Questron II

A lone quest

Questron II stands as the only entry in the series to grace the Atari ST. Oddly, it serves as a prequel to the original and reveals that the long-standing peace in Landor is only possible because the hero is sent back in time to prevent the Black Tome from ever being created. Confused? Well, this epic journey unfolds across two distinct continents - Landor and the even more dangerous Realm of Sorcerers. The ultimate goal is to defeat six wicked sorcerers before they complete their forbidden book and forever seal the fate of the world.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Initially, we are a lone adventurer exploring the realm of Landor, completing quests that gradually strengthen us, ready for the big battles. You know, it's the usual stuff heroes are expected to do daily. If you’ve played something like Ultima and Phantasie, you will have an idea of what to expect: towns, castles, wilderness, and monster-infested dungeons scattered across a sizeable island.

First things first, character creation is almost non-existent. Aside from choosing a name, that’s it. That came as quite a surprise - no class selection, no skill allocation, and no stat tinkering. You start as a Serf equipped with just a dagger, rawhide armour, some food, a Gold Key, and a Book of Magic (which is your source of spells). Progression comes later, but not in the way you might expect! More on that later.

Movement around Landor will be instantly familiar and is performed with the cursor keys (or mouse). There is a list of commands for inventory, wearing equipment, speaking, fighting, and more. It’s initially a bit overwhelming, but soon becomes second nature. I love that it’s displayed on the screen for easy reference.

Out in the wilderness, encounters are frequent and mostly aggressive. So pressing "F" initiates combat for one turn. Not every encounter is hostile; some characters will trade or offer information (for a price) if you press "S" to speak. Combat is simple: you take turns exchanging blows. Damage is determined by your Strength, Agility, equipment and your opponent’s gear. Oddly, the game doesn’t explicitly display weapon damage statistics, but the price in shops gives you a good understanding. Ie, the higher the price, the better it is.

This is starting to sound good, with new islands to explore and turn-based combat...

Stopped by a warrior who wants to sell me a hatchet (better than a dagger!)

However, I already have a hammer, which is better. Sell that dagger, Steve!

Mesron expects a lot

Early on, you’re tasked with finding Mesron in Castle Redstone somewhere on the island. Once there, use that gold key lurking in your pocket, as speaking to him grants your first level up, increasing your Strength, Agility, and maximum Hit Points. Unlike traditional RPGs, levelling up does not occur through grinding. Nope, your progression is event-based, so advancement through is tied to completing milestones.

You’re quite poorly equipped, so you’ll need gold to upgrade your equipment as soon as possible, and that means venturing into the wilderness and (GULP) dungeons. Towns provide the usual amenities: weapon and armour shops, banks (allowing you to recover stored gold after death), and even casinos. Wizard’s Squares, found in some casinos, offers a surprisingly decent way to earn extra money if luck is on your side.

This large island boasts plains, forests, swamps, hills, and impassable mountain ranges concealing even more hidden places. Mapping is highly recommended, but only as a basic reminder. I quickly sketched the coastline and marked towns as I found them, which made navigation easier. Much later in the game, acquiring the Scroll of Scalna allows better dungeon mapping, easing the burden on your pen somewhat.

NPC interaction is minimalistic, and I'm being kind there. Speaking to townsfolk never produces a side quest or yields worthy dialogue. Often, brief hints are repeatedly thrown out, but occasionally you’ll uncover something important. Don’t expect deep conversations; I got told to "get lost" more times than I can count!

The dungeons are different from other areas and are scary death pits filled with incredibly tough enemies, secrets, and unique treasures. Without mapping, they can be disorienting. Combat encounters happen here almost as frequently as in the wilderness, but this time you can see them approaching. While you can often retreat from combat by moving away, that is often not an option in such a claustrophobic environment. Are you strong enough to enter a dungeon? Ask yourself that before heading into the unknown!

It’s difficult to fully review an RPG like Questron II because everyone's experience varies depending on the path taken. Also, while it’s technically open-world, progression is gated by specific objectives. Wander off too early, and you’ll likely be overwhelmed and turned into a pool of red goo by a stray beast. However, you will be resurrected to continue on, but it's now that you realise you should have used a town's bank!

