QUEST FOR GLORY I
SO YOU WANT TO BE A HERO REVIEW
(VGA VERSION)
YEAR: 1992
SIZE: 30 MB (includes SCI and VGA Versions)
+ 3 different classes means 3 different ways to solve puzzles
+ Wonderful blend of Adventure & RPG elements
+ Freedom to try anything you want to
- Can take some time to build up your skills
STORY
Having just arrived in the quaint little town of Spielburg, you want nothing
more than to prove yourself a hero. The question is… how are you gonna do
that?
Well, fate, it seems, has brought you to Spielburg for a reason. As you
explore the town, and talk to people, you soon realise that Spielburg is
cursed. It all began when the evil witch Baba Yaga decided to set up home in
Spielburg. Shortly after that, the Baron’s son and daughter went missing.
The Baron, devastated by the loss of his children, shut himself off in the
castle, and refused to see anyone. Then a band of brigands began
terrorizing the townspeople. It’s never-ending!
Baba Yaga’s curse has plagued Spielburg for over a decade now. Thankfully,
all curses have a counter curse. And this counter curse prophesises that a
‘Hero From The East’ will save the town and lift the curse.
You are that hero!
Only you can face the evil that has gripped Spielburg for so long, and bring
peace back to it’s people.
GAMEPLAY
Quest For Glory I: So You Want To Be A Hero is the first Quest For Glory
game, and it is a wonderful mix of adventure with some RPG elements.
Before you begin the game, you have to create your character. You can
choose if you want to play as a Fighter, a Magic User, or a Thief. Each of the
3 types allows you to overcome puzzles in a different way. For example,
opening a locked box - the Fighter would choose to smash it open, while the
Thief would pick the lock, and the Magic User would cast a spell. This gives
so much replay ability to the game, and will have you coming back to try the
other types you haven’t played yet.
In this VGA version, a Point & Click interface is used to interact with the
Hero’s world, giving us icons to control Hero’s actions. What’s more, those
icons are safely tucked away in a Task Bar at the top of the screen (just move
your mouse up there), so it doesn’t get in the way of what’s happening on
screen. You can move your Hero by either clicking on the screen and he will
walk there, or by using the Arrow keys on the keyboard.
The icons in the Task Bar are: Walk, Look, Pick Up, Talk, which are all self-
explanatory. The next icon in the Task Bar is a kind of fancy square with
string trailing from each corner. This takes you to the Character Menu, and
from here, you can control your Walk Mode (normal Walk, Run, Sneak), check
your character Stats (shows your Stamina, Health, Fighting Skills, Throwing
Skills etc), or check the time of day (some tasks are only able to be done at
certain times of the day). Next is the Star Icon - this is greyed out, unless
you are a Magic User. The Star Icon gives you access to all your spells, and
allows you to practice them. The Bag icon represents your Inventory, and
shows all the stuff you are carrying. You can Look at each item in your
Inventory, to see how much of that item you have, how much it weighs, as
well as checking how much weight you can carry all together (this increases
with time, as your stats improve). The Lever Icon takes you to the Game
Menu, and from here, you can Save, Restore, Restart, or Quit. You can also
adjust the Detail, Volume, and Game Speed to suit your preference. The
Task Bar may seem daunting at first, but you’ll quickly get to grips with it.
At times, you’ll have to enter into combat with an enemy. When this
happens, you’ll see a close-up of you and the enemies attacking you. A
shield on the bottom-right represents different sword attacks - stab, slash
etc. There is also an option to run away, if your health\stamina is getting
too low. Just click on the relevant option you want. However, I found the
combat shield rather ‘sticky’ to use, meaning it was hard to control which
sword attack you wanted to use, or even escape. The mouse didn’t seem to
move round the shield easily. But they might have just been my computer.
As always, Save early, and Save often.
GRAPHICS
The graphics have been improved in this version, and now uses detailed VGA
graphics.
There is so much to love here! The background locations are so beautiful!
Fire in torches on the walls or in fireplaces flicker atmospherically, the Magic
Shop has a huge eye above it that watches you wherever you are on screen,
the hero himself really struggles to walk when he is overloaded.
Inventory items are shown as little pictures, so it’s easy to see at a glance
what you are carrying.
When you are talking to someone, a character portrait pops up (I especially
love the Centaur portraits, with their pointy ears), with a text box below,
showing what they are saying. I love how their eyes blink and their mouth
moves as they talk - it adds a lovely touch of realism to the game.
As you talk to someone, a list of available topics is shown, and you can
choose what to ask about. Some topics branch off into new topics.
I love how the characters get on with their own lives, and stop to talk to you
when you approach them. Shameen & Sheema, who own the Hero’s Tale
Inn, really make you feel welcome. The Healer is busy making her potions,
but still takes the time to help you when she needs to. And Baba Yaga, with
her habit of turning you into a frog, is very creepy. Baba’s chicken hut is very
impressive, with it’s long chicken legs.
One of the best things I love about Quest For Glory, is the Day\Night cycles.
When night time comes, everything goes dark, and an eerie glow spreads
over everything. The townspeople go home for the night, but for a hero like
you, some puzzles can only be solved at night.
There is so much to explore and love about Quest For Glory!
SOUND AND MUSIC
Music has been improved in this VGA version, and each indoor location has
it’s own theme. Some outdoor locations also have their own theme, and I
love the Goblin Camp theme - you can really imagine the Goblins tip-toeing
around. Music at Erana’s Peace is simply beautiful - very calming and
relaxing.
Sound effects are also impressive, especially for a 1992 game. Otto playing
with his yo-yo, the castle gate slowly creaks open, a satisfying ‘snick’ is heard
when you successfully pick a lock (as a thief), Meeps squeak happily to each
other, the waterfall at Flying Falls roaring loudly, the Antwerp bouncing
away, etc.
Give the game a try - you won’t be disappointed!