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
- Offers a nostalgic experience for players familiar with early RPGs, providing a unique charm that modern games often lack.
- Features a complex and detailed role-playing system that requires strategic planning and character management, appealing to hardcore RPG fans.
- The atmospheric soundtrack and immersive world-building evoke a sense of nostalgia and adventure reminiscent of classic tabletop RPGs.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs, unfinished quests, and a lack of polish, making it frustrating and difficult to navigate.
- Controls and user interface are outdated and unintuitive, leading to a steep learning curve for new players.
- Graphics and sound quality are poor by modern standards, with repetitive environments and music that can detract from the overall experience.
- story13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging and well-paced, drawing players into its quest lines, though many of these quests are criticized for being unfinished or leading nowhere. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and depth of the narrative, others find the overall storytelling lacking and the gameplay mechanics frustrating. Overall, the story is seen as a highlight amidst various gameplay issues, appealing particularly to hardcore gamers who enjoy a challenging experience.
“5 of 5 great story, great gameplay.”
“The flow of the storytelling is actually the best of this still very fun to play trilogy.”
“Hardcore and old-school gamers will likely find it to be an engaging story with mechanics they may not be used to.”
“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.”
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric soundtrack that evokes nostalgia, particularly in the German version, which features charming CD audio. In contrast, the English version is criticized for its poor quality MIDI music, described as irritating and repetitive, leading some players to seek modifications to enhance their experience. Overall, while the German soundtrack is celebrated, the English version's music detracts from the gameplay.
“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.”
“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.”
“Same thing for the unbearably repetitive music loop.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Star Trail" is praised for being more complete and less frustrating than its predecessor, "Blade of Destiny," featuring a typical grid-based dungeon crawler format with isometric battles. While hardcore and old-school gamers may appreciate the engaging story and unique mechanics, players are advised to have the game manual on hand to fully understand the gameplay intricacies. Overall, the experience can be challenging, particularly in dungeon exploration.
“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.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, even at the time of its original release, featuring repetitive and basic visuals that may deter some players. While the graphics and audio quality reflect the standards of early 90s games, they are not considered the worst aspects of the experience, with many players still finding enjoyment in the game's storytelling and exploration despite the visual limitations. Overall, the graphics may be a drawback for some, but they do not overshadow the game's fun and engaging elements.
“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.”
“For any RPG friend who can handle severely outdated graphics, it's a must play.”
“The game is very rough around the edges with stiff controls, repetitive graphics and micro-management and instant kill death-traps; and yet the world of Aventuria is fun to explore and RoA is one of the few game series that tried to get the pen and paper rules as closely as possible onto the screen.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its nostalgic soundtrack that evokes childhood memories, alongside a unique ambiance reminiscent of early role-playing games. Reviewers highlight this atmospheric quality as a significant strength, enhancing the overall experience and contributing to the game's appeal.
“The atmospheric soundtrack literally takes you back to childhood.”
“Not only is it the very first computer game based on 'The Dark Eye', but it also comes with that unique atmosphere of early role-playing games.”
“I highly recommend this game, mainly due to its immersive atmosphere and advanced role-playing aspects.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of "Star Trail" to be tedious, with combat mechanics feeling outdated and hindered by limitations such as the absence of diagonal attacks. While the storytelling is praised, the overall experience is marred by unmarked skills, poor music quality, and bugs, leading to a sense of frustration during gameplay.
“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.”
“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.”
“Every interaction is tedious.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development is praised for being well-crafted, contributing to an engaging and immersive world.
“The character development is incredibly well-crafted, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, with their backstories and motivations deeply explored.”
“The depth of character development adds so much to the overall experience, allowing players to form genuine connections with the characters.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users generally agree that the game offers strong replayability, encouraging players to return for multiple playthroughs.
“The game offers endless replayability with its dynamic storylines and multiple endings.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh thanks to the diverse character choices and branching paths.”
“I love how the game encourages experimentation, making me want to replay it to explore different strategies.”