Look - find Mesron and then follow the intended path of exploring, earning gold, upgrading equipment, buying spells, and keep repeating that. Once you're wealthy, load up to the gills with spells, it's only then that you should venture into the dungeons to hopefully complete the next mysterious milestone.

Magic matters, with that glaringly obvious hint out of the way, let's see some more screenshots...

Finally, we find the right place for a good chat with Mesron.

He rewards me with a level up, and my new avatar looks like Jeremy Clarkson!

Tips for exploring Landor

Unlike similar RPGs, I feel Questron II leaves you in the cold. There's little help beyond being told to speak to Mesron. You're forced to discover everything about the quest by pure luck most of the time, without a journal. Do not think you can wander off and start foolishly exploring the dungeon. You will die...

• Check your inventory to see what you possess, and then make sure you're [A]rmed and [W]earing the armour. The dagger is weak, and your armour is poor, so upgrading these is essential.
• It's best to explore the immediate landscape, fighting and e[X]amining the area for food. You may even meet the odd trader... Use the [S]peak option when you do.
• Redstone Castle is your first port of call, which is southwest of your starting location. Inside is The Hall of Visions, which is unlocked with the key you're already carrying. [S]peak to Mesron, and you will get a level up.
• Now that Mesron has helped in his little way, you can buy and use better armour and weapons, which you can purchase in towns like Bay View. You will have the potential (afaik) to use a Staff weapon and wear Ring Mail.
• However, these items will cost gold. You can find gold fighting or searching the landscape, but it's best to find a casino hosting the Wizard's Square game. You have the potential to win big money. Once you have, scour the town for shops selling that staff and ring mail.
• If you see a Travel shop, pop in... they sell Ropes and Hooks to traverse the mountains.
• Now, I'd say continue to hit the casino and earn as much money as possible. You can never have enough (I had a lot of success in Lyton and Long View). Here you can also top up your HP, and food if needs be.
• Don't walk around like Mr T. --> Use the Bank.
• When out exploring, some enemies appear, but you can immediately escape. However, some you cannot run from, and they appear to surround you no matter what you try. If you still don't want to fight them, then hit F once to engage and THEN walk away.
• Magical spells play a ginormous role in Questron II, but it's not like you may assume compared to other games. Initially, I felt spells like Fireball and Magic Missiles are very strong, and can be one-hit kills. That's total overkill when exploring outside, but essential for Cathedral guards and when down in a dungeon. Trust me, your current melee weapon will NOT be good enough for ages. I always find the best town to stock up on magic is Ontaga.
• Now that you're rich, wearing the best gear, armed with the best weapon, and have purchased loads of magical spells, it's time to take things further. Everything I've found seems to be centred on Redstone Castle and Rivercrest Cathedral...
• Redstone Castle has loads of chests containing gold, but many other chests contain useful keys. Unfortunately, attempting to loot these will anger the guards, and they’ll relentlessly chase you. They are incredibly strong and way too much for me and my trusty Staff weapon. However, the magic you bought opens up the game completely. Try hitting them with a fireball:)
• Open all the chests and run to the castle's exit. Then turn around and walk back in - the guards are passive again. So now it's time to use the keys you found in the chests earlier.
• The Cathedral has access to an underground dungeon, and it's a great place to begin dungeon crawling. However, don't bother unless you have listened to my hints about levelling up, getting rich, and being armed to the teeth. It's tough down there, and you won't last a single encounter without magical spells. Plus, the monsters hit a lot harder!
• Don't bother leaving Landor for the Realm of Sorcerers' Island, unless you're at the Apprentice rank. Although you can travel back by boat...
• Magic is the key to your survival.
• Cathedrals are great to stock up on many Bread of Life (John 6:35)
• Strong stuff that magic. Have I hinted enough about this?

As you can tell, I've had a bundle of fun within Questron II. And I hope this was enough to get you past the beginning stages. If not, then allow me to be blunt via hidden text that you'll need to highlight...

• Explore the towns and jot down each service they offer.
• Earn loads of cash at the casino.
• Arm yourself and load up with as much magic as you can afford.
• As hinted, everything is centred on Redstone Castle and Rivercrest Cathedral. Explore the dungeon under the Cathedral and use the Castle for keys/maps/Mesron, and the Orb, which is needed by a magician in the Dungeon.
• Basically, make sure you're properly armed and loaded with magic, grinding back and forth between the Castle and Cathedral.
• That's it. I really don't want to risk ruining your fun...!

