Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land (PlayStation 2)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.5 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Justin Speer
• Reviewed on: 01/10/2002
• Updated on: 05/17/2006
• Released on: 12/19/2001
• Originally published on GameSpot: Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land (PlayStation 2) Review

As one of the progenitors of fantasy role-playing computer games, Sirtech's Wizardry series has had far-reaching influence in the gaming world and enjoys a high degree of popularity in Japan as well as North America. By adopting many of the game conventions of pen-and-paper RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons--which itself drew heavily on the creativity of Tolkien's works--Wizardry brought the concept of high fantasy to the interactive digital world.

Atlus and developer Racdym have created Tale of the Forsaken Land as a sort of homage to the long-running PC series. By drawing on a rich tradition that incorporates so many classic design elements, while also injecting into their work a certain uniqueness, this separate entity is truly a kindred spirit and a worthy tribute to the original creation.

After taking in a hand-drawn intro accompanied by a haunting melody, you will begin the game with one of the fine traditions of tabletop role-playing: character creation. You can choose from six races, including humans, gnomes, and hobbits, and cast your character in one of four basic classes: warrior, thief, priest, or sorcerer. You'll soon find yourself approaching the ruined town of Duhan, where you'll be greeted by a haggard swordsman.

It is here that the story begins. Where you stand, which was once sacred land, has been reduced to ashes and ruins by a great flash from the heavens. At the outset you'll have no idea why you are even here; however, the old man soon tells you that the goddess of fate has spoken to him in a dream, and he asks if you are the savior of whom she spoke.

Without waiting for a response, he guides you to the tavern, where you find two adventurers who are seeking companions to journey into a labyrinth that has appeared underneath the castle following the great disaster. For no other reason than that you feel you should, you look around town and eventually make your way toward the labyrinth.

While it may seem that your initial lack of direction is due to some oversight or the game's simple nature as a dungeon crawl, this is certainly not the case. When you begin your journey you are simply there--all you know about what befell Duhan are hearsay and legend. You seldom speak, and you advance for no other reason than to see what's next.

However, as the story unfolds you begin to remember people, events, and conversations from your past. Before, you had no way of knowing your character had a history at all. The way in which the game gradually fleshes things out is sublime. Equally impressive and complementary to the smooth flow of the story is the game's simple but highly effective presentation.

As is evidenced by the dialogue and in-game literature, Atlus has done a great job with the translation. Dialogue is strong and articulate, sounds humorous when it intends to be, and is further aided by third-person narration. When characters speak, they are represented by expertly drawn full-screen portraits. While these great-looking stills don't normally change expression, the narration does a masterful job of conveying mood, gestures, intonation, and atmosphere. The effect is humble but effective and comes with a definite charm.

The aural aspect of the presentation also shares this simplicity. There are relatively few tracks composing the musical score, but each carries a lot of feeling and is used in the appropriate situations. Background and battle themes will change every few floors as you descend deeper into the labyrinth, but accompanying sound effects provide audio distinction. As you explore the Old Jail, the unnerving sound of rattling chains joins the solemn chant that accompanied you on the previous floor.

At the urge of your comrades and to satisfy your desire to explore, you will continue to descend into the labyrinth. In a way, this is the essence of Wizardry. You'll gain gold and experience while battling hordes of monsters--navigating and fighting in a first-person perspective. After you gain a bit of fame, you'll be able to recruit other adventurers to form a robust six-member party.

Due to the limited field of view, and the fact that you can see a full map only by using a spell or plotting one yourself on graph paper, exploration is much more tense than in your average console RPG. You can look around with the second analog stick, but monsters can easily sneak up to attack you from the side or back if you aren't careful. Additionally, the reaper can appear out of nowhere as a black mass of chattering skulls to possess one of your party members and increase the stakes of your expedition.

Because the entire dungeon is interconnected, you'll have to progress from one floor to another to advance. Shortcuts do exist, but throughout the game you'll delve deeper and deeper into the darkness. Like the overall tension, the fear of the unknown is amplified because you can see only what's directly in front of you. The decision of whether or not to return to town with a transfer potion or to press forward in hopes of finding one more rare treasure can be a difficult one indeed.

Enemies will appear as roaming symbols. The shape of the symbol indicates the sorts of enemies you may face, while the color indicates whether or not the monsters have noticed you. It's possible to gain a first strike by approaching an enemy from behind, but with limited accuracy.

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