The true successor to Interplay's acclaimed Bard's Tale games that unfortunately never got as much attention, Dragon Wars is an epic fantasy game that combines the best elements of Interplay's previous RPGs. Fans of classic sci-fi RPG Wasteland will recognize puzzles that can be solved using various skill, as well as optional sub-quests. Even the plot of Dragon Wars is a far cry from typical band-of-heroes-kill-the-foozle fare: you start out as slaves in Purgatory, stripped of all weapons and equipment. Your party must first concentrate on escaping the prison before setting a lofty aim of saving the land from chaos. Your quest will take you through vast continents, including the underworld, with dozens of monster types to battle and many NPCs to converse with. Optional sub-quests are always rewarding and interesting, and multiple solutions to puzzles make Dragon Wars highly replayable. As icing on the cake, you can also import characters saved from the Bard's Tale series. Dragon Wars is a must-have for any RPGer, although those looking for an easy time should look elsewhere, as this is certainly not a game that you can finish in a few hours, and the final battle will take all the skills and luck you can draw from. Reviewed by: Underdogs |