Game 580: Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse (1994)

I'm going to go with the usual way of representing the game, but the opening screens separate the series title and game title, and the manual refers to it as Genie's Curse (without the definite article).

         

Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse

United States 

Cyberlore Studios (developer), Strategic Simulations, Inc. (publisher) 

Released 1994 for DOS

Date Started: 23 June 2026

     

As we've previously covered, Strategic Simulations' license to publish D&D content was in its waning months in 1994. TSR was almost frantically trying to squeeze everything they could out of the license. Having exhausted its own development bandwidth with Eye of the Beholder III (1993) and the two Dark Sun titles (1993 and 1994), they happily took proposals from other developers who agreed to publish through SSI. Many of these proposals resulted in games for niche campaign settings, such as Spelljammer (1992), Warriors of the Eternal Sun (1992), and the forthcoming Ravenloft (1994). Into this milieu came a new developer, Cyberlore Studios. It was formed by Lester Humphreys, Herb Perez, and Ken Grey, the first two of whom had worked on The Dark Queen of Krynn (1992) for MicroMagic. They began working on Al-Qadim (whose tabletop manual had just been published) almost immediately. I haven't been able to find any information about where the project originated, but the speed at which they got set up and running suggests to me that SSI already knew they wanted the game and essentially funded the new studio.

     

The game title.

         

"Three distinct visions of Arabia have helped give shape" to the Al-Qadim campaign setting, according to its 1992 guide: (1) the historical Arabia, "home of great warriors, explorers, and traders, as well as great knowledge and civilization"; (2) the mythology and stories of these people, "the world of genies and ghuls"; and (3) the "Araby" of Hollywood, reflected in films from The Thief of Bagdad (1940) to Sinbad's Shazaam! (1991). Scheherazade may go back 1,300 years, but the image you have of her has more to do with Maria Montez than any Arabian author. TSR had a bit of luck releasing the Al-Qadim tabletop materials in the same year as Disney's Aladdin (1992).

      

The source manual.

                  

Al-Qadim ("the ancient") was a brief lark for TSR, never intended to exist for more than a few publications—probably a good thing given its phonetic similarity to "Al-Qaeda," which was about to become a big part of most Americans' vocabularies. Although the land of the setting, Zakhara, is nominally set in the Forgotten Realms (somewhere south of Faerûn), it could be plugged into any campaign setting where some Arabian flair was needed. My understanding is that it was the first campaign setting to offer character "kits," and that some of its monsters and rules live on in fifth-edition D&D. Those more experienced in tabletop D&D will certainly be able to contribute more.

        

In some ways, Zakharan society represents an idealized American model rather than anything historically Arabian. Zakhara is such a melting pot that even orcs, goblins, and other monster races are integrated with the rest of the civilization. There are no racial enmities (although, the book notes, elves do seem to prefer other elves). There is a strong hereditary caste system, with "social status" measured on a scale of 1 to 20 along with standard D&D attributes, but adventurous types are explicitly given a certain social mobility.

      

The manual's depiction of a meeting between a Dao djinni and an efreeti.

         

The "kit" system—a combination of class, alignment, proficiencies, magical abilities, and special skills—are a particularly interesting addition. They had been introduced in The Complete Fighter's Handbook (1989) and continued in the other class-based handbooks of the late 1980s and early 1990s. This was the first time they were baked into a campaign. They include such evocative titles as "corsair" (sea-based, dual-wielding fighters with some thief skills but no heavy armor), "sha'ir" (mages who specialize in summoning genies), "barbers" (rogues specializing in identification, language, and medicine), and "mystics" (chaotic nomad priests who can use edged weapons and who receive their spells through revelation rather than divine gift). There are new proficiencies for characters, including begging, grooming, camel-riding, and genie lore. Heavy armor exists, but given the heat of the setting, those who wear it suffer significant penalties. Hydration is carefully tracked. 