Right then, shall we see a couple more screenshots before the gripping conclusion...

A massive milestone in Questron II is finally being able to see the Holy One.

The dungeons aren't always home to very strong monsters. Try Speaking.

CryptO'pinion

Let me be honest, when I drafted this review, I was pretty much close to giving up. I thoroughly enjoyed the first island, but reaching the second felt like a step in the wrong direction. The difficulty suddenly shot through the roof, and I couldn’t help but wonder why the game would throw me into an impossible situation.

I pushed on, cautiously exploring the northwestern part of the island, dying more times than I’d like to admit! Eventually, I stumbled across a couple of towns, with traders offering health, armour, and new items such as boats. This proved to be a turning point, allowing me to escape this hellhole to sail back to the first island to revisit Mesron in the hope of getting some help, which I did. Armed with improved stats, I returned to the island and found that traders were now offering better weapons and armour. Progress, at last!

Like I said earlier, you make your own way through any RPG, but less so in Questron II, as everything seems rigid and tied to Mesron, who demands quests to be completed in stages before carrying on. Sadly, this isn't clear much of the time. Plus, not having some sort of journal to follow is rather limiting and confusing.

Still, things begin to open up once you are wearing better armour, which allows you to survive the relentless wilderness encounters. The dungeon on the east part of the island is your only way forward, and possibly the only obvious "next step" of the entire adventure (because everywhere else is blocked in some way). It uses a first-person perspective similar to Dungeon Master, and on the third level, a scroll grants automapping. Wow, this opens up the whole experience, and I can't express just how much I enjoyed this part.

Deeper within lies the Crystal Goblet, which must be returned to the Holy One at Twilight Cathedral. This is where my progress has stalled, as I’ve yet to figure out how to access the cathedral’s dungeon or the one near Demph. It's a disappointing end to weeks of absorbing gameplay. But I rarely complete any game, so I'm shocked I got this far. Hang on, this was supposed to be CryptO'pinion and not a progress report!!

With that in mind, Questron II is brilliant, but hardly what I expected. It offers a fantastic, fantasy world with weird creatures, towns, cathedrals, and monster-infested dungeons. After the in-depth character creation (sarcasm), you are free to explore anywhere you like. However, the traditional grind doesn't exist, as it's been replaced by Mesron, who demands that tasks need to be completed to level you up. His reward mainly serves to increase your maximum hit points and unlock better equipment through town traders.

The action is turn-based, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, magic seems to dominate every encounter later in the game. I've mentioned before how wealth is crucial for purchasing magical spells, but in Questron II, it’s so prominent that it feels a bit odd. Levelling up for better melee weapons isn’t as important as you might think. Having a range of spells is far more beneficial and somewhat reduces the need for melee combat.

The wilderness is a good place to explore without being overly large, but the terrain doesn't seem to be anything more than cosmetic (except the mountains). The dungeons are tough with a psychological, eerie atmosphere that I admired a bunch. However, the towns are strange with their weird layout, and there's no point to them beyond supplies. Also, NPCs are mostly pointless and offer no conversation or assistance.

For me, the game might look like a typical RPG, but it's not really. There’s limited depth in terms of development, unfolding storyline, character interaction, or a grind for progression. Not only that, but the lack of a journal leaves you in the dark, wondering what to do and where to go next. Worst of all is the chore of the wilderness due to the frequent encounters with monsters constantly popping up to hit and run!

So is Questron II a bummer that you should run a mile from? Not on your nelly! Otherwise, I wouldn't have spent the last couple of months playing so intensely (hey, have you been following my progress on X/Twitter??). In fact, it’s been one of the most engaging and rewarding experiences I’ve had in quite some time, certainly more so than some of the other titles I’ve battled through recently (I'm looking at your Knightmare!).

Yes, I've become a fan of Questron II, and I feel that I've learned so much about its world and know it like the back of my hand. I really enjoyed battling within the dungeons, looking for treasures. Plus, these genuinely gave me the heebie-jeebies, which I found most enthralling. Questron II is closer to Phantasie than Ultima, by far. However, whether it's an RPG is doubtful, perhaps more of a Lite RPG with emphasis on action.

So, as an ARPG, it's thoroughly addictive and tons of fun. An easy 88%.

