Galdregon's Domain (part one)

Update: the second part is now published which you can read all about here :-)

Hello ST world, it's been a while!

Let me begin by thanking my ST buddies, from all over the world, who sent messages the last few months. And cheers to those who bought me a beer!! It's been rough but I'm glad to begin my journey back into the glorious lands of Atari ST. Actually, my computer is looking quite sad and in need of a good clean, the poor thing.

Okay, dragging me back - kicking and screaming for luscious ST pleasure - is something that I bought years ago. For months it's been on my ST shelf whispering subliminal messages like, "Psst, check me out!", "Hey you, come over here and play", "Stevie, I'm here and ready for action", "Boot me up, baby". Erm, anyhow you get the picture!

Galdregon's Domain is the temptress and first appears as something of a Dungeon Master, which is never a bad thing. It's the product of Pandora and coded by Steve Briggs, who I've not heard of so perhaps this was his one and only ST venture? The graphics are stunning. Gorgeous and scenic with beautifully-drawn monsters and characters by Robin Chapman, Martin Severn and Martin Godbeer. Mike Brown provided the samples for the sound effects - used for creeky doors to frightening screams emitting distant places. A lot of love went into the aesthetics of this adventure game.

Weirdly, the box art is rather - suspect - but I've covered this before and it's always worth a laugh at Pandora's take on Conan. Inside the box, are three disks, (why would I wanna use those when the Automation boys have a belting one-disk version!), a rather flimsy manual, and a few sheets of A4 paper.

Hang on, did I say A4 paper? Yep, to my fascination, the original owner has fully mapped the opening stage along with some of the forest areas. I absolutely love finding snippets of ST history like this!!! I wonder who he was? Did he stay up each night carefully crawling and drawing the dungeon with each and every step? Did he complete the game? Are you sitting there right now and thinking to yourself, "Hey, I did that". If so - please, get in touch using the comments below.

Okay, I bet that you're all dying to see these maps? All you need to do is scroll down a little...

This part is an overall view of the area. Let's go to that pub!!

Drilling deeper into specific areas now. I can scan these if anyone is interested?

So what's the plan?

I love getting enthralled in a new world where I can enjoy adventure, lore, and exploration. There's nothing better than discovering places, solving quests and fighting hideous monsters with a giant sword. Heck, I might even make a few friends in the local tavern? Who knows, this little-known game by Pandora might actually be something special?

So, I shall take a stab at conquering Galdregon's Doman. It appears what I'm longing for; a mix of RPG, adventure, and action. It should quench my cravings for a decent return to the Atari ST? Yes, I know I could have booted up Dungeon Master, Shadowlands, The Temple of Apshai Trilogy, The Curse of Rabenstein, etc... but I crave something new (to me).

Let's take a gander through a few screenshots taken from my first play. Check out these visuals...

Okay, here's the starting screen and the King is asking for our help.
His loyal subjects appear for a chinwag. I wonder what pearls of wisdom they possess?
The user interface is good to use for interaction and easy movements.
The only thing that's a little weird is the use of a scroller for chat and messages...

Anyhow, I went for a wander and came upon this little filly! I think she's hungry?

I've no time to eat so onwards I go and meet up with a guard. He seems nice!

I'm lost but it isn't long until two dolly birds help me out. I think they're twins!!

At last, the exit!! But the doorway is locked... how can I open it? Hmm...

Outside, I'm free to wander the lands. The weather is lovely and the king has a grand castle.

Oh great, the first place I found and it's haunted!! But wait, this ghost needs our help for a quest.

First impressions?

Galdregon's Domain looks very promising. Its world is incredibly diverse and takes place over a ginormous region. Plus the freedom to openly explore is daunting and compelling to an old adventurer like me.

So far, I've been attacked by soldiers, bitten by wolves, sent on a fruitless mission by a ghost, and chased out of a temple by a gang of cultists. Of course, I didn't last long, but it was only my first attempt(s). Perhaps I should look to clothe myself in armour and yield better weapons?

Yes, folks, exciting times are afoot and I will enjoy slaying monsters and pillaging their rotting corpses. I wonder what other monsters and dark secrets are waiting to be discovered? I'm sure this will be exciting. So, have you played it? What did you think? I'll be interested to hear your thoughts. Watch this space for the second part of this review coming "soon".

Merry Christmas everyone and all the best for 2022. STay Atari.