
The towns have guards, so while it is possible to rob merchants, be assured that the town guards will make you pay the price if they catch you.
Castles give the adventurer a place to sack for fun and profit. There are keys that must be found before you can access the greatest treasures. You might find people in the Castles that support your cause. Be sure to talk to anyone who doesn't
try to kill you.
The museum is the primary place to pick up quests. You do this by visiting the various exhibits that are contained within the museum. These exhibits can only be opened by finding special coins. These coins are made of various precious gems or jewels. You can find these coins by defeating monsters, or much more commonly, by speaking to merchants in town.
The mainland and castles are explored in 2D, while the dungeons and the museum are in full 3D splendor. The game takes about 40 hours to complete, perhaps longer if you like to spend time wandering the countryside. For a game that is 20 years old now, I found Legacy of the Ancients to be a happy trip down memory lane.