   

"Genies" are not specific creatures but rather a class of creatures, from elemental familiars to powerful efreet. (To forestall wasting time in the comments, these entries are going to follow the D&D convention of djinni and efreeti for the singular and djinn and efreet for the plural, regardless of what actual Arabic does.) They can be summoned and provide benefits to their summoners, which only at the highest levels include wishes. The game's backstory (as the title suggests) involves these beings. A mysterious force has been freeing genies from the magic that binds them to human servants, but a seer who serves one of the genies has predicted that this same mysterious force will yoke the genies for itself. I guess the titular "curse" is the ability for the genies to escape their former masters, although the genies themselves see it as a "blessing."

            

A mermaid later explains it to me.

        

An arrogant efreeti named Mirza Gubishbuskin used to serve a sha'ir named Farid al-Mutan, a resident of Sorcerer's Isle. Mirza unexpectedly found himself freed from servitude in the middle of an invasion. He refused to help the island, and it was sacked by ogres, ettins, and other monsters. The seer has predicted that a son of the protector of Sorcerer's Isle, Al-Hazrad, will be the key to defeating the mysterious force and returning the genies to bondage, but it is not clear that all genies see that outcome as preferable.

    

The son, of course, is the player character. He starts the game not as an inexperienced youth but rather as a Level 2 corsair, having already seen plenty of adventure serving the Master Corsair Sinbar. He's even wooed Kara, a caliph's daughter, and plans to marry her.

     

The character's starting statistics. One more goblin, and he's Level 3.

       

Character creation is thus not much; the player gets to give the kid a name (Sunduq in my case) and choose a difficulty level. The character has attributes, but they're the same for every new game: 18(74) strength, 17 dexterity, 16 constitution, 14 intelligence, 15 wisdom, 14 charisma, 3900 experience points, 22 hit points.

     

The strength statistic seems justified.

        

Gameplay begins in Sinbar's palace, where he's complimenting Sunduq on his accomplishments, noting that only Sunduq's brother, Tarik, "has ever shown your skill and bravery." Sinbar regrettably dismisses Sunduq from his service: "You must put aside thoughts of adventuring and prepare for your wedding to the Caliph's beautiful daughter, Kara." All Sunduq has to do is negotiate a maze to a teleporter that will take him home to Zaratan on Sorcerer's Isle.

   

Sunduq gets a chance to talk with Sinbar a bit; the game features full-sentence dialogue options. (SSI introduced them in the previous year's Dark Sun: Shattered Lands.) In them, we learn that the seer referenced in the back story, Khatarina, is Sinbar's daughter. "She said she had a vision of you as a great hero," he tells Sunduq before leading him to the maze.

      

"Wait. I meant that the other way around."

       

Controls are simple; Al-Qadim is more of an action game than an RPG. Everything can be done with the mouse; right-clicking to move in the direction of the screen cursor, left-clicking to swing the character's weapon or initiate dialogue (I guess the game figures out which you want to do based on who you're next to). The numberpad and its ENTER key can be used instead. I'm not sure which I find easier yet.

    

The graphics are not a million miles removed from Dark Sun, if Dark Sun featured only one character and the icons were a bit larger.  

    

Entering Sinbar's maze.

     

The "maze" turns out to be less a maze and more an obstacle course intended to teach the controls. In order, the character faces:

     

• A force field that comes from behind and teleports you back to the beginning if you linger too long. 

• Rocks protruding into the hallway that the character must navigate around.

• Spikes protruding from the ground that he must navigate around.

• Spikes that go up and down, requiring him to time crossing them.

      

Sunduq gets hit in an unfortunate place.

        

• Fireballs shooting from a hole in the corridor.

• Pressure plates that activate jets of flame from the floor.

• Jets of flame in a row that activate in sequence.

• Spikes that shoot up from the floor in the character's path. There's no way to predict them, so you just have to react fast and not walk into them.

• Spikes blocking the corridor that have to be lowered by choosing the right pressure plate.

• Large jars blocking the path that must be smashed. 

       

I wasn't fast enough.

         

• Wandering balls of flame that must be avoided.

