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Hail fellow, well met! Our Guild seeks
to catalog genres Fantasy, Strategy,
& Role-Playing. From swordplay to
tactics, the Guild shall be your
mighty castlegrounds. Stay awhile.


Wizardry V
Capcom * SNES * 8 MB * Now Available

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Wizardry is a long-running series of dungeon crawlers dating as far back as 1981 on the Apple II. The original three titles were noteworthy triumphs in popularizing Dungeons & Dragons-esque storytelling and role-playing. Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom, originally released for home computers in 1988, recently received an enjoyably enhanced port on Super NES. This adaptation from Capcom of the 3-D dungeon explorer is classic D&D fun. Join together a customized, six-man party and do your best to destroy an evil magician deep within the unhabitable depths below. Tread carefully! Players must be extra smart in traversing these caves as to avoid traps and take down lesser baddies along the way.

This cart is the first Wizardry outing on SNES following two NES iterations, and for what it's worth, this new title is PC-accurate. The overabundance of text-based menus and endless planning may alienate some modern gamers who prefer their RPGs in the Final Fantasy mold, but there are some factors to love in WV. During your dungeon traversal, you may encounter intelligent monsters capable of trading items or humorous riddles. Resurrections are also available if you have the coin to spare, so the occasional slip-up is, thankfully, forgivable. The music isn't half bad either. Still, our review team found that the repetitive gameplay and graphically barren nature of WV leaves much to be desired in this day and age.

Printed in Issue #15, July 1994
Dynastic Hero
Hudson * TURBO DUO * CD * Now Available

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Save your homeworld from a hideously evil entity in the newest action-role-playing game to hit the Turbo Duo in Dynastic Hero. Originally released for the Genesis as Wonder Boy in Monster World, DH is a makeover of sorts from folks over at Hudson Soft. This much-improved Turbo version adds an animated intro sequence, an entirely new CD soundtrack, and rethemed visuals. Turbo Duo owners will be pleased to know that this title is worth picking up, even if you've already tried out the two-year-old Genesis cart. Players will take control of Prince Dyna in his Zelda II-like 2-D journey across the land of Tarron. Graphics are crisp and colorful, exhibiting a cute, anime-like style for character sprites and environments.

Sword in-hand, Dyna will need to thrash a foe or two...hundred during his dangerous quest. Accessing and managing your inventory is relatively easy, not to mention a handy shortcut toggle for selecting your favorite magic spells and weapons (Hey, why didn't A Link to the Past have this? -Jet). There is no shortage of platforming in this fantasy world. Jump, climb, and swim from screen to screen in these challenging areas. When not deep in the thralls of combat, Dyna can explore villages and castles to find clues and information which will help you out immensely. Yes, DH is indeed one of those "talk to everyone" games. The redone musical score is a welcome addition: The cherry on top of this great game.

Printed in Issue #15, July 1994