Wizardry: Bane of the Cosmic Forge

About

"Wizardry: Bane of the Cosmic Forge" is a fantasy role-playing game with full-color animated graphics and digitized sound. The game features 11 races and 14 professions, with a variety of skills, spells, and items to choose from. Players can embark on a continuous journey with up to six companions, and have the ability to save their progress and make unlimited backups. The game aims to provide a true-to-life FRP experience with its detailed gameplay and immersive storyline.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Wizardry: Bane of the Cosmic Forge screenshot

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 183 reviews

story10 positive mentions

graphics16 negative mentions

A classic old-school RPG that offers a deep and rewarding experience for those who appreciate challenging gameplay.
The character creation system is extensive, allowing for a variety of races and classes, which adds depth to the gameplay.
Despite its dated graphics and interface, the game provides a nostalgic experience and a sense of achievement when overcoming its challenges.

The game is extremely difficult, with many players finding it punishingly hard, especially in the early stages.
The graphics and sound are outdated, which can be off-putting for modern players and may detract from the overall experience.
The user interface is clunky and not user-friendly, making navigation and gameplay cumbersome, especially for those unfamiliar with older RPG mechanics.

graphics
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
49%
36%
The graphics of the game are widely criticized as outdated and poor, often described as "ugly" or "pathetically bad," reflecting its age as a relic from a time when graphical standards were much lower. While some players acknowledge that the visuals may be lacking, they emphasize that the gameplay and depth of the story can still provide an enjoyable experience for those willing to overlook the dated aesthetics. Overall, the consensus is that if modern graphics are a priority for you, this game may not be worth your time.
- “Graphics are pretty good for 1972.”
- “Even with dated graphics, the game draws you into its dark, mysterious world, where every corner feels dangerous and intriguing.”
- “The beauty of this game is in its sophisticated turn-based fighting system (still unequalled by many 'modern' games), beautifully designed monsters (considering the graphical limitations), and interesting, engaging story.”
- “The graphics are pretty dismal (well it is an old game) but the playing of it will use your grey matter.”
- “This is one of the worst games I have ever played; the graphics are so pathetically bad and the gameplay and combat suck too.”
- “The graphics are terrible, even by the standards of the time, their crude 16-color EGA awfulness being quickly surpassed by the 256-color majesty of Westwood's Eye of the Beholder, which followed but a year later.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
62%
9%
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and intrigue, while others find it convoluted and cliched by modern standards. Players appreciate the immersive experience and the slow unfolding of the narrative, which allows for personal interpretation, but note that the storytelling can be challenging and at times nonsensical. Overall, while the story may not appeal to everyone, it offers a unique blend of complexity and player agency that can be rewarding for those willing to engage with it.
- “The story unfolds slowly, adding to the immersion and sense of adventure.”
- “Multiple endings (which were novel in 1990) and multiple beginnings allowed for huge variety in playthroughs, and honestly even the sparsely told story is much better than many RPGs today.”
- “The beauty of this game is in its sophisticated turn-based fighting system, beautifully designed monsters, and interesting, engaging story (it is rather cryptic though and you are mainly left to fill in the gaps with your own fantasy).”
- “It requires massive patience or flat-out cheating to get into, and even then, the story is not compelling nor rewarding for your time invested.”
- “The plot is borderline nonsense, but expansive and remarkably mature, if such a thing can be said about a story involving adultery, murder, madness, a pen that can re-write reality, and a half-naked she-devil.”
- “Younger players might be surprised to find out that the storytelling is a bit more involved than many other 'classic' games of this era, but it's all extremely clichéd, especially by modern standards.”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
72%
12%
The gameplay of this title is polarizing, with some players appreciating its deep, immersive mechanics and extensive exploration potential, while others criticize its outdated graphics, convoluted systems, and tedious combat. Although it offers rich character creation and class-changing features, many find the gameplay frustrating and not particularly enjoyable, requiring significant patience and understanding of complex mechanics. Overall, it appeals to those who appreciate classic RPG elements but may deter modern players due to its archaic design.
- “You can expect some 300 hours of gameplay if you take the time to thoroughly explore this dungeon and its story.”
- “What it is, however, is an expertly-crafted 'fantasy role-playing simulation' with addictive, deep, and immersive gameplay.”
- “Vast, grim, exploration-driven game with complex and well-balanced mechanics.”
- “This is one of the worst freaking games I have ever played; the graphics are so pathetically bad and the gameplay and combat suck too.”
- “There are slivers of cool RPG ideas like improving a skill the more often it's used, but I must stress that the gameplay isn't fun.”
- “Dense with unexplained rules, incomprehensible mechanics, tedious combat, and horrible sound effects.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
56%
17%
The music aspect of Wizardry VI is largely criticized, with many users noting the absence of any significant musical score, relying instead on minimal sound effects reminiscent of an outdated era in gaming. While some praise the soundtrack of the Super Famicom remake, the original game is described as having poor sound quality and a lack of engaging music, leading players to suggest listening to their own music while playing. Overall, the game's audio experience is considered disappointing and lacking in depth.
- “I relaxed for 5 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ minutes to this music long enough to realize that I was going to be okay.”
