Realms of Arkania 1 - Blade of Destiny Classic
- January 10, 2014
- attic Entertainment Software GmbH
Get on Steam"Realms of Arkania 1 - Blade of Destiny Classic" is a role-playing game that follows the journey of a party of adventurers in the fantasy world of Aventuria. Players will engage in turn-based combat, explore various landscapes, and interact with characters to uncover the fate of a missing artifact, the Blade of Destiny. This classic game is a faithful recreation of the original, with updated graphics and UI for modern systems.
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Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience for those who played it in their youth, with an atmospheric soundtrack that evokes childhood memories.
- It features well-developed character development and an interesting world, providing a sense of immersion for players who appreciate classic RPG mechanics.
- Despite its flaws, the game is considered a cult classic and is recommended for hardcore RPG fans who enjoy challenging gameplay and detailed mechanics.
- The game has not aged well, with outdated graphics, a confusing interface, and tedious gameplay that can frustrate modern players.
- Many quests are unfinished or lead to dead ends, and numerous bugs can hinder progress, making the game feel incomplete.
- The English version suffers from poor music quality and translation issues, detracting from the overall experience.
- story26 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging yet flawed, with many players noting the presence of unfinished side quests and a lack of clear direction in the main narrative. While some appreciate the storytelling flow and find it appealing, others criticize the overall quest design as confusing and unfulfilling. Despite its shortcomings, the game is considered a cult classic, particularly for hardcore gamers who enjoy intricate character building and challenging mechanics.
“5 of 5 - great story, great gameplay.”
“4 of 5 - great story, average gameplay.”
“A nice combat system dragged down by the lack of diagonal attacks, city and dungeon graphics that were already outdated by the time of its original release, a large number of unmarked useless skills and spells, bad music quality in the English version, and some tedious bugs in certain dungeons lower the fun a little (or require looking for mods and other fixes), but the flow of the storytelling is actually the best of this still very fun to play trilogy.”
“You'll be drawn into quest lines that never actually start or go anywhere.”
“You are in a town, you have an area map, you have no idea where to go even if you know the building you are supposed to look for in your quest.”
“I can't comment on the quality of the story/quests/etc - the game itself is pretty much unplayable.”
- music18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with the atmospheric soundtrack evoking nostalgia for some players, while others criticize the English version's poor quality, particularly its MIDI tracks. The German CD version is praised for its charming redbook audio, but players who attempt to hack it into the game may encounter various bugs and text issues. Overall, the music is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the otherwise enjoyable gameplay experience.
“The atmospheric soundtrack literally takes you back to childhood.”
“German CD version had absolutely brilliant CDDA music, while the English CD version was exactly the same as the floppy one and only had crappy MIDI.”
“And its MIDI music won't cause you physical pain.”
“The English version's music is absolutely atrocious.”
“Same thing for the unbearably repetitive music loop.”
“I find myself regularly stabbing at keys in order to try and figure out how to do something, and the music is just an irritation.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, even for its original release in the early 90s, with basic visuals and repetitive designs that may deter modern players. While some fans of retro gaming may appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic, the overall presentation is considered rough, with stiff controls and a lack of polish. Despite these shortcomings, the game's engaging story and combat system can still provide enjoyment for those willing to overlook the graphical limitations.
“I can recommend this game only to those old-timers who once played it on old computers in the last century; today's youth will hardly like it. Apart from the outdated graphics, the game is not too easy to learn and it takes time to get used to its specific interface.”
“A nice combat system dragged down by the lack of diagonal attacks, city and dungeon graphics that were already outdated by the time of its original release, a large number of unmarked useless skills and spells, bad music quality in the English version, and some tedious bugs in certain dungeons lower the fun a little (or require looking for mods and other fixes).”
“The game is very rough around the edges with stiff controls, repetitive graphics, and micro-management; yet the world of Aventuria is fun to explore.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Blade of Destiny" and "Star Trail" features a grid-based dungeon crawler with isometric battles, appealing primarily to hardcore and old-school gamers. While "Blade of Destiny" introduces basic mechanics and allows for hero training, "Star Trail" is noted for being more complete and less frustrating, though it may require a game manual for better understanding. Overall, players may find the dungeon exploration engaging but occasionally cumbersome.
“While I enjoyed Blade of Destiny and getting up to speed on the Dark Eye's mechanics, Star Trail is simply more complete and less frustrating.”
“Hardcore and old-school gamers will likely find it to be an engaging story with mechanics they may not be used to.”
“A simple dungeon exploration (the main gameplay is pretty much a typical grid-based dungeon crawler with isometric battles, which isn't the most common thing to see in the genre) can become a huge pain in the neck.”
“Can't even get to the actual gameplay.”
“A must with this game is a copy of the game handbook/manual, as it will explain and clarify a vast amount of information with the game and gameplay.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its nostalgic soundtrack that evokes childhood memories, reminiscent of early role-playing games. As the first computer game based on "The Dark Eye," it successfully captures a unique and immersive ambiance that enhances the overall role-playing experience. Reviewers recommend it primarily for its compelling atmosphere and advanced gameplay elements.
“The atmospheric soundtrack literally takes you back to childhood.”
“Not only is it the very first computer game based on 'The Dark Eye', it also comes with that unique atmosphere of the early role-playing games.”
“I recommend this game very much, mainly due to the whole atmosphere and advanced role-playing aspects.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with combat mechanics and interactions feeling repetitive and outdated. While some improvements were noted in the sequel, issues like unmarked skills and spells, along with bugs, detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite these challenges, the storytelling remains a highlight of the experience.
“Every interaction is tedious.”
“A nice combat system dragged down by the lack of diagonal attacks, city and dungeon graphics that were already outdated by the time of its original release, a large number of unmarked useless skills and spells, bad music quality in the English version, and some tedious bugs in certain dungeons lower the fun a little (or require looking for mods and other fixes).”
“Having played Star Trail for a few hours, I'm glad to say that many of these issues, and plenty of ones I didn't even get around to, like the tedious combat (but it's not era-inappropriate), were addressed for the sequel.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for being well-crafted, contributing to an engaging and immersive world. Players appreciate the depth and complexity of the characters, enhancing their overall experience.
“Well-developed character development and an interesting world.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its strong replayability, with multiple users affirming that it offers engaging content that encourages players to return for additional playthroughs.
