The immortal apple iigs

The Immortal is an isometric action-adventure game originally created for the Apple IIGS. It was ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Sega Genesis. A wizard is attempting to find his mentor in a large and dangerous labyrinth. The game has a high degree of graphic violence. A Nintendo Switch re-release was published in 2020.

Contents

The music for Apple IIGS version was made by Douglas Fulton. On some conversions, Rob Hubbard and Michael Bartlow are credited.

The game begins with the player in control of an unnamed wizard. In the first room, the player is given the option of viewing the image of the character’s mentor, another wizard named Mordamir. He is calling for help from deep below in the Labyrinth of Eternity, though he is attempting to communicate to another man named Dunric.

The two main types of creatures present in the labyrinth are the green pointy eared goblins and the yellow ram horned trolls, who are at war with one another. This is a minor plot element in the game. The player’s actions in the earlier stages of the game, make it necessary for the main character to form an alliance with the goblins.

The majority of the story is revealed through dream sequences triggered when the main character rests on straw beds placed throughout the labyrinth. It is eventually revealed that Mordamir once ruled a prosperous city holding a fountain of youth and is battling against a dragon who seized said Fountain of Youth. The plot of the game undergoes a twist when the main character finds Dunric having been trapped by Mordamir, who is also the leader of The Trolls. In the end, the main character is inevitably confronted by both the dragon and Mordamir.

Gameplay

The game takes place on a 7- or 8-level labyrinth, depending on the version of the game. The player must solve puzzles, avoid deathtraps, use magic spells (in the form of books and scrolls), and acquire various items in order to survive the labyrinth. However, certain items will bring instant death to the player if used in an unwise and careless manner.

Combat in the game is offered in the form of a variety of non-player characters wandering or protecting a specific portion of the map. Fireball spells can be freely used to dispatch these enemies on the isometric field. However, they can not be used once the game has entered combat mode. Combat mode is initiated upon coming into close contact with these characters, and the game play shifts from the standard isometric view to a zoomed-in two-dimensional view in real-time. The real-time battle engine is limited to dodging opponent’s attacks and performing sword swings and stabs.

In addition to walking, certain levels allow the main character to possess a magic carpet that flies and paddle through water while sitting on a floating barrel. [1]

Development

Will Harvey had started development on an Apple II game to be called Campaign, intending it to be an online multiplayer RPG. As the story developed, it became a single-player game only. [2]

Reception

Computer Gaming World praised The Immortal ‘ s graphics, but stated that the game was really an arcade game as it was too linear to succeed as an RPG. It also criticized the use of save points and the controls and concluded that the game «misses the target». [4] In 1992, Dragon gave the game 4 out of 5 stars. [5] Computer and Video Games magazine was positive about the graphics and control scheme and gave an overall score of 93 out of 100. [6]

Amiga Power was more mixed, awarding the game 76% and criticising its completely linear nature and lack of replay value, while identifying the graphics as a strength. [7]

Related Research Articles

Wizardry is a series of role-playing video games, developed by Sir-Tech, that were highly influential in the evolution of modern role-playing video games. The original Wizardry was a significant influence on early console role-playing games such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Originally made for the Apple II, the games were later ported to other platforms. The last game in the original series by Sir-Tech was Wizardry 8, released in 2001. There have since been various spin-off titles released only in Japan.

Pool of Radiance is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1988. It was the first adaptation of TSR’s Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) fantasy role-playing game for home computers, becoming the first episode in a four-part series of D&D computer adventure games. The other games in the «Gold Box» series used the game engine pioneered in Pool of Radiance, as did later D&D titles such as the Neverwinter Nights online game. Pool of Radiance takes place in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting, with the action centered in and around the port city of Phlan.

Curse of the Azure Bonds is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1989. It is the second in a four-part series of Forgotten Realms Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Gold Box adventure computer games, continuing the events after the first part, Pool of Radiance.