• This download has improvements to the controls (and more) by FGC (my greetings to Mike)
• You can get your grubby mits on the standard hard drive version from 8BitChip.
• If old floppies are your thing, then head over to Atari Legend right now!
• Questron II sits within our Quest/Action group - click it to see others.
• Wanna see more screenshots? You're in luck then...

After chatting with Mesron and building up my stash of magic/etc, this was a big checkpoint.

But wow, 1000 gold pieces for three (helpful) maps? Sounds a lot...

For 1000 gold pieces, three maps are shown, but not given.

I wonder how I'd have felt about that back in 1988...

Of course, I'd have been annoyed as I didn't have a camera phone for years!

Landor is pretty big, and you'll note the white blocks identifying places.

For 1000 pieces of gold, I'd have expected to take the maps away with me!

So, that means only one thing - pen and paper. Or your iPhone camera! ;)

Forget about exploring dungeons until you're much stronger.

And loaded up with magic, as this becomes your main method of attack.

After opening up the green door (above), behind it are monsters!

Lots of them, too!! So hit the "M" key and blast them with fireballs.

If you're still feeling well and have enough magic spells, continue to explore.

It's dangerous, so keep an eye on your inventory, food, and HP.

Most treasure chests contain gold, which isn't that important later on.

But these had a Wand of Power and the Chalice of Arvyl. Cool!!

Landor's dungeon proved very fruitful for me! And I was teleported onto the...

...Realm of Sorcerers' Island, where the difficulty increased massively!!

Here, the game is too hard. The monsters are way too TOUGH!!!

Perhaps I should have seen Mesron first? (for a level up). A missed opportunity?

No. Persevere! Shop around, and you might see a boat for sale (and a pony).

Use that boat to head back to Landor to complete tasks/level up... Much needed!!

Even after levelling up, Realm of Sorcerers is a cruel and difficult island.

Fill your boots with magic and enter the dungeon (east side of the island).

Gone is the overhead view for a "Dungeon Master"-like 3D perspective!

At first, it's difficult, but the map layout is very good for the first few levels.

However, like everything on this island, it's TOUGH!

Don't enter unless you have enough magic and several "Bread of Life".

Unlike on Landor, this is a multilevel dungeon and a long quest.

I cannot express just how much you'll need Bread of Life and Magic!

I've since found the Scroll of Scalna (3rd level of this dungeon)

This opens up the dungeon crawling completely with a nifty mapping tool.

This is where I am, with only one more rank to gain before I'm top dog!!

Warlock the Avenger

Druid

Warlock the Avenger is the third and final chapter in the Druid trilogy. What trilogy, I hear you ask? Well, the first two games were on 8-bit machines, so you may have missed them before upgrading to the Atari ST. I certainly don’t recall either, although I do have fond memories of Electric Dreams’ Dandy (ZX Spectrum).

Warlock the Avenger is a top-down maze game, similar to Gauntlet. You explore labyrinths, blasting monsters with your wand, loot treasure chests, and desperately search for the exit while enemies respawn with irritating enthusiasm. Additionally, Millennium has included the original game, which is an incredible freebie!

Here, we play a druid spellcaster dude tasked with saving the land of Belorn from yet another surge of demonic chaos (I guess we didn't win in the other games?). Anyhow, an evil lord named Acamantor has clawed his way back from oblivion to enslave everyone. Our mission is to reawaken ancient elemental magic by navigating monster-infested mazes filled with passages, magical power-ups, and plenty of treasure.

Sounds pretty cool, right? Yeah, so let's see a screenshot...

The status bar shows what we have. Keep an eye on it, especially spells and keys.

Let's play!

The opening level plonks you into a woodland surrounded by roaming hordes. Some enemies go down easily, while others soak up multiple hits, encouraging you to switch wand types - some spells are more effective against specific foes. That is something you learn early on, with unobvious help from using the F6 key.

A status bar along the top of the screen shows your energy, keys, power-ups, and spells. Keep your eyes on this, especially the available firepower and keys. Sadly, you only get one life, and contact with an enemy drains your energy. Thankfully, there are special floor tiles that replenish it, but they’re pretty scarce.