• Traps in the floor that must be avoided.

• Circular saw blades running back and forth along the corridor. They must be timed and avoided.  

      

The penitent man shall pass.

         

• A corridor where you can pick up a lot of gold, but if you do, you can't avoid the teleportation field and you lose the gold. 

• A pit that must be crossed by activating invisible tiles.

• A bunch of jars that must be flown over by finding a lever that temporarily turns you into a bird. 

     

I avoid a lot of smashing.

         

• Spikes coming out of the floor.

• Chasms opening unpredictably in the middle of the corridor.

• Rolling rocks. 

• Much faster saw blades, much closer together. I couldn't even begin to avoid them.

     

Getting killed by these obstacles results in a message that I die "with dishonor," which seems a bit harsh. In any event, I eventually make it through to a large treasure chest. Sinbar's voice congratulates me; I earn 450 experience points, which gets me to Level 3; and I get Oil of Water Elemental Invulnerability, Oil of Air Elemental Invulnerability, and 200 gold pieces. 

     

I have to look up who this "Loregiver" is.

          

A teleporter whisks me home to Sorcerer's Isle, on a sandy beach outside the city. My sister, Aliya, meets me and escorts me through the guarded gates to a giant cistern. My father, standing next to it, greets me warmly, and I learn that he sent me the sword I carry. Aliya says she has to practice her magic, but I should visit her in her house. Finally, I can play.  

     

I've been using it to smash jars.

          

The manual includes a helpful map of Zaratan and its various buildings. I explore the town and talk to NPCs, including various members of my family. In most interactions, I have a humble and respectful option, a proud and haughty option, and a mercenary option. I'm not sure how much those options matter. The few times that I saved and tried every option, I got different NPC responses but ended up in the same place. For instance, when the Qadi asks me to deliver a peace treaty, I can say:

    

• "Yes. I will do your bidding, wise Qadi."
• "I am a Corsair, not an errand boy!"
• "The Al-Hazrads will never make peace with the Wassabs!"

      

Dialogue options with my neighbor. The middle version of Sunduq really wants people to know that he's a Corsair.

        

The Qadi has a negative reaction to the second two, but I still end up with the treaty in my pocket, awaiting signatures. 

      

Everyone's talking about my forthcoming wedding. My brother, Tarik, is on the way home from his work as a merchant marine. My bride-to-be has written me a love note.

        

The game's depiction of Zaratan, the capital city of Sorcerer's Isle.

         

It's clear from my dialogue that my family's business is in the sea trade. We own a captive genie named Muliban and use him to protect the city but also to create fair weather for our trading vessels. We have an ongoing rivalry with the Wassab family, which thinks our use of the genie gives us an unfair advantage. The town Qadi (the magistrate) is concerned that our family feud will lead to violence in the streets, and he wants both families to sign a treaty to behave honorably. 

              

Thanks, Qadi! I swear by the nose of Bozo the Clown you haven't aged a day!

         

Other findings:

   

• In further conversation with my father, I learn that my sword is called the Sword of Honor. It will grow more powerful if I can find a "special shard of the Moonstone." He also tells me our neighbor Babazar's daughter is terribly ill. Tarik, my brother, isn't here yet but is on his way for the wedding.

• The inn is run by a confused man who mistakes me for my brother and thinks I'm marrying the Caliph's mother. 

• One of the inn's residents heard that there is a fabulous treasure on a nearby reef. He talks himself out of trying to claim it himself.

    

Don't let me discourage you.

         

• Another guest, Zultan, says he came to the city to study my family's genie. I tell him the genie is not an insect to be studied, and he gets all offended.

• The weapon master asks me to deal with some monsters west of town. He also agrees to spar with me, so I finally get a sense of the game's combat, which seems to consist of the opponents standing face to face and slashing at each other. The manual mentions sneaking, using missile weapons, dodging, and using spells, so I'll explore those eventually. 

          

This turned out not to be a great use of my health points.

