WIZARDS AND WARRIORS

                 Reviewed by Stefan Herber

Originally titled "Swords and Sorcerers" this is the latest game
inspired by the "Wizardry" series and to all intents and purposes
is the next in line after "Crusaders of the Black Savant". I'm
ignoring that travesty that was called Wizardry 8, which was not
even a proper RPG. It's probably the closest thing to a
traditional RPG we've had in a while - first person view, a
multiple party all of whom are player generated, statistic heavy
and with the role advances (e.g. fighter to barbarian) that were
once taken for granted. The races include all the traditional
elves, humans, dwarfs etc. but there's an interesting new category
- the Oomphaz which to my eyes look like an elephant! Strangely
their chief use is as a cleric or sorcerer - not a heavyweight
fighter.

And - for what it is it's wonderful. Big; numerous different
playing areas ranging from traditional woodland to a frog colony;
plenty of skills to play with and more missions than you can
count. The graphics can best be described by quoting from a
certain games magazine "How can anybody want to play a game
looking like this?" and no doubt going on to berate the raincoat
brigade like myself who play this sort of game - no RPG addict
will complain about them at all. They're very similar to but an
improvement upon those of the updated "Crusaders".

Flaws? As is often the case the distributors have ignored the fans
cry for a patch but there is one available from the developers'
site although it is "unofficial". The controls take a bit of
getting used to but as the combat is (wonderfully) turn based you
won't find yourself being mowed down because of them. I suppose
the main story line could be stronger but I think this applies to
most RPGs - I often find well into a game that I've forgotten what
the main quest is as I've become too involved in the side-quests!

Try it - you won't be disappointed even if it hardly sheds new
light upon the genre.
                              - o -