Treasure chests are scattered throughout and are absolutely central to survival. Inside, you’ll find spells, keys, screen-clearing special powers, and occasionally a friendly Golem ally. But there's a catch: while a chest may contain several items, you can’t just grab everything and run. Only one thing may be taken, and once you've chosen, that’s it - the chest is gone forever. A poor choice can doom your entire run!

This decision-making is the real heart of Warlock: do you take more firepower, or stock up with keys, but risk running out of "ammo"? Early on, it feels forgiving, but later levels flood you with locked doors. No matter how many keys you think you’ve collected, it never seems to be enough. Arghh, so irritating.

Warlock transported me straight back to my 8-bit gaming days as it’s deceptively simple: explore, kill, loot and repeat. However, the real challenge lies in resource management, particularly looting treasure chests. While spells are often your primary weapon against beasts, keys are arguably the most crucial items.

Several levels in, I found myself completely stuck. The exit lay behind a locked door. I couldn't find any hidden passageways, and I had no keys left. Plus, every chest had already been looted. My only option was to backtrack to a previous level, in the blind hope of finding a chest I may have missed. Sigh.

So close, but no cigar? Well, maybe, but let's see another screenshot...

The ghouls are constantly spawning and are up for a chase. Relentless they are!

Big Tips

This is a maddening game, so do you fancy a few juicy tips? Of course, you do...

• Never open a chest unless the immediate area is clear of monsters.
• Different spells work better on certain enemies. So, switch if something took 2/3 shots to die!
• Hidden passageways are literally invisible, so stay close to a wall to find one.
• No matter how many goodies are inside a chest, only one item can be taken.
• Chests can only be opened once.
• Firepower is important, of course, but the keys are essential.
• Try to hug the walls, as there might be a hidden passage nearby.
• Forget the spells unless you have an abundance of keys!
• Control the wizard in the opening screen to access the original game.
• Did I mention how important keys and hidden passages are?

I already have loads of spells, so I chose the key from this treasure chest...

Ah, the chest screen with many goodies, but you're only allowed to pick one!

Aesthetics

Players who started their computing life on the Atari ST may find it looks dated. Those of us who upgraded from 8-bit machines will likely feel right at home. It has the look of a ZX Spectrum game without colour clash. The scrolling is always smooth, and the sprites generally look cool - especially on the later levels.

Talking of 8-bit, the original original game never made it to the Atari ST, but it's included, which is a fantastic addition. It plays the same, but I might be brave here by saying that it's better. The game looks great with gorgeous backgrounds and sprites. Yep, I might actually prefer this!!

The audio is less impressive, with a decent piece of chip music on the title screen. But in-game, you’re left with sound effects - most of which consist of your wand firing endlessly at respawning monsters.

Let's break up the reading with (you guessed it) another screenshot...

See that daft symbol on the floor? Walk over and stand on it for a while.

CryptO'pinion

I have mixed feelings about Warlock the Avenger. On one hand, it captures the joy of old-school maze games beautifully: rushed exploration, constant combat, and panicked scrambles for the exit. Plus, we get the original game, which wasn’t released on the ST – a fantastic bonus that I wish more games offered.

However, it tries too hard to be different with multiple spells, unnecessary power-ups and a largely unwanted Golem. This muddies what should have been a simple arcade-style game. The single life and brutal energy meter also force you to cheat, which is frustrating. The worst part is having to press F1 to open doors - and only when you’re perfectly aligned with the doorway. Try doing that when monsters are spawning around you!

I’ve enjoyed Warlock, and the inclusion of the original game is a brilliant move by Millennium. Both games play well, though the one-life restriction is a bit of a downer for me. For that reason alone, it falls short. A seriously tough game that forces you to cheat, which isn't good, right? I still enjoyed Warlock, though.

• Dream Weavers #22 is the disk I used, which I downloaded from Atari Legend.
• Atarimania have a download (my greetings to Marko!!)
• Warlock can be installed onto your hard drive thanks to D-Bug and 8BitChip.
• If you enjoyed this, we have a "overhead" shooters group with loads more!

Shoot the snakes and see what treasures lie ahead.

This is as far as I got. I think that I was about 7/8 levels in, but I ran out of keys, and there were no hidden walls or chests. Must admit, I was more than a bit gutted by that. I need a cheat with 99 keys lol

These next four screenshots are from the original game...

The objective appears the same: run/fight/kill/panic/die!