Gobliiins is a puzzle adventure video game series, consisting of four entries, released by Coktel Vision for the Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, and Macintosh platforms. The first three titles were released in the early 1990s, the fourth in 2009. The visual look of the series and its characters was created by French artist Pierre Gilhodes, whose style was used in another game from Coktel Vision: Woodruff and the Schnibble of Azimuth.

Dungeon Master is a role-playing video game featuring a pseudo-3D first-person perspective. It was developed and published by FTL Games for the Atari ST in 1987, almost identical Amiga and PC (DOS) ports following in 1988 and 1992.

Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum is an early role-playing video game, first in the popular and influential Might and Magic franchise. It was released in 1986 as New World Computing’s debut, ported to numerous platforms and re-released continuously through the early ’90s.

Shadowgate is a black-and-white 1987 point-and-click adventure video game originally for the Apple Macintosh in the MacVenture series. The game is named for its setting, Castle Shadowgate, residence of the evil Warlock Lord. The player, as the «last of a great line of hero-kings» is charged with the task of saving the world by defeating the Warlock Lord, who is attempting to summon up the demon Behemoth out of Hell. Later that year, a color version of the game was released for the Amiga and Atari ST, and in 1989 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Ultima VI: The False Prophet, released by Origin Systems Inc. in 1990, is the sixth part in the role-playing video game series of Ultima. It is the third and final game in the «Age of Enlightenment» trilogy. Ultima VI sees the player return to Britannia, at war with a race of gargoyles from another land, struggling to stop a prophecy from ending their race. The player must help defend Britannia against these gargoyles, and ultimately discover the secrets about both lands and its peoples.

Wizard’s Crown is a 1986 top-down role-playing video game published by Strategic Simulations. It was released for the Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, IBM PC compatibles, Apple II, and Commodore 64. A sequel, The Eternal Dagger, was released in 1987.

Roadwar 2000 is a 1986 video game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max films.

Winter Games is a sports video game developed by Epyx, based on sports featured in the Winter Olympic Games.

Thexder is a run-and-gun platform game from Game Arts, originally released for the NEC PC-8801 in 1985. It was subsequently ported to many other systems, including the Famicom.

Spirit of Excalibur is a 1990 role-playing game developed by Synergistic Software and published by Virgin Mastertronic for MS-DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore CDTV, Apple IIGS and Macintosh. The player controls a host of characters with the goal of uniting Sub-Roman Britain under a single king and defending the kingdom. The game was followed by the sequel Vengeance of Excalibur in 1991.

The Last Ninja is an action-adventure game originally developed and published by System 3 in 1987 for the Commodore 64. Other format conversions were later released for the Apple IIGS , MS-DOS, BBC Micro and Acorn Electron in 1988, the Apple II in 1989, the Amiga and Atari ST in 1990, and the Acorn Archimedes in 1991.

Airball is a computer game released in 1987 by Microdeal. It was programmed by Ed Scio, with graphics by Pete Lyon, music by Paul Shields, and level design by Pete Scott. Lyon was the artist for other Microdeal games in the late 1980s, such as Goldrunner..

Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony is a video game produced by Origin Systems and designed by Greg Malone. It was originally released in 1985 for the Apple II. Versions were also released for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Macintosh, and MS-DOS. The game is primarily a top-down view tile-based role-playing video game, but it has action-based combat sequences which use a side view, roughly similar to games such as Karateka.

Sword of Sodan is a hack and slash video game released for the Amiga in 1988 by Discovery Software, which also commissioned a port for the Apple IIGS. A scaled-down version for the Sega Genesis was released in 1990 by Electronic Arts, and in 1993 it was released for the Apple Macintosh System 7 by Bethesda Softworks.

Keef the Thief: A Boy and His Lockpick is a video game designed by Naughty Dog and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in 1989 for the Apple IIGS and then later ported to the Amiga and MS-DOS. Keef the Thief is a comedic sword and sorcery role-playing game.

Shadowlands is a 1992 video game developed by Domark for DOS, Amiga, and Atari ST.

Pool of Radiance is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms campaign settings of Dungeons & Dragons; it was the first Dungeons & Dragons video game series to be based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules.

Источник