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'[...) Information has been presented to us that there is a plot afoot in our city. Evidence points to the sewers that run beneath Waterdeep. We have no information about the exact nature of the threat, but we feel the urgency is grave. We commission you to find the nature of the danger, and to destroy it if you are able. You are granted full rights of marquee. All treasures, artefacts, or other valuables are yours by right of conquest. [...]'
With 'Pool of Radiance', the American software company SSI (heretofore primarily famous for its strategic war games) has released the first program, which was based on the rules of the extremely popular 'Advanced Dungeons & Dragons' pen and paper role-playing games by TSR (Tactical Studies Rules) in summer 1988. The original C64 version of that title became a huge success – ports for Amiga, MS-DOS, Apple II and even the NES followed. Apart from the said conversions, within the next two years, further 'AD&D' games were available - but the already third part of the 'Forgotten Realms' epic – 'Secret of the Silver Blades' - attracted the resentment of the fandom. Both die-hard fans and many game magazines accused the series of a certain lack of originality. Since the release of the first part 'Pool of Radiance', the gameplay hasn't changed much – especially the quality of the graphics has been sharply criticised...
So, SSI draw the conclusions and authorised the development team Westwood Associates (later Westwood Studios) to create an 'AD&D' title of the 'next generation' – Westwood completely reworked the concept of the previous parts and attached great importance in terms of a better quality of the graphics. In spring 1991, the team let the cat out of the bag: 'Eye of the Beholder' – the prelude to the so-called 'Legend' series - was finally there; published simultaneously with 'Death Knights of Krynn', the second part of the 'Dragonlance' trilogy...
The title screen...
'The Emperor's New Clothes...'
'The sewers' Piergeiron says. 'I would hide in the sewers. And that is where I think you should start...'
Unlike to the previous 'Gold Box' titles, 'Eye of the Beholder' starts with a colourful, completely animated intro, which isn't based on the internal graphics engine of the main program – as it was still the case in 'Secret of the Silver Blades' – but is presented independently of it. Here, the player can see how Piergeiron, chief Lord of Waterdeep, assigns a very important task to his party (which he has still to create): The group should find the evil Xanathar, a powerful beholder, to put a stop to his game. It's believed, that his whereabouts are in the sewers beneath the city. But immediately, after entering this multi-level wet and muddy labyrinth, the door shuts loudly behind the adventurers, the ceiling collapses and the entrance is buried – somehow, they've to search for an alternative route to get back to the surface again. But that little 'accident' – which was arranged by Xanathar himself – is just a foretaste of unpleasant things to come...
After this terrific intro, the main menu of the game appears: Here, you've the opportunity to continue a game in progress or create a new team. If you've chosen the second option, the 'character generation' screen comes up – at first glance, that one differs enormously from the editor, which was used in the former 'AD&D' programs. But although it's much more beautiful in terms of the design than in the past, the 'Forgotten Realms' fan will quickly realise, that actually not too much has changed. Also this time, the well-known races (humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves and halflings) as well as classes (fighters, rangers, paladins, mages, clerics and thieves) are available. Again, there's the option to generate so-called 'multi-class characters' (e.g. fighter/mage/thief, thief/mage) – moreover, you've to select the alignment (e.g. lawful good, lawful neutral, chaotic evil) for each person. Depending on the character's sex, now the player can choose his favourite face from a pool of several portraits. After that, the character's abilities (strength, intelligence, dexterity and so on) will be determined by a random generator and can be additionally modified; just like in the previous 'AD&D' titles – at last, you've just to type in the hero's name. When you finally have created three further characters, the only thing to do is to click with the mouse pointer on the 'Play' button – the adventure starts...
The 'character generation'...
Different, but not revolutionary...
Haven't I said before, that Westwood Associates has completely redesigned the concept of that series? Well, this may be the case in respect of the former 'Gold Box' titles – but actually 'Eye of the Beholder' is nothings else than the clone of a very well-known role-playing game: 'Dungeon Master'! Even the layout of the several user interface elements seems to be very familiar: Just like in the legendary original, you move your party with specific 'arrow icons' through the dark corridors of the sewers – 90 degree turns are also possible as well as sidesteps. Right beside these six icons, there's a compass, which shows the current forward direction –a graphically very nice and also usefully utensil...
Actually, the interface is much more beautiful than the one of 'Dungeon Master' or 'Bloodwych', because here a marble-like surface decorates the background on which the several elements are placed...
