Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Three | Game Brain

Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Three Game Cover

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The Forgotten Realms Archives - Collection Three is the final installment in the series, featuring Dungeon Hack and Menzoberranzan. Dungeon Hack, powered by the Eye of the Beholder engine, offers a unique, randomly generated Dungeon Crawler experience, while Menzoberranzan immerses players in the dangerous underdark city. This collection is a celebration of the classic AD&D video games, providing a satisfying conclusion to the series.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Three screenshot

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews

atmosphere4 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Menzoberranzan and Dungeon Hack are nostalgic gems for fans of classic AD&D games, offering engaging dungeon crawling experiences.
Dungeon Hack features a customizable dungeon generator, providing high replayability and a unique experience with each playthrough.
Both games maintain a strong atmosphere and connection to the Dungeons & Dragons lore, appealing to long-time fans of the franchise.

The controls in Menzoberranzan have not aged well, making gameplay cumbersome and frustrating at times.
Menzoberranzan suffers from dull combat and simplistic dungeon design, leading to a lack of engaging exploration and challenge.
Dungeon Hack's reliance on a single character can limit gameplay variety and make certain classes feel underpowered compared to traditional party-based systems.

graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics in "Dungeon Hack" are described as serviceable 2D tile-based visuals that do not detract from the gameplay experience, appealing to fans of classic art styles. While some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic, others note that the graphics are basic and may not meet modern standards, particularly when compared to AAA titles. Overall, the visuals are functional for a dungeon crawler, with some standout elements like the titular city and interiors, but they are not the main draw of the game.
- “Also, the graphics for the introduction are better than most AAA games these days.”
- “The visuals can look great, especially the titular city and the interiors.”
- “Fully 3D graphics with plenty of graphical options in the settings.”
- “This is a review for 'Dungeon Hack'. I tried to play 'Menzoberranzan' but couldn't get past the terrible first-generation 3D graphics, so I quit after five minutes.”
- “If you are looking for graphics, this is not your game.”
- “Still though, it's baffling to me that the graphics of this game manage to somehow make the Underdark even more imperceptible than the usual amount.”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The story in Dungeon Hack is minimal and often feels forced, with most of the gameplay focused on dungeon crawling and combat rather than narrative depth. While it incorporates elements from D&D lore, players seeking a rich storyline may find it lacking, as the plot primarily unfolds towards the end of the game and is generally simplistic. Overall, the game prioritizes gameplay mechanics over storytelling, making it less suitable for those looking for a compelling narrative experience.
- “This is honestly a great idea as it ties directly into your main quest: the mechanics pressure you to be fast while the story implies some urgency.”
- “Most of the actual plot is left to the end game as the majority of your playtime will be the descent through the Underdark.”
- “Storywise it will be about what you would expect, meaning something simple.”
- “Dungeon Hack is a D&D game (using AD&D 2E rules) with gameplay focused on dungeon crawler exploration, combat, and survival, with less emphasis on story. This kind of gameplay was very popular since the original D&D (0E) until around AD&D 1E, but beyond that, D&D gameplay started to shift heavily towards story and heroic play with no real challenges.”
- “Compared to the Ravenloft games, this felt a bit too simple, and the plot was forced at times, which left me feeling very confused.”
- “Storywise, it will be about what you would expect, meaning something simple.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The gameplay of Dungeon Hack, based on AD&D 2E rules, emphasizes dungeon crawling, combat, and survival, with minimal focus on story, reminiscent of early D&D mechanics. While it appeals to players familiar with classic dungeon crawlers, its complexity and controls may be confusing for newcomers. Overall, it caters to those who appreciate traditional gameplay and lore over narrative-driven experiences.
- “Dungeon Hack is a D&D game (using AD&D 2E rules) with gameplay focused on dungeon crawler exploration, combat, and survival, with less emphasis on story. This kind of gameplay was very popular since the original D&D (0E) in 1974 until around AD&D 1E (1979-1985).”
- “This is honestly a great idea as it ties directly into your main quest: the mechanics pressure you to be fast while the story implies some urgency.”
- “Dungeon Hack is a D&D game (using AD&D 2E rules) with gameplay focused on dungeon crawler exploration, combat, and survival, with less emphasis on story. This kind of gameplay was very popular since the original D&D (0E) in 1974 until around AD&D 1E (1979-1985). Beyond that, D&D gameplay started to shift heavily towards story and heroic play with no real challenges. You'll never die; it's just drama that has unevolved until today, where games are getting dumber every day.”
- “The gameplay style, the features, the items, the randomness, the dungeons, all come from D&D (1974).”
- “This game and the controls were incredibly confusing to me as I am not used to these kinds of mechanics.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its immersive qualities, particularly as a dungeon crawler utilizing the Ravenloft engine. However, some users feel that it could benefit from more atmospheric music and sound effects to enhance the experience further. Overall, it remains a worthwhile purchase for fans of the genre.
- “But it has amazing atmosphere and is still a good dungeon crawler running on the Ravenloft engine.”
- “Still totally worth a purchase, just try it with some dungeon atmospheric stuff in the background for added punch.”
- “Immersive atmospheric music?”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music in the game features a mostly dungeon synth soundtrack that enhances the experience, but some users feel it lacks sufficient atmospheric elements and sounds. Additionally, the inclusion of in-game voice acting adds to the overall immersion.
- “Other things I genuinely like about this game are the cool in-universe character creation screen, it has actual in-game voice acting, and a really good (mostly) dungeon synth soundtrack.”
- “Immersive atmospheric music?”
- “I was wishing it had more atmospheric music and sounds.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The game offers significant replayability, particularly for players who enjoy its combat mechanics, thanks to robust dungeon creation parameters and customizable options that enhance the overall experience.
- “If you enjoy the combat, you will like the game, and it does have robust parameters to create dungeons, so there is plenty of replayability.”
- “The options to modify the dungeon to your liking make the replay value of the game quite significant.”
- “The options to modify the dungeon to your liking make the replay value of the game rather large.”
- “While the combat is enjoyable, the lack of diverse scenarios and storylines limits the overall replayability.”
- “After completing the game once, there isn't much incentive to go back, as the experience feels repetitive.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While Dungeon Hack is praised for its gameplay, users have reported stability issues, particularly related to randomization that can lead to glitches, making the game potentially unplayable at times.
- “Dungeon Hack is a great game, but the randomization can make it impossible to beat due to glitches.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it frustrating to progress.”
- “I experienced several bugs that disrupted my gameplay and ruined the overall experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players note that while the game offers engaging content, it occasionally suffers from repetitive levels and tedious grinding, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “Unfortunately, it is not flawless; sometimes you will encounter levels that are nearly identical, and in other cases, you will run into boring and tedious floors that can feel like a slog.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which quickly became monotonous and frustrating.”