The Arc Legacy version 1.5 final
             Author: Mark Hall - xmark@mail.com

                  Reviewed by Graham Raven

INTRODUCTION

The Arc Legacy is an RPG set far into the future after a nuclear
apocalypse which threw the world back into the middle ages.  The
plot centers around four main characters, known as "The
Archaeologists" in their fight against an evil king who has
discovered the powerful weapons of the ancients.

This game is brilliant! (serious understatement!) The graphics
aren't exactly state of the art; the game is too short and some of
the ideas are downright silly, but the characterisation is fifteen
out of ten! The conversations between different characters are the
best I've come across in any RPG yet. The images may be static but
the characters are acting independently of the player, having
arguments, fighting, falling in love etc. If modern programmers
put this kind of work in on their characters we'd have some
stunning games.

It's rare in my experience to work different emotions into a game,
save for mindless slaughter and mind boggling frustration. Okay
there's an enjoyable element of mindful slaughter, but frustration
never entered into the game.

I started off liking this game from the moment I started, and it
just keeps on getting better and better. You don't find yourself
dying every two minutes and even when you do, it's not the end of
the world. Your healer character can perform miracles, such as
heal you, or himself for that matter, when he's dead. A very handy
trick that! But what if your dead healer is right out of magic?
Well a good nights rest does everyone a power of good, and his
powers will be restored (even if he is still dead!) As I said, the
graphics are rather basic, but this is only version 1.0, with
version 2.0 about complete and number 3.0 planned for next
year.

The thought and sheer creativity that's gone into ARC puts many
modern games to shame. I still can't get over staring in amazement
when two of my party fell out over who was a traitor and who
wasn't, calling each other unrepeatable names (!) and virtually
coming to blows. A third party member stopped the fight and
eventually everyone got on with the adventure. I am seriously
impressed. If you're into RPGs and haven't tried this game it is
well worth a look.

There's little in terms of a help file, not that you need one. A
few simple notes are all that's needed and you can be playing the
game inside a minute. I could quibble over all sorts of details
such as the graphics, miserable sound effects and turn based
fighting - which I hate! However, the characterisation more than
make up for any defect. The game is so true to life. eg You enter
someone's home, as adventurers do, searching for anything of
interest. The occupier says "Welcome to my humble home, now ****
off the lot of you!" As anyone would! Again, you visit the pub
just to make sure you have chatted to everyone in case they might
just give a secret away. Pubs have drunks, right? You have a lady
member of the team so - you guessed it - a drunk is bound to make
a pass at her. She of course calls him a highly appropriate name!
Oh yes, you can download a PC (family) version of the game with
all the rude words edited out, but really, the bad language is
always in context and very funny. Nothing in this game is 'state
of the art' except for the brilliant conversations and storyline.
Play this game!

Website address: http://jump.to/arc

Rating: Hey Woo! (even with the defects!)








                              - o -