This was the first AD&D game I ever played on a computer, even though it is the second in the series. As the sequel to Gateway to the Savage Frontier, you continue your quest right where you left off. Your well earned rest after becoming the Heroes of Ascore is interrupted by Amanitas as he gives you a new quest: To finish destroying the armies of Zhentarim and save the Savage Frontier once more.
If you happen to have Gateway to the Savage Frontier, you can import your games from Gateway to Treasures.
This is especially handy, since the battles at the beginning of Treasures are pretty intense. Of course, for a greater challenge, you can just start Treasures with new characters. They will all start at level 5, so it isn't horribly unbalanced, but the beginning is still difficult.
Of course, as with all sequels, there are some nice new features, such as new character graphics (though they didn't change very much). Another new feature is that party members can now fall in love with NPCs. This happens between characters with similar alignments who are of the opposite sex. It certainly makes for some interesting adventuring. Again, your party can have up to 6 characters that you control. However, you are now allowed
to have up to 2 NPCs join your party instead of just one. NPCs come and go quite regularly, as some stay only until a specific quest is done. Your characters can reach higher levels. No longer are you stuck at level 8; most of your party can now reach level 11 (and in the case of the thief and fighter, level 12). There are also some new monsters in the Savage Frontier: Cyclopskin, Greenhags, Rock Reptiles, Stone Guardians, and Yetis.
The controls are the same as Gateway, mainly using a keyboard, however there is an option for using a mouse. Not that using a mouse is worth it, as most of the controls are faster if you use the keyboard. The battles are still turn-based. Though if you run the game on a modern computer, most of the damage dealt in battle happens too fast to be read.
Though it is an old game (from 1992!) it is well worth playing. The amount of customizing you can do for your party is still amazing. The choices of colors and graphics, though crude, allows for much variation. The battles are exciting and the side quests are fun. Hours of time can be spent traveling through the Savage Frontier. I would recommend it to anyone who loves classic RPGs.