         

• At the temple, I generously give 50 gold pieces and get 180 experience points. I try it again with 10 but get no further experience.

• I wander into a house that turns out to be the Wassabs' house. Their son, Mamoon, tries to attack me, but his father stops him. The father won't sign the treaty unless my father signs it first.

      

Given how long it took me to get through the obstacle course, that might be a fair hit.

        

• I can hit ENTER when next to some furniture and baskets, but I'm spared the ethical dilemma of looting them by the fact that none of them have anything of value.

      

Food is not a requirement in this game.

         

• My sister gives me a Sling of Seeking, "which can be increased by finding the correct Shards of the Moonstone." Aliya has been accepted by Zaratan's Sorcery Guild. Its founder, the efreeti's owner from the backstory, fled town after his genie disobeyed him. "He hides in that strange tower to the northwest of town."

• A poor resident asks me for 30 gold to help fix his house. I give it to him and get another 180 experience points.

      

This might be a good time to remind readers about Patreon.

         

• Another guy tells me I borrowed 5 gold from him before going off to be a corsair. I return it and get 90 more experience points. 

• A guy tells me that he's going to "turn into a tiger, say the magic words, and turn back again!" Then he turns into a tiger and stays that way.

      

I knew there was a problem with your plan.

        

• There's a potion shop where healing potions go for 50 gold each. I've spent so much money by now that I don't want to spend any more here. 

• At Babazar's house, he says that his daughter is sick and needs herbs that grow "wild in the oasis." Monsters there have driven everyone back. Again, I have some role-playing options. I say I'll do it. He says to ignore the red and blue berries and get the purple berries. He also gives me a Sunfire Shard. From the manual, shards are like wands, with limited uses. I don't think this type of shard is the same thing as the Shards of the Moonstone. 

      

I hate to break it to you, Babazar, but your daughter has a 67% chance of dying.

       

• At my aunt's house, she's standing on a chair, avoiding an infestation of frogs caused by a spell gone wrong. She gives me a wedding present of 10 gems and 100 gold pieces.

• At the Sorcerers' Guild, I learn how to walk through secret walls. A sorceress asks me to smash a bunch of urns so she can practice magicking them back together. 

          

You can't see me because I'm in the middle of this wall.

        

I head outside to check out the monsters and to try to find the berries, noting with some trepidation that my health never recovered after the fight with the weapon master. I thought it might regenerate slowly on its own. Not only does it not do that, but there is also no way to restore health by sleeping, whether at home or in camp. It looks like I'll need to pay for those potions at some point.

 

As I head west, I am attacked by what the manual calls werehyenas, miniature air elementals, and at least one giant boar. "Miniature" elementals and some other creatures (e.g., desert cyclops, acid blob, giant Zakharan rat) were created specifically for this game and have full-page Monster Manual-like descriptions in case the player "would like to incorporate them into your own campaign."

      

I'm not sure that the world needed these.

         

There are also plants that shoot missiles at me, but it doesn't seem that I can kill or even engage them. Similarly, there are trees with beehives that disgorge swarms of bees if I get too close. 

       

Some bastard plant nails me for no reason.

      

What follows could be characterized as a "Bacchanalia of Reloading." It takes me a long time to get used to the combat system, and even then I'm not sure that I really have it. Attacking in melee range with the sword usually involves an unavoidable hit point loss unless I dance around a lot, and my fingers haven't gotten that agile yet. (I can't decide at this point whether I have an easier time with the keypad or mouse.) The sling can theoretically shoot enemies from afar, but it has a bit of a wind-up period in which they can close the distance, especially if I face multiple foes. The Sunfire Shard will kill a lot of enemies at once, but only once, and it has to be carefully aimed.

     

This seems like a lot to handle.

            

Obstacles help, and sometimes enemies will just mysteriously stop in their tracks, giving me a chance to nail a few of them with the sling until they come to their senses. If I can get the timing exactly right on melee attacks, I can sometimes keep them at bay. (This seems to work better on the horizontal than the vertical.) Even though the character can move diagonally, he cannot face diagonally, so I have to make sure I'm attacking along straight lines.