- “I actually finished this game with the SFC remake, (Wizardry VI - Kindan no Mafude) which has far better graphics and good music.”
- “The music of the SFC version is also very cool.”
- “No music in this game, not really surprised.”
- “The only 'music' you can hear in this game is what sounds like the flapping of wings and something banging around on walls.”
- “The sound too is also terrible, with no music to speak of and only a limited selection of digital samples to relay the clash of steel on steel, ancient enchantments and the death of your foes.”
grinding
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, requiring significant time investment to level up and build characters effectively. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of grinding, particularly in the early to mid-game, where players must engage in combat with low-level enemies to progress. While some may appreciate the challenge and depth that grinding offers, it is generally viewed as a chore that detracts from the overall experience.
- “I feel like I need to spend a lot of time grinding to level up before I try to move past the first floor.”
- “You have to spend ages wandering around a boring, repetitive maze, grinding on low-level enemies and saving after every fight in case one of those groups of low-level enemies decides they're going to dodge every attack you make and beat your frontline to death just because screw you.”
- “Expect lots of grinding, especially in the early to mid-game.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The stability of the game is highly inconsistent, with some users reporting frequent bugs, freezing issues, and game-breaking errors that require constant reloading. Conversely, others have found the game to run smoothly without any glitches or crashes, indicating a divide in user experiences regarding stability. Overall, the feedback suggests significant stability problems for some players, while others enjoy a stable gameplay experience.
- “The game is a bit oldish but runs great and is a lot of fun.”
- “I have found no glitches at all, no lag or crashing.”
- “All in all, I'd have to give these 1/10 - at least they appear to be bug free.”
- “Game is super buggy.”
- “It freezes up often, not constantly, and the starting level has locked doors everywhere that you can't open. It's a mistake in the game, and you can't do almost anything without reloading over and over. You can pick a lock only a couple of times, and it becomes jammed. Then you cannot open it without a spell that you don't have yet.”
- “It freezes up.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
Character development in the game is praised for its complexity and sandbox nature, allowing players to forge unique paths and optimize their characters for survival, despite the game's challenging difficulty. However, the character design and overall aesthetics are criticized as outdated and unattractive, and the narrative is deemed nonsensical.
- “The character development system allows for a unique and personalized experience, making each player's journey feel distinct and rewarding.”
- “The depth of character customization and growth keeps players engaged, as they can continually evolve their strategies and playstyles.”
- “Your path to success was often different from what the game designers had in mind; this is only possible with a complex enough system, a true sandbox of character development in which you could find the small cracks to break the game, or at least find optimizations that made you strong enough to survive the challenge.”
- “Sure, it looks uglier than sin and the character design has aged poorly, and the story is complete nonsense but!”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its hilarious character interactions, quirky graffiti, and bizarre items, creating a unique comedic atmosphere. Despite its age, the game successfully blends humor with challenging gameplay, reminiscent of modern titles influenced by its legacy.
- “Hilarious character interactions, perplexing graffiti, bizarre items, and straightforward yet difficult combat—it's all here.”
- “It's funny because usually I would say that there is such a distance between a game from 1989 and games nowadays that I wouldn't recommend it, but then Etrian Odyssey and all the Megami Tensei games are still around and have considerable success... and both are very much influenced by the Wizardry saga—Etrian Odyssey the most.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is notable, drawing comparisons to classics like Legend of Grimrock. While it may not match the visual fidelity of modern titles, it still effectively creates an immersive and engaging environment.
- “The atmosphere is also worth mentioning.”
- “This is the pedigree from which games like Legend of Grimrock stem, and while it isn't as pretty as modern incarnations, it is still very atmospheric.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the game's complex systems that allow for diverse character development and creative optimization strategies, enabling them to discover unique paths to success and overcome challenges.
- “Your path to success was often different from what the game designers had in mind; this is only possible with a complex enough system, a true sandbox of character development in which you could find the small cracks to break the game, or at least find optimizations that made you strong enough to survive the challenge.”
- “The game is riddled with performance issues that severely hinder the overall experience, making it frustrating to play.”
- “Despite the potential for deep strategy, the lack of proper optimization leads to a clunky and unresponsive gameplay experience.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is praised for its engaging gameplay and lack of microtransactions, making it an appealing choice for players who prefer a straightforward experience without additional costs.
- “It's hard, it's fun, and it has no added microtransactions. Why haven't you bought it?”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that doesn't pressure players into spending money.”
- “I appreciate that the developers focus on gameplay rather than pushing for in-game purchases.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers find the emotional aspect of the game heartwarming, particularly appreciating the nostalgic inclusion of copy protection codes, which not only adds a layer of authenticity but also fosters a sense of personal growth through learning.