Adventure Gamers - Forums

Looking at my list of recently completed games, I see a lot of sci-fi titles and games set in the modern day. Yet I have this hankering for a good narrative-rich swords-and-dragons fantasy game.

And I mean non-humorous one. I like Discworld and Simon the Sorcerer just as much as the next guy but what I am looking for is something in the vein of Death Gate and Dragonsphere. Another example is Loom and maybe also Discworld: Noir and TLJ (plus sequels). Any recommendations along those lines?

Does Lure of the Temptress fit the bill and is it worth playing? I have tried a couple of times but haven’t been able to get into it. What about any of Daedalic’s fantasy catalogue?

The King’s Quests I’ve played (I and II) do not fit the bill (being highly non-serious, silly even) but maybe some of the later ones would work for me (scared as I am of dead ends)? I’d be grateful for any nudges in the right direction

There aren’t many I can think of beyond those you’ve already mentioned.

Conquests of the Longbow is brilliant, serious, and fantasy-ish; but I expect you’ve already played it. Conquests of Camelot is a thing too, but it’s really not half as good (some tedious puzzles, far too many of which are just copy protection, some annoying action sequences, and definitely a few dead-ends).

Both The Dark Eye games (by Daedalic) also fit your criteria: Chains of Satinav (which is fine) and Memoria (which is really great). Speaking of Deadalic, I intensely disliked The Whispered World, with its tedious puzzles and whiny protagonist, but I know many others didn’t.

Finally, I guess there’s also Ween: The Prophecy; I personally didn’t care for it, but maybe you will.

As for the King’s Quest games, I’d say KQ6 is a must-play. It does have a few dead-ends, but the game never tries to actively trick you into them. You should be able to avoid them if you’re careful (and make regular, separate saves). KQ4 and KQ5, on the other hand, are awful and constantly try to trick you into dead-ends. KQ7 is shit.

You might want to have a look at the AGDI King’s Quest remakes. KQ2+ completely re-imagines the original KQ2, greatly expanding the world and story, making it more serious (there’s some humour still, but the world feels more real, less goofy); it also eliminates all the dead-ends (and nonsensical puzzles). KQ3 takes fewer liberties, but the original KQ3 was already pretty good; it does, however, flesh out the story and also eliminate (most of?) the dead-ends, so that should definitely be your version of choice.

P.S.: If you play KQ6 or either of the Conquests games, make sure to keep the manual at hand! Several puzzles require info from it as a form of copy protection.

Lure of the Temptress would certainly fit into the category you describe. You might also want to try the Kyrandia series, of a similar vintage (and also available from GOG).

More recently you could try Heroine’s Quest (though that’s obviously in a retro style) or in a very different vein maybe TellTale’s Game of Thrones?

edit: Ooh, I entirely failed to think of the Dark Eye games. Good call, Kuru!

Of course if you’re willing to venture into the realms of text there are more options, from Zork to Jonas Kyratzes’ The Matter of the Great Red Dragon.

Besides Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav and Dark Eye: Memoria, these two might qualify:

Lost Chronicles of Zerzura
http://www.adventuregamers.com/games/view/17223

Night of the Rabbit
http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/24695

Thanks, you guys. I had a few of these on my radar already: glad to hear that the consensus is that The Dark Eye games are worth playing (especially since I’ve managed to pick them up in some sale along the way). And I will get around to finishing Conquest of the Longbow some day soon… I promise. And a few games that I’ve never even heard of. Liath? That Jason Kyratzes’ hypertext project? Good to know.

It’s funny how frequently fantasy AG creators rely on humor. Fantasy literature, RPGs and movies/TV shows are serious in tone in the vast majority of cases. Or maybe that has to do with adventure games more generally.

Kurufinwe - 13 March 2017 06:06 AM

As for the King’s Quest games, I’d say KQ6 is a must-play. It does have a few dead-ends, but the game never tries to actively trick you into them. You should be able to avoid them if you’re careful (and make regular, separate saves). KQ4 and KQ5, on the other hand, are awful and constantly try to trick you into dead-ends. KQ7 is shit.

You might want to have a look at the AGDI King’s Quest remakes. KQ2+ completely re-imagines the original KQ2, greatly expanding the world and story, making it more serious (there’s some humour still, but the world feels more real, less goofy); it also eliminates all the dead-ends (and nonsensical puzzles). KQ3 takes fewer liberties, but the original KQ3 was already pretty good; it does, however, flesh out the story and also eliminate (most of?) the dead-ends, so that should definitely be your version of choice.

How much of the story in KQ1-5 is relevant for KQ6? Can I play VI without playing all the ones that came before?

TerminusEst - 13 March 2017 10:22 PM

It’s funny how frequently fantasy AG creators rely on humour. Fantasy literature, RPGs and movies/TV shows are serious in tone in the vast majority of cases. Or maybe that has to do with adventure games more generally.

I’ve wondered the same thing myself. There are serious sci-fi and detective adventure games, but relatively few serious fantasy style adventures.

If you’re going to play older games, you might consider Dragon Lore 1 and 2.
GOG is offering the first one
https://www.gog.com/game/dragon_lore_the_legend_begins

Also if you’ve never played it, Shannara is similar to Death Gate.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/shannara/screenshots

TerminusEst - 13 March 2017 10:22 PM

How much of the story in KQ1-5 is relevant for KQ6? Can I play VI without playing all the ones that came before?

You can certainly play KQ6 without playing the previous KQ games, but it helps to know who Alexander is. You first meet him in KQ3. It also helps to know who Cassima is and what happened to her, which you learn in KQ5. The stories get better with KQ3, but I wouldn’t play any KQ game without either a walkthrough or tips on how to avoid the dead ends, and that includes KQ6.

Shannara! I am shocked I forgot about it. I knew that Legend had another fantasy game but I was convinced I must’ve been thinking of Companions of Xanth. I will have to read up on it to see if the RPG elements are a deal breaker for me. Thanks, crabapple.

As for KQ, I will prioritise playing KQ VI. I will just need to think about what the best way of getting familiar with the story of the previous games is. I might play AGDI’s KQIII and then watch a Let’s Play of IV and V on YouTube… Dunno

Armaëth: The Lost Kingdom
Shadowgate
Arthur’s Knights: Tales of Chivalry
Shard of Inovar
Enchanter

TerminusEst - 14 March 2017 01:38 AM

As for KQ, I will prioritise playing KQ VI. I will just need to think about what the best way of getting familiar with the story of the previous games is. I might play AGDI’s KQIII and then watch a Let’s Play of IV and V on YouTube… Dunno

You really don’t need to know the story of previous games.  It has a different protagonist from most of the series, and is really its own thing.

Detective Mosely - 14 March 2017 02:27 AM

TerminusEst - 14 March 2017 01:38 AM

As for KQ, I will prioritise playing KQ VI. I will just need to think about what the best way of getting familiar with the story of the previous games is. I might play AGDI’s KQIII and then watch a Let’s Play of IV and V on YouTube… Dunno

You really don’t need to know the story of previous games.  It has a different protagonist from most of the series, and is really its own thing.

Agreed.

In KQ5, Graham rescued his family from an evil wizard named Mordack. While doing so, he met Cassima, a princess from the Land of the Green Isles, who was also Mordack’s prisoner. Once the wizard was defeated and Graham’s family freed, Alex started hitting on Cassie. She looked interested, but wanted to go home to her family first.

There, you’re all caught up!

I’d go with UHS hints rather than a walkthrough, so you can get help on the puzzle you’re stuck on rather than then having a walkthrough spoil the whole thing:
UHS hints for King’s Quest games

You could still hit dead ends, though, so save regularly!