Oh no, skeletons make their way towards me - Thriller style!!

This old game might be better than its sequel. What, really? Yup, I think so.

Battlemaster

A day in the life...

Battlemaster was released in 1990 by PSS, but it isn't something I recall playing. Which is a little odd because I remember seeing the screenshots and being captivated by what I saw. They showcased an overhead-action RPG featuring battles against insidious creatures, including Orcs, Spiders, Elves, giant insects, and more. These are the types of games that really appeal to me, so I'm baffled why I let it slip by. What a weirdo!

Booting it up for the first time presents an impressive title that sets the scene for what appears to be a festival of bloody gore. We can be any of 16 adventurers from four races: human, elf, dwarf, and orc. Some venture solo, whereas others are part of a clan. Beginning my first game was fun, with good graphics and a user interface I found intuitive and easy to grasp. Selecting the warrior seemed a great choice, but I made the foolish decision to touch the water, which is oddly deadly - instant death (and you only get one life).

So I restarted as an Orc; an utterly disastrous move, as I was hated by everyone, so I died quickly. Once again, I restarted, this time as an elf, which was confusing because this fella wasn't alone - his party ran around like maniacs. Then my elf fell into a pit that suddenly appeared without a warning. Instant death!

This wasn't going well. So, I did what no guy does: I read the manual. This pamphlet is short, but engaging, with a background story that is both predictable and intriguing. The gameplay basics are nicely explained, including a guide for newcomers, which I appreciated. Also explained are the differences in gameplay styles that concern commanding troops (if applicable) and negotiating with NPCs for items or safe passage.

Incidentally, I chuckled at a section of the manual about the four different races. It's humorously candid and helps you decide who you want to be. I cannot read this blunt piece of text without smiling...

Dwarves hate Elves and Orcs,

Elves hate Dwarves and Orcs,

Humans like no one but despise Orcs the most.

Orcs hate everyone!

I guess it pays to read the manual? Who'd have thunk it? Let's see the first screenshot...

The user interface isn't baffling at all. In fact, it's quite superb:

1) These are our main stats.
2) Depending on the situation, we can access weaponry and inventory.
3) The journey icon is replaced with Parley (returns when the quest is done).
4) The next three text options are relevant for commanding troops.

5) The green area is a scanner; we're the red cross/other characters are yellow.

6) There is an info box that provides location names and helpful tips.

A Cruel World

The first thing that struck me about Battlemaster was how you're hurled straight into the action without a hint of guidance. You then notice the frantic pace at which enemies move about. It's quite chaotic as they run into view, firing off missiles before legging it. The key to surviving is teasing them out and away in smaller groups. Otherwise, you will be mobbed by a bloodthirsty pack of medieval lunatics with a death wish.

This instantly means you must practice with the controls to get anywhere. Battlemaster employs 8-way movement using the keyboard, mouse, or joystick. The mouse is terrible, and I got nowhere with my joystick, but I need a new one, so that could be why. However, I instantly took to the keyboard, which you can redefine with 8-way controls via the numeric pad. I preferred keeping it simple, using the cursor keys.

Exploration is always fun and part of what makes any RPG a fascinating experience. What's better than discovering a new place with potential for enemies, people, treasure, weapons, etc? Well, hold your horses and slow down because you won't get very far without keeping your eyes on the scanner...

• Use it to get an idea of where the enemy is, and begin walking towards them - with a ranged weapon at the ready. If they get close, hit the spacebar to pause and flip to a melee weapon.
• Sounds like real-time with pause? Kinda, and you should use that!!
• Hidden traps are a big thing in Battlemaster, but there is never any indication of where they might be. It's stupid because you only get one life, so falling into a chasm that appears from nowhere is infuriating! So tread softly. Thankfully, their locations are static and easy to remember.

Let's take a break and view a lovely woodland scene where life is peaceful and quiet...

There is an option to parley, but wait, I see a bottle on the ground?
Should I take that, or will it anger the locals into a frenzy?

Riverdale

Battlemaster's world is massive and splits into dozens of sections accessed via a world map. Once you muddle through the initial confusion of the first level, which generously teaches you the joys of hidden traps and punishes you for paddling in a stream (groan), you will blast through the following early stages pretty quickly. Every area is not only visually different but also moves the story forward in its own unique way.