On the right side of the screen the player can see the portraits of his four heroes – besides their faces, you're able to spot the name of each character as well as its current and maximum hit points (if desired, it can be displayed in the form of an energy bar, too). Up to two additional 'non-player characters' ('NPCs') can be integrated in the group. Furthermore, each member's able to carry up to two items in his hands (especially weapons and shields). By clicking the right mouse button, these will be activated and used respectively...
Below the character portraits you can see the 'camp' icon – that brings up the 'camp' menu. The following options are available:
• 'Rest Party'
• 'Memorize Spells'
• 'Pray for Spells'
• 'Scribe Scrolls'
• 'Preferences'
• 'Game Options'
The most of the above-mentioned commands should be familiar to fans of the 'AD&D' series – the same applies to the magic spells: Terms like 'Burning Hands', 'Magic Missile', 'Stinking Cloud' or 'Cure Light Wounds' were already available in the first part, 'Pool of Radiance'. While resting, injured characters can recover their wounds and both the mages and the clerics of the team memorise their spells. The last two options are related to the program's soundscape – furthermore, here you're able to save/restore the game progress...
Certainly, the player's main focus is on the graphics window – here, you can see the area around your party in finest 3D. Similar to a 'point and click' adventure, the player's able to interact with the several elements (doors, buttons, objects etc.). Of course, the just mentioned objects can be deposited in the inventory in order to use them. By clicking with the mouse pointer on the portrait of the respective character, you can see his current belongings at a glance. Equipment like helmets, armours, bracers, rings and swords have to be placed in the appropriate boxes (just like in the legendary original). Yet another similarity between 'Eye of the Beholder' and FTL’s 'Dungeon Master' is the fact, that each party member must be provided with food (but not with water!) – otherwise, during the next rest, the respective character will take damage permanently instead of recovering from his injuries...
'The more Danger, the more Honor...'
Let's get to the fights: Of course, you're not alone in the dark mazes – hordes of monsters inhabit the extensive areas below Waterdeep. Starting with relatively harmless fellows like kobolds and giant leeches or undeads like zombies and skeletons right through to scary creatures like giant spiders, hell hounds and golems the program offers many well-known foes of the 'AD&D' universe! Not forgetting the eponymous beholder, which represents the ultimate boss in this first part of the 'Legend' trilogy...
When you finally encounter an enemy, the game doesn't change to a specific battle screen, as it was the case in the previous 'Gold Box' titles – no, the following fight takes place on the spot (and happens in real-time)! That results in a very action-oriented conflict! Nevertheless, there are similarities between the once strategic battles of the classic 'Forgotten Realms' parts ('Pool of Radiance', 'Curse of the Azure Bonds') and those in 'Eye of the Beholder' – also here, party members, who are equipped with long range weapons like e.g. bow and arrow or throwing knives, are able to attack the enemy from a distance. The same applies to the magic-gifted comrades – a 'fireball' or a 'flame arrow' are able to cause a lot of damage from afar, too and are nothing to sneeze at! On the other hand, you've to pay attention to the fact that characters, which are located in the second or third row of the formation, are only able to attack with long range weapons – solely the two front rank adventurers can use swords or axes. Moreover, attacks from behind or the side are far more effective than frontal attacks! After every successful conflict the player gets experience points, which make sure that each party member advances to higher levels...
But the numerous creatures, that roam the dark dungeons, represent not the only problem – pitfalls, floor panels, closing doors, teleporters and illusionary walls give our (initial) hero quartet a hard time, too and result both in a decrease of hit points and a loss of orientation! It's very laudable of the guys of SSI, that they have put a map of the Waterdeep sewer system into the game's box, which displays the first three levels of the huge labyrinth – a nice touch...
Say 'Hello' to Tod Uphill - obviously, that poor guy hadn't got too far...
Just a Copycat?
So, is the prelude to the 'Legend' series just a rip-off? The striking resemblance to 'Dungeon Master' can't be denied. Well, in the truest sense of the word – that's in the eye of the beholder! Nevertheless, the game contains independent features, too: Like mentioned before, you've the chance to add up to two 'NPCs' to your party, because fortunately you won't only meet enemies in the seemingly endless corridors, but also friendly people, which will help our heroes in their quest to find Xanathar and destroy him...
