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"Champions of Krynn" is a role-playing-game from the "AD&D" ("Advanced Dungeons & Dragons") series by SSI/TSR and is based on the rule type of the second edition. It’s located in the "Dragonlance"-universe, takes place on the continent of Ansalom and forms the prelude of a trilogy, whose third as well as last part ("Dark Queen of Krynn") sadly was never released on the C64...
After the so-called War of the Lance has ended and the armies of evil have been defeated by the alliance of good, piece was restored to the country. However, evil is a bad loser and prepares a conspiracy to recover its mastery...
Stolen dragon eggs have been infected with evil magic to create a new species of darkness: the Draconians. Using this spawn of hell, the goddess Takhisis wants to create a new threat against mankind to eliminate the legions of good. The player has to do everything in his power to stop this plan...
Creation of a Party:
First of all the player has to create a party. That party will contain up to six members. You can choose from different races (e.g. humans, hill dwarves, different types of elves) and classes (fighters, clerics, thieves, mages, etc.). Using a construction kit, you can prepare your favourite combination of heroes. Because this procedure is very complex, impatient players have access to a precast team which the program offers...
Once you’ve settled this matter, the real game begins. You find yourself in an outpost beyond the abandoned city of Throtl, home of the hobgoblins in the past. In this place you have different options: get new orders from the commander, Sir Karl Gaardsen, rest at the inn, hear the newest rumours at the tavern or deposit your money at the bank. Certainly, there is a local armoury, where you can buy armours, weapons and many other useful things – and you should...
When you finally have finished these necessary preparations, (weapons and armours have been readied, spells have been memorized) you went out into the big, wide world...
The Adventure begins:
Now you find yourself in the northeast section of a huge world map. All important cities and outposts are marked on it. Using the joystick, you can move in all directions – diagonally moves are also possible. However, in this case the keyboard is the far better alternative, because the joystick is kind of inaccurate...
Scarcely you’ve set the first step into the wilderness, the very first confrontation awaits: a caravan has been ambushed by a group of bloodthirsty Draconians. Being a heroic knight in shining armour, you must do something. So the motto is: Go in and win...
Warlike Operations:
Now the program changes into battle-mode. You can see friend as well as foe in an isometric bird’s eye view. Each character has a defined number of moving-points. If these points are gone, the player is no longer in position to keep moving. In case a monster is next to him or he holds a long range weapon, like a sling or bow and arrow, he can attack the enemy. Now the computer calculates whether the attack is successful or not. After each move you can command the character to ‘guard’. In case an enemy attacks the player, the chance to parry this attack increases. The direction of the attack is also important – an attack from behind or sideward is far effective than from the front...
Once the enemy is defeated, a menu opens – there, experience points and a list of items, the enemy has left behind, will be displayed. Certainly, the player will be rewarded with gold for each victory...
In case the heroes meet one’s maker, the game is over...
Depending on the chosen level of difficulty, (Novice, Squire, Veteran, Adept or Champion) the player gains more or less experience points. The great thing about "Champions of Krynn" is the fact, that you can change this level at any time. In case you’ve lose the same fight constantly, you simply reduce the level of difficulty – naturally you gain less experience points...
A World full of Dangers:
If you have come off as winner after the battle against the Draconians, your party guide the caravan back to the outpost. Now Sir Karl gives you the order to search a man called Caramon. He has last seen in Throtl. At this point, the plot thickens: the party will meet conspirators and traitors as well as friends and allies in the proceeding adventure. Sometimes they join the party for a certain time – up to two NPC’s (Non Player Characters) can join the group. However, in battles you are unable to control them – the A.I. does it...
Promotions:
To gain levels, the player has to visit one of the training halls in the numerous cities. If the chosen character has enough experience points, he reaches a new level and is able to learn new magic spells, if necessary...
What else could I tell about "Champions of Krynn"? Actually it’s an outstanding RPG. The graphics are brilliant and has drawn incredible right down to the last detail. Particularly the small pictures with their great animations (brisk fire during the rest in the wilderness, a hobgoblin, who swings dangerously his club) creates an absorbing atmosphere. Also the big pictures, which are shown in special situations, are great. They’re almost equal to their matching parts on the 16 Bit machines...
Mentionable is the lavish content of the package: apart from the three double-sided disks (completely full of data) a pretty arty manual including illustrations of the different races and monsters as well as an Adventurer’s Journal, which is also used as copy protection and a large-sized poster of the cover picture, are inside the box...
"Go with a brave heart – for you and your heroic adventures are all that stand in the way of evil tyranny!"...
Downloads: Music
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| GRAPHICS - 8/10 |
The graphics are all in all excellent and can keep this high quality over the whole game. The 3D-Areas, both the cities and the dungeons, are absolutely impressive, too. Merely the battle-screens are not a quarter as good – the sprites are poorly animated and the background is anything but detailed...
| | SOUND - 3/10 |
The only real weak point of the game: except an unspectacular theme music there’s nothing more to hear. Sound-fx are rarely, merely during battles and explorations in cities and dungeons the player enjoys a few effects...
| | PLAYABILITY - 8/10 |
The game itself is mainly menu-driven and very intuitional. The program is easy to handle by joystick or keyboard – however, last-mentioned is the better alternative. Solely the rather long loading times interferes the game play a little bit – owners of a cartridge with integrated fast loader (e.g. Nordic Power) have an advantage. Attention should be paid to the following: if you are using the Action Replay, the program will constantly crash when you try to save the game (happened to me, anyway)...
| | OVERALL - 9/10 |
"Champions of Krynn" is a must-have for role-playing-gamers and one of the best programs in the "Gold Box"-series. The story is markedly well done and full of surprises; the whole game is very extensive and you will need weeks – perhaps months – to solve it. Nevertheless it’s suitable for beginners as well as veterans, because the level of difficulty can be changed at anytime. The few weak points of the program (poor sound, long loading times) shouldn’t put you off to play this game; otherwise you will miss one of the best RPGs for this machine...
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| COVER |
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; "Click to zoom!")
; "Click to zoom!")
