Quest for Glory 1-5
- October 1, 1989
- Sierra
- 70h median play time
Quest for Glory 1-5 is a series of five classic fantasy adventure/RPG games. The player can choose to be a warrior, a mage, or a thief, and explore a richly detailed world while solving puzzles, fighting monsters, and interacting with NPCs. Throughout the series, the player's choices and actions shape their character and affect the game's story and outcome. These games offer a unique and immersive experience, combining challenging gameplay with humor, drama, and a compelling narrative.
Reviews
- The Quest for Glory series is a nostalgic classic that combines RPG elements with point-and-click adventure gameplay, offering a rich narrative and humor.
- Players can import their characters from one game to the next, allowing for character growth and continuity throughout the series.
- The games feature multiple classes with unique abilities, providing different ways to solve puzzles and approach challenges, enhancing replayability.
- Some games in the series, particularly Quest for Glory 2 and 5, are criticized for being buggy and having outdated graphics that may deter new players.
- The user interface and controls can feel clunky and frustrating, especially for modern gamers accustomed to more polished experiences.
- Players have reported issues with saving and importing characters, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- story136 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The "Quest for Glory" series is celebrated for its engaging and well-crafted storytelling, blending humor, character development, and RPG elements across its five titles. Players appreciate the ability to import characters from one game to the next, creating a cohesive narrative experience that enhances emotional investment. Despite some technical issues, the series is regarded as a classic, offering a rich and nostalgic journey through a fantasy world filled with memorable quests and characters.
“I was emotionally transported to the land of Tarna with its beautiful music, magical graphics, and awesome story.”
“The quest for glory series has all the nostalgia of early Sierra adventure, yet it also has elements of modern RPGs, like Skyrim.”
“The QFG series took the storytelling genre to a whole new level - character development and masterful storytelling, coupled with a great soundtrack.”
“The graphics are downright painful if you don't enjoy the pixel-art aesthetic; Quest for Glory 2 needs to be played with a walkthrough (nobody has time for the maze-city navigation anymore!), and games like Skyrim can arguably do what this does but better.”
“The storyline in this game is really strong with lots of interesting characters and quests.”
“If you never played it before, it is a classic with bad graphics, but a great quest line.”
- graphics57 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game series are a mix of nostalgia and dated aesthetics, with many players appreciating the pixel art style while acknowledging its limitations compared to modern standards. The earlier titles feature low-resolution EGA graphics, while later entries offer improved VGA visuals, though some attempts at 3D graphics have been criticized. Overall, while the graphics may not appeal to everyone, they are often seen as charming and reflective of their time, providing a unique experience for those who can embrace their retro nature.
“I was emotionally transported to the land of Tarna with its beautiful music, magical graphics, and awesome story.”
“The graphics are very good for when they were released, and while time may have aged the games, they aged very gracefully in my opinion.”
“The graphics, sound, and interface are a huge improvement and pretty good looking for pixel graphics even today.”
“Ultra low resolution VGA graphics and a clunky mouse interface haven't aged well, and in my opinion, the EGA games are easier to play these days.”
“The graphics are downright painful if you don't enjoy the pixel-art aesthetic; Quest for Glory 2 needs to be played with a walkthrough (nobody has time for the maze-city navigation anymore!), and games like Skyrim can arguably do what this does but better.”
“The graphics are better than QFG1, but for all but the most retro of gamers, it will probably be a letdown.”
- humor41 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game series is widely praised for its originality, clever writing, and engaging storytelling, often blending absurdity with cultural references and light-heartedness. Players appreciate the mix of witty dialogue, hilarious scenarios, and memorable characters, which contribute to a nostalgic and enjoyable gaming experience. Overall, the humor is a standout feature that enhances the gameplay and keeps players entertained throughout their adventures.
“The humor was fantastic.”
“The series features some of the best storytelling, witty humor, and gameplay Sierra has ever created.”
“Many childhood hours spent playing this game series figuring out its little quirks and finding different solutions to puzzles; the series features some of the best in-game humor ever written.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its blend of goofy humor, engaging storytelling, and innovative mechanics that refresh classic tropes, offering a unique experience across different cultural settings. While the game features a compelling class system and replay value through varied puzzles, some players find certain mechanics, like the impact of armor on attributes, frustrating. Overall, it appeals to both traditional RPG fans and casual gamers with its straightforward point-and-click design and nostalgic charm.
“Gameplay and mechanics are also top notch.”
“The series features some of the best storytelling, witty humor, and gameplay Sierra has ever created.”
“Blending classic adventure gameplay with a class system and progression akin to classic RPGs allows QFG to offer nearly unprecedented replay value, where game puzzles vary depending on the class chosen at the beginning of the playthrough.”
“Sadly, it also introduces the frustrating mechanic of any helmet and armor heavier than enchanted leather impacting some attributes and the magic skill when it was never present before.”
“Biggest issue for this game is the waiting for certain events to happen and then trigger yet another mechanic.”
“I watched a bit of some early gameplay of the VGA version of the first game and it is way too complicated: endurance, fighting, stats.”
- music17 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game series is widely praised for its emotional impact and nostalgic value, with many players highlighting how it enhances the overall atmosphere and storytelling. The soundtracks, particularly Mark Seibert's compositions, are considered memorable and integral to the gaming experience, evoking strong feelings and fond memories from players' childhoods. Overall, the music is celebrated as a standout feature that complements the beautiful graphics and engaging narratives throughout the series.
