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Amiga Collections: MegaDisc
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MegaDisc 24 (1991-10)(MegaDisc Digital Publishing)(AU)(Disk 2 of 2).zip
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MegaDisc 24 (1991-10)(MegaDisc Digital Publishing)(AU)(Disk 2 of 2).adf
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GAMES
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Eye_Beholder
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Eye_Beholder
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Text File
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1991-09-26
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6KB
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114 lines
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
by
Gus Wrethman
Ed: Gus decides that SSI have finally done it right. Read on and see
why.
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Eye of the Beholder is the latest offering from SSI. Now if that
name makes you think of the pathetic IBM CGA stick graphic, keyboard-
only games, that are normally associated with SSI releases, forget it.
This is a real AMIGA game, with AMIGA type graphics, full icon-driven
interface (of course you can use the keyboard if you wish), nice
animations, great effects and some good music (albeit not much).
EOB is the first in a new series of RPGs, using the AD&D 2nd edition
rules. (In case you are wondering, RPG stands for role playing
adventure game and AD&D stands for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons.) The
action takes place in the sewers beneath the city of Waterdeep.
SSI has borrowed a few ideas from Dungeon Master (all of them in fact)
and has succeeded admirably. The game is played with a 3-D, looks like
you're really there, perspective.
The screen is divided into four main sections. The right one third,
is devoted to the four characters plus the two NPCs (Non Player Chars.).
The left side is the party's view of the dungeon. Below this is the
compass and directional movement icons and below that is the message
area. Movement is done, either by clicking the arrows on screen, or by
keyboard. The characters are viewed and their items manipulated, with
the mouse or again with the keyboard. (Although I found this a little
clumsy). The object of the game is to find and destroy Xanathar,
although, as with most games in this genre, the object of the game is
really the game itself! A pre-built party is available, but for those
who like to create their own party, you can choose from six different
races, six different classes and a variety of mixed classes. You can
even choose how to look, as there are dozens of different character
portraits available.
The game opens with a well done intro (that can be bypassed with ESC)
and loads into a title/options screen, where you can LOAD, START NEW
PARTY, or EXIT TO DOS. After you have created your characters (this
itself is a lot of fun) the game proper starts. You are in the first of
twelve levels of the sewers beneath Waterdeep, with nothing but a few
scant weapons, basic armour, a few magic spells and little food. As in
DM, you must pay careful attention to your surroundings, as there are
plenty of secret passages, buttons levers and pressure plates to watch
out for. Objects can be found on the floor and in recesses in the
walls.
The dungeon walls are minutely detailed (even more so than DM) and
vary from red blocks, to fitted white stone then to a dark, cloistered,
purple and finally, a moss covered surface. The monsters are
brilliantly animated and their approach is heralded by stereo sound
effects. Doors open and close with the grinding of stone, all in
wonderful stereo. You even eat in stereo!
The combat system is almost identical to DM. The readied weapon is
simply clicked to use it and spells are cast in the same manner. As in
all RPGs, you start off "a bit of a wimp", but as your experience
builds, so do your abilities and hit points. A small criticism (in fact
my ONLY criticism) here, the buffering in the combat system is poor and
it takes a while to get used to the slow reactions of the icons. The
combat, as is the whole game, is in real time, so be prepared to cast a
few healing and resurretion spells. You must eat and sleep too. The
only problem is, food is scarce, (until you find the monsters who always
drop some, hint hint) and the third level Cleric spell, "Create Food",
is a long way off.
This is a game, more of exploring and problem solving, than fighting
and I found the balance between the two, to be near perfect, as most
aspects of this game are. Mapping is a must in EOB, (no auto-map here)
but rudimentary maps of the first three levels are provided.
The well presented package contains three disks, clear and easy to
understand rules, reference card, map and SSI AD&D catalog and sells for
around sixty bucks. CHEAP I say. The game is not physically protected
and therefore hard drive installable. Codeword protection is the order
of the day in EOB, and only comes up a handful of times during the
entire game. The hard disk install program is a breeze and those with
the OBESE AGNES and a little knowledge of the CLI, can easily write a
script and attach it to the supplied icon, to change the display from
NTSC to PAL. (Or edit the startup, if you are still floppy-bound.)
All in all, I could not fault this game (apart from that buffering)
and I KNOW that any RPG fan will want to play it NOW!! As for those of
you who have yet to don your adventurer's cap (poor souls), EOB would be
a pretty good game to start with. It is not TOO difficult, it is
relatively easy to map and is not of a daunting size as are some RPGs
(Bard's Tale II of Might and Magic II for example). Not all aspects of
the game need to be completed, in order to finish EOB but the serious
adventurer will have a lot of fun trying to figure out the individual
quests for each level and trying to find ALL of the secret passages.
(The buttons on the purple levels are killers!) For those amongst you
who "NEED" a clue book, one is available.
The ending sequence lives up to the very high standard of the game and
I feel none who get to see it, will fail to feel very satisfied in
themselves. This is a "MUST HAVE" for RPG fans and a "SHOULD AT LEAST
HAVE A LOOK" for the rest. Well done (at last) SSI!
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