Attic of the Underdogs

Sorry, we don't have a screenshot of this title (yet). Send one in!

Review by Sir Markus:

Prince of Destruction (PoD) is a Windows based, overhead role-playing game that takes place in the land of Nestaria. The character has been summoned by a great wizard to overthrow the evil ruler and free the kingdom from tyranny. OK, so the plot does not exactly ooze with originality. So how does PoD work? What are the pros and cons? And most importantly, is it fun to play?

The player selects from among 4 pre-made characters (warrior, archer, etc.), and can tweak the attributes, such as accuracy, strength, etc. as he sees fit. Character creation is very simplified, and will definitely disappoint hardcore roleplayers, but there is some customization. When the numbers have been tweaked to the players satisfaction, the game is begun. Character control is strictly keyboard, which may seem frustrating at first, but one quickly learns the necessary keys. Conversation with NPC's is similar to the Ultima's in that keywords are used to generate information. Typical questions for an NPC would be JOB, NAME, etc and the responses from NPC's will have words in red, which the player can get additional information on. There is a window the player can open to review NPC conversations in case a detail has been forgotten, which is very handy.

Fighting with monsters takes practice. The player can expect to die a lot in the beginning until figuring out what is going on. (Hint: Use your ranged weapon to start off with.) Monster corpses can be searched by running over them, revealing gold, healing potions and other assorted goodies. A "paper doll" character shows armor class (protection) which can be altered by finding or purchasing new/better items. Sometimes with the fast and furious battles (in real time) it is easy to pick up items and later forget to check the inventory to see if anything that was found can aid the character. Hit the "I" key frequently to keep tabs on what you have on hand, because you may have something you can use and not even know it. Aside from talking to NPC's, you will find keys, tomes (with information and spells) and switches. Teleporters are common as well.

The graphics are nicely rendered, but small. My vision is quite good, and I found myself squinting at times to see some of the text. The music is simple, but nicely done. Sound effects are sparse, but adequate. There is a map so the player can tell where he is in the game world in relation to cities, dungeons, etc. Also, the game supports up to four players at the same time, however I did not have time to test this feature. The file includes the manual, so those interested in multiplayer gaming in the world of Nestaria should look there for information.

Overall, I found this game to be enjoyable, but it's not for everyone. The beginning can be frustrating, but after gaining a few levels, the player can explore and engage in battles without having to worry about instant death. The keyboard only controls and NPC conversation system may turn off some, so the game is not for everybody, but to my tastes, adventuring in Nestaria was a good way to pass some time. Recommended!

Note: The "crack" included in the game zip only unlocks the autosave. To unlock full (registered) version, use the serial numbers in the Technical Notes below.

Reviews and game data © Home of the Underdogs
Screenshots © The Good Old Days