“I was emotionally transported to the land of Tarna with its beautiful music, magical graphics, and awesome story.”
“The soundtrack is spectacular!”
“The qfg series took the storytelling genre to a whole new level - character development and masterful storytelling, coupled with a great soundtrack.”
“The moment I saw it on Steam, I immediately heard the death music from the original game in my head and realized I had to get it again if only to enjoy playing it again.”
“The award for 'worst in everything except maybe the soundtrack' goes to.... you guessed it.”
“Just getting to load it up and hear the music to Shadows of Darkness was nearly worth the sale price.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game offers exceptional replayability, allowing players to choose from different character classes—fighter, wizard, or thief—which significantly alters the gameplay experience and story outcomes. With the ability to multi-class and various approaches to completing tasks, players can enjoy multiple playthroughs, making it a standout in the point-and-click genre. Overall, the combination of class-based progression and diverse puzzles contributes to its high replay value.
“Plus there's lots of replay value, choosing fighter, wizard, or thief to role play.”
“Amazing atmosphere and music throughout the entire series though, and good replayability with different classes.”
“It's a shame really, but the game is over 25 years old; I was just hoping they were playable.”
“Blending classic adventure gameplay with a class system and progression akin to classic RPGs allows QFG to offer nearly unprecedented (for a point-and-click game) replay value, where game puzzles vary depending on the class chosen at the beginning of the playthrough.”
“Even better, they have a lot of replay value with different classes, the ability to multi-class (be several classes at once), and various ways to complete every task in each game depending on your class.”
- stability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -22 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The stability of the games in the series is generally inconsistent, with many users reporting significant bugs, particularly in Quest for Glory 2 and 4, which are described as "buggy nightmares." While some players have found fan-made patches that improve stability, others experience minor graphical glitches and occasional crashes, especially when running older titles on DOSBox. Overall, while some games have stable builds, critical issues can hinder gameplay, particularly in earlier installments.
“No glitches or game-breaking incidents; one crash thus far, which is amazing compared to back in the day.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major issues, providing a stable experience throughout.”
“I've experienced consistent performance with minimal interruptions, making for a reliable gaming session.”
“Great story but (especially QFG2) is buggy.”
“Part 4 was a buggy mess when it was released, which was a shame since it easily has the most interesting theme out of all of the games.”
“I bought the game to go through part 4 which was always notoriously buggy... like, you can't even beat the game because of bugs.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Grinding in this game is generally viewed positively, as it allows players to develop their characters across all five installments, making it feel rewarding rather than tedious. While some players appreciate the blend of grinding with puzzle-solving and character customization, others find certain activities, like navigating mazes, to be unnecessarily tedious. Overall, the grinding is considered manageable and less time-consuming compared to typical RPGs.
“Also, there seems to be an increased focus on combat and grinding, which I don't care for.”
“Some activities like navigating through mazes may feel needlessly tedious.”
“Some tasks may feel tedious by today's standards.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The character development in the series is praised for its depth and relevance to contemporary themes, showcasing a significant improvement over the first game. The integration of cultural elements, such as dialects and meaningful names, enhances the characters' authenticity, while the combination of storytelling and gameplay mechanics elevates the overall experience. Overall, the series is recognized for its masterful storytelling and rich character arcs.
“What you found throughout the series was amazing character development and even themes still relevant to society today.”
“The incredible effort to try and stay true to the folklore, along with the tiny details such as dialects (Swahili, QFG3), names and their meanings (Arabic, QFG2), and character development was phenomenal.”
“The QFG series took the storytelling genre to a whole new level - character development and masterful storytelling, coupled with a great soundtrack.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on an emotional level.”
“While there are attempts at character growth, the overall execution falls flat, leaving many arcs feeling incomplete.”
“The choices you make don't seem to impact character development as much as I hoped, resulting in a linear experience.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game series is highly praised for its exceptional visual art style and immersive music, contributing to a captivating experience. However, some players find certain elements, like the 'bones and corpses' theme in QFG4, off-putting, which affects their overall enjoyment and replayability.
“The award for 'Best Visual Art Style and Atmosphere' goes to QFG4!”
“Amazing atmosphere and music throughout the entire series, along with good replayability with different classes.”
“I only played this one a bit and didn't care for the 'bones and corpses' atmosphere, so I never went back to it.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users express mixed feelings about the optimization of the game, with some experiencing smooth performance while others caution against endorsing the Steam version for stability. Despite these concerns, the engaging gameplay encourages players to overlook optimization issues and enjoy the experience.
“I am currently on part III and hope that everything continues to run smoothly as it has so far.”
“Boot up each game quickly to make sure they run smoothly, and just dive in.”
“I cannot properly endorse the Steam version of this for performance or stability; the gameplay, however, still compelled me to review a game that I love dearly and believe deserves more attention.”
“The optimization is so poor that it feels like I'm playing a beta version of the game rather than a finished product.”
“Frequent frame drops and long loading times make it hard to enjoy what could be a great experience.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a deeply emotional experience while engaging with the game, highlighting its enchanting music, stunning visuals, and compelling narrative that culminates in a poignant conclusion to the series, evoking feelings of heartbreak.
“I was emotionally transported to the land of Tarna with its beautiful music, magical graphics, and awesome story.”
“This is the final conclusion in the series... I know, heartbreaking!”