The sequel to the classic Legend – Four Crystals of Trazere, Mindscapes Worlds of Legend - Sons of the Empire builds on the foundations set by the former, an isometric dungeon crawl and monster slaying epic with the player in command of four characters each with their own special abilities.
The aim of the game? To reunite a kingdom torn apart by war by collecting four shards of the Eternal Amulet now scattered across the land but which once recombined will awaken a force strong enough to destroy the many warring factions that roam this world.
The primary action takes place within dungeons beset with monsters, traps and increasingly difficult riddles. However unlike its predecessor this sequel takes the action to the equally dangerous land above where chance encounters with rival banners can either lead to a rapid increase in level and the acquisition of useful magical items or a swift and untimely death.
The debt owed by more recent RPG’s to this and its earlier incarnation is immediately apparent as one creates the character of the four party members at the commencement of the game though the method of establishing an individuals ability - by combing the various elements, Earth, Fire, Air and Water - gives only limited flexibility when compared to the roll of a dice in a game such as
Baldur’s Gate.
Lacking too is the choice of character – there is none. One must accept the four main protagonists, the Berserker, an Assassin, a Troubadour and a Rune master, although one may call them by whatever name one may wish. It is however with the skills of the latter character, the Rune master, that the game excels. Though physically weak his ability to mix spells is the key to successful completion and experimentation is the name of the game. With an assortment of inventive ingredients such as Wing of Bat, Nightshade or Phoenix Claw, the appropriate magical rune and the essential mixing bowl all manner of intriguing concoctions can be created. Essential as one progresses into the further recesses of the game are not only the usual damage and healing spells of varying strengths but also antimage spells and the power to resurrect as in the deeper dungeons, dying can become a way of life! But beware, magical ingredients are only thinly scattered in the dungeons and runes are only available from the Mad Monks who must be visited frequently necessitating exploration beyond the relative safety of the cities.
Plunging in to the initial dungeon the simple control system is readily acquired though the ability to control an individual character in the thick of battle is a skill that must be practiced to be mastered. The action is fast and furious, frequently too fast and more often than not one ends up clicking the ubiquitous ‘Ralley’ icon to force all the characters to fight or to salvage their remains before an ignoble retreat. All objects within the dungeons must be checked for keys and other items. Failure to do so can result in wasted minutes searching for that essential key to progress. Puzzles are common and even the simplest can sometimes require an element of lateral thinking whilst the more elaborate can delay progress for minutes or even hours! Don’t let the Rune master run out of damage spells. Sometimes the only way to unlock a door will be his ability to cast such spells at some inanimate target!
Once a dungeon is completed it is time to visit the various traders scattered throughout the land, to stock up on ingredients and train up in level. Banner encounters as one traverses the country are best avoided early in the game but as the party grows stronger they can be a useful source of more esoteric weapons and passes to avoid the exorbitant bribes demanded for entry to some towns and a rapid way to accumulate experience points.
As one would expect of a game from the days of DOS that would fit on a single floppy with space to spare the graphics are simple and now dated, but the gameplay remains addictive and maintains its interest throughout. It will even play quite happily on an XP machine (though better without the sound which can sometimes conflict with the mouse). Playing again with a 19” monitor instead of squinting at a 14” screen can provide an invigorating and sometimes heart stopping experience. A must for those for whom the modern RPG has become the mere exploration of a yet another beautifully rendered but ultimately uninspiring and unexciting landscape.