     

I keep having this very annoying problem where I need to turn around to face an enemy, but the game insists on making the character walk backwards. It can be fatal when it happens, and I can't find anything in the manual or my experimentation with the controls that makes a solid difference between the two types of movement. The game just seems to pick randomly.

           

What, exactly, do I have to do to face east?

         

It turns out that there's a particularly wussy way to survive: Mince along, firing sling bullets every few steps. When the bullet goes off at an angle, that means it's detected something. Keep firing and hope to destroy the enemy off-screen. 

      

The whole experience reminds me (not pleasantly) of a console action RPG or action game like Deadly Towers or The Legend of Zelda. What makes Al-Qadim technically an action RPG and not an action game is the use of character attributes and levels to determine success in combat, but the attributes are pre-determined. It appears that the only thing the player has any agency over, when it comes to the character, is how many of these side-quests to do, which I guess might contribute an extra level or two here or there.

          

The bards singing of my quest doesn't sound bad . . .

             

(I honestly wonder if the attributes are even "real." Since every character starts with the same attributes, are they even part of any of the game's formulas? Could I hex-edit them to improve my success? Or are they just for show?)

   

Here's a phenomenon for which I think there ought to be a term, but for which I'm not going to coin one until I get some confirmation that other people think the same way. It's complex, but it goes something like this: You're playing a game in which healing is rare or expensive. You're motivated to save after every success. You're also motivated to reload not only when you die, but when you've taken a significant-but-unnecessary loss of hit points. What's "significant?" Roughly half your hit point total before taking the damage. If the character is fresh, you might accept a 50% loss as the cost of doing business with a particularly hard foe. After that, it's 25% (or 50% of the remainder). Then 12.5% Then 6.25%—okay, you're not actually calculating to two decimal places, but you get the idea.

      

What?! What did I do that was dishonorable? I got eaten by a pack of jackals!

          

Knowing that this is going to happen means that, paradoxically, there's no point in bringing the character to maximum health. Eventually, you're going to get to the point where you're reloading with practically every hit anyway. Might as well live on the edge and use it as an excuse to master the combat system. So that's what I did—which is why the health bar in the screenshots hardly budges. Only I never really "mastered" it. I just reloaded a lot.

        

I found the oasis with the berry plants. The game solved my colorblindness issue by not even letting me pick the red and blue berries. When I went to pick the purple ones, a mermaid appeared and welcomed me to the Oasis  of the Pahari. She asked if I was a man of honor, and I said yes. She said I could heal myself as often as I liked in the oasis if I did her a favor: Take a message to the Qadi of Zaratan that the mermaid's master, Farid (from the backstory, now living in exile in a tower) wants to speak about the monsters infesting the oasis. She went on to say that my family's genie, Muliban, "has rid the oasis of monsters many times, but somehow they return." She further asked that I not tell anyone else of her existence, lest "greedy men" try to capture her for their own profit.

       

How about you let me heal first, then take your message?

      

Having a free place to heal sounds like the solution to a lot of problems, so I prepare to head back to town even though I haven't killed all the monsters yet. At this point, I run into a problem where the game freezes every time I try to walk off the screen and back to town. So I guess I'll wrap up while I try to solve that problem.

   

So far, I like the setting and plot. The NPCs are fun and remind me pleasantly of those in the Quest for Glory games, while the early experience exploring the city feels a bit like Conan the Cimmerian (1991), but both impressions might have more to do with the themes of the setting than any actual influence. I am not a fan of the controls, so far, and I suspect the RPG elements are going to turn out to be somewhat illusory.

   

Time so far: 3 hours (this included a lot of reloading in the oasis); I probably only made an hour of real progress).

   

****

   

Next entry in this series. 

     

**** 

   

For further reading:

   

• My index of games played by lineage has all other Dungeons & Dragons titles.
• The Internet Archive has the Al-Qadim: Arabian Adventures source book. 

06/27/2026