It’s always worth exploring properly to see who is waiting for a chat, and whether there is anything remotely helpful like armour, food, etc. Each zone is fairly compact and has a specific task you’ll need to complete before progressing (use the journey icon, which remains greyed out until the tasks are completed).

Don't expect this game to be a pushover, as most battles devolve into chaotic scuffles where you're hammering the fire button and praying for a win. But think before raising your sword, not everyone is ready to fight. Assuming you win and don't fall victim to a hidden trap, then you will enjoy making progress because each area is uniquely interesting. That said, not everything makes complete sense, like stumbling across food the locals left lying around, hoping you'd politely ignore it. Erm, no! Why would anyone do that???

Once back in the world map, you can move to another adjacent area to continue pillaging! As you can see in the next screenshot, the game shows the available places you can (currently) travel. It's like Baldur's Gate, as you cannot travel huge distances without traversing through. And I liked that a lot!

A huge number of places are waiting for you, dear adventurer. Let's pause for a screenshot...

This map displays the various locations linked via currently available stages.

Graphics & Sounds

I'm not usually bothered by flashy visual effects in an RPG, as the adventure lies in the storyline, characters, action, and exploration. But let's be honest, they're good to have, and Battlemaster's landscapes range from lush woodlands to rocky deserts, and they look impressive. However, it’s the monster sprites that I really love. They’re fantastic and very much in the style of Dungeons & Dragons, constantly providing a 16-bit feast for the eyes to highlight the ghouls encountered, and this is where Battlemaster pleases me.

Sadly, the gameplay window is only about half the size of the screen, as the user interface occupies the other half. That's understandable for a game like this (and helpful), but I'd have expected better scrolling as a trade-off. Don't get me wrong, it's good enough, but still a little bit disappointing if I'm honest.

The audio is a mixed bag. There is no title music, but PSS didn't skimp on the sound effects by using crunchy samples. I like the cries of people dying with such elaborate samples, which is hugely entertaining.

One last screenshot of me avoiding death (for once) before the gripping conclusion...

From the start, Battlemaster shows how cruel it can be. Hidden traps!

CryptO'pinion

Battlemaster certainly plunges you into the thick of the action from the very start. The manual gives a few helpful nudges and starter tips, but nothing really prepares you for the sheer brutality of the first area. Choose your character wisely based on their skills, weapon types, and whether you want backup or to go solo. Then spend a little time mastering the controls and getting used to scrapping with the enemy.

Even once you've got the basics down, you're still likely to meet a quick and ridiculous end, which is hard to initially grasp. It might be a mob of goons hiding in a cave who leave you no chance to react, or maybe it’s an arrow from off-screen, or the classic blunder of sipping water from a deadly river. Worse still, death may come because of a perfectly hidden trap that you had no way on God's green Earth to detect.

Every step you take will be like walking on eggshells, and you will suspect everyone and be wary of everything. Nothing scares me more than a bottomless pit suddenly appearing from out of thin air, but these are always located in the same place(!). Once you grasp how pointlessly illogical these initial traps are, then progress will be made to other areas. Regardless, save your game regularly, as you will be reloading a lot.

Battlemaster's emphasis is always on action and solving obscure puzzles. Discovering new lands is very exciting, as you see the story unfold with new places, tales, and people. Plus, there is a myriad of different beasts just waiting to be killed. Also, if you’ve built a good team, the squad mechanic actually works quite well - even if the AI is a bit thick. Controlling them feels a bit clunky at times, but I enjoyed giving the orders!

When I first played Battlemaster, I didn't care for it. You're thrown in at the deep end, and the pointless traps become tiresome. However, I liked the setting and the opportunity to travel to unique places, so I stuck with it. I'm glad I did. You will get to wander strange lands, slay monsters galore, and do it all in the name of a baloney storyline. It's fantastic, so I’m giving it a trapdoor-dodging, monster-mashing 85%.

• Here are a few screenshots and download links from Atari Legend or Atari FTP Archive.
• I have an RPG Quest group listed on the right, and many other "Quest" groups!

I love going into other people's homes uninvited.

Hey, I see a ladder. I'm sure nobody will mind if I take that...

I found a hidden cave and went inside. This is a dangerous place!!

I only took this screenshot because I liked the graphics so much lol

This is where I'm currently up to, and stuck. How can I get through the door?