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| Clear "Game of the Year" for 1994. |
Ravenloft is in active rotation, so it's time for another look at what's coming up. My sense is that this list is going to be relatively quick, but I've been fooled before.
As a reminder, this discussion is to offer:
- Opinions about the game's RPG status. While applying your own definitions to such a discussion is fine, what really helps is if you apply mine. The FAQ (7th question) covers my definition.
- Tips for emulating the game
- Known bugs and pitfalls
- Tips for character creation
- Trivia
- Predictions for my reaction and/or the GIMLET score (without specifics that will spoil the game).
- Sources of information about the game from around the web, particularly obscure ones that I might otherwise miss during my pre-game research.
These are the next seven titles:
- Rogue II: Return to the Dungeon (1986 | Atari ST | Epyx). This game is alone a good argument for expanding my list of sources beyond Wikipedia and MobyGames. I only found it on AtariMania, and it's an official sequel to the Epyx release of Rogue! We should have learned about it years ago. It appears to be a roguelike with a graphical interface. I look forward to seeing what it keeps and ditches from its predecessor. LanHawk has already assisted me with getting a clean copy, sans the obnoxious "cracktro" nonsense.
- Jiji and the Mysterious Forest, Chapter 1 (1994 | Windows | Independent). This game is technically a sequel to Jiji's Osakanakuzushi ("Jiji's Fish Crush"), but MobyGames classifies it as an action game. This is an independent children's game series from a Japanese developer, but in English, in which Jiji the cat romps around the Land of Fish. There was some discussion as to whether it's a real RPG in my "1993/1994" post. I don't expect it to be long or interesting, but you never know. If I really love it, Chapter 2 came out the same year.
- The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight (1986 | Commodore 64 | Interplay): It's time I rectified a 16-year-old crime that I committed against this game. I decided to do it now because Michael Cranford has announced a new game (a sequel to Maze Master) and I wanted an excuse to talk about it.
- Aethra Chronicles: Volume One - Celystra's Bane (1994 | DOS | Independent). A shareware game, but it looks nice: detailed character creation, three characters, full inventories, tactical combat, NPC dialogue. Of all the games on this list, I think I'm looking forward to this one the most.
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| The Aethra chronicles looks like a well-designed shareware game. |
- Graal (1986 | Thomson | Free Game Blot): This is a French game about which I've done virtually no research. The Wargaming Scribe posted a comment suggesting that it's more of a puzzle game than an RPG.
- Hexx: Heresy of the Wizard (1994 | DOS | TAG). A Dungeon Master-inspired game with continuous movement set in the Trazere universe. I've seen it described as a remake of Bloodwych (1989), but I think it's better described as a game in a similar style. Of the titles on this list, this one has the potential to last the longest.
As always, your comments, assistance, and predictions are welcome.
08/12/2026
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