An example: After leaving the sewers, you come across an injured dwarf named Taghor. If you heal his wounds, he asks to join your group of adventurers. But there's a second way to increase your party size: Not far from the buried entrance, immediately after the beginning of the game, you'll discover the mortal remains of a dead halfling – Tod Uphill. During the adventure, there's the opportunity to bring him back from the netherworld. If this is happen, he can join your party...
However, there's another enormous difference between 'Eye of the Beholder' and the assumed original – the graphics themselves! Both in 'Dungeon Master' and 'Bloodwych' you wander through the very same grey corridors – the 'AD&D' title, on the other hand, offers much more variety in terms of the dungeon's architecture! Whereas you walk through the red-bricked, mud-covered corridors of Waterdeep's sewer system in the first three levels, the graphical style of the area changes abruptly by entering the dwarven ruins (level four)! After that, the group visits the gloomy, purple-coloured domain of the drow with its sinister doors, which are adorned with golden spider emblems. The greenish, with moss overgrown 'mantis hive' with its grim-looking doors as well as Xanathar's palace-like domicile represent the completion of this dangerous mission...
The fact, that 'Eye of the Beholder' comes up with so many and, above all, different graphic sets takes its toll – unlike to 'Dungeon Master' or 'Bloodwych', the data of this Westwood title is distributed on three disks – believe it or not! And whereas those two programs fit completely in the memory of the Amiga, each level of 'Eye of the Beholder' has to be loaded separately – fortunately, the complex game can be installed on hard drive – just like the other 'AD&D' titles...
At last, I've to say, that the first part of the 'Legend' trilogy represents by no means a revolution within the sector of the real-time role-playing games – however, within the 'AD&D' series this is absolutely the case...
'Legend has it there's a criminal conspiracy hiding in the Waterdeep sewers. Is this true? These locks and traps are too good, and someone sent those skeletons. Well, if someone's hiding down here, we're going to find them... and destroy them...'
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Considering the fact that the graphics of the PC original shine in luscious 256 colours – thanks to the utilisation of the VGA mode – the Amiga version, which contains only 32 colours, was done very well! Just like in the later ports of 'Eye of the Beholder II – The Legend of Darkmoon' and 'Fables & Fiends – Book One: The Legend of Kyrandia', also this game has been converted in a very exemplary manner – without doubt, the guys of Westwood have put a lot of effort into this version! The animations of the numerous monsters are alright, too and the several effects, when you throw knives or cast a spell, are very nice to watch. However, this first part of the 'Legend' trilogy doesn't come up with a 'real' 3D scrolling – but that applies to the archetype of this genre, too. Moreover, there's a special feature in terms of the end sequence of the game: Whereas the owners of a PC are merely fobbed off with a lousy text window, the Amiga version comes up with a magnificent outro, in style of the intro...
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Just like in the 'Gold Box' games, also here there's not much to hear – at least in regard to the music. Apart from the title theme, which reminds me a little bit of the early compositions of Hollywood maestro Danny Elfman ('Batman' ,'Darkman', 'The Simpsons'), you can hear music during the character generation as well as during the outro. Furthermore, you can realise a big improvement in terms of the sfx: These sound much better comparing to the previous titles and are far more realistic – particularly the echo of the enemy's steps sounds very impressive and generates an extremely nightmarish atmosphere...
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There's hardly anything to criticise here: The user guidance is very good – all icons are easy to reach and you can see all important information at a glance. Actually, it's hard to find fault with the game, although there's no 'attack all' button as you can find it in e.g. 'Bloodwych' or in the third and final part of the 'Eye of the Beholder' trilogy. Like I said before, there's the option to install the program on hard drive – but actually this isn't necessary! The three disks, which contain the game, have to be changed not very often and loading times are quite short. Besides, the degree of difficulty increases in an acceptable rate...
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| In consideration of the sequel 'The Legend of Darkmoon', I give a score of 8. Make no mistake, 'Eye of the Beholder' is a brilliant 'AD&D' role playing game, but the sequel is better in many aspects! A good example would be, that the freedom of the gameplay isn't as limited as it was the case in the precursor. Moreover, there's even an overworld (but not a very complex one) and conversations with other characters take place much more often than in the first part of the saga. Nevertheless, the prelude to the 'Legend' epic is a very impressive game and represents a pleasant alternative to the almost similar gameplay of the classic 'Gold Box' titles. In a nutshell: Definitely recommendable for role-playing gamers... |
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