Realms of Antiquity: The Shattered Crown

one of the best CRPGs ever crafted. also wild in scope.

EDIT: Now that I've just beaten the game, and you're reading this review - JUST BUY THE GAME. If you're looking at the reviews for a retro CRPG then there's not much to mull over - this is an excellent, excellent game. You won't be disappointed. ___ I am leaving this review whilst being part-way through the game. You are set free in a world where you're not sure what is going on and which begs you to explore it. There are no mundane quests (like fetch quests), and seemingly innocuous quests end up being far more interesting than you would expect. The pay off is generally at a longer term time scale, in the sense that you end up completing quests after having explored more of the world. By way of example, there was an early game quest to check out a graveyard which I stumbled upon c. 10 hours into the game. I ended up resolving this quest 30 hours in after having traversed a good chunk of a certain area of the map. This is very good game design as it necessitates exploration. Although you level up and have skill points to use, real power comes from exploring off the beaten path and finding powerful items or relics. There also doesn't seem to be any HP bloat. Another point to good…

Fantastic game! Brought back many memories of old school RPGs. The world is huge with many biomes and every dungeon, ruin and crypt is cleverly designed. Some are quite evil. I had so much fun! 10/10

This is the best Ti-99 RPG out there. If you liked Nox Archaist then I'm sure you will enjoy this also. Though it's old school. You need to keep track of your quest and things of note on a notepad. But it's very rewarding. Also it runs no problem on Linux. I haven't had one crash or bug yet. I'll update my review if I do.

Realms of Antiquity: The Shattered Crown is a fascinating throwback to the formative years of computer role-playing games, embracing old hardware limitations and design traditions rather than simply copying their visual style. Developed by Adam Haase and published by Quixotic Software, the game was originally created around the capabilities of the TI-99/4A computer and reaches modern PCs through emulation. That unusual foundation gives it an authenticity rarely found in contemporary retro RPGs. Its limited color palette, straightforward interface, methodical exploration, and minimal hand-holding feel like genuine products of an earlier gaming era. The adventure revolves around assembling a party and journeying through a large fantasy realm threatened by sinister forces. Instead of directing players through a rigid sequence of objectives, the game encourages independent exploration. Towns, villages, castles, wilderness regions, ruins, and underground areas are scattered throughout the world, with conversations and environmental discoveries gradually revealing where the party should travel. There is a strong sense that progress comes from understanding the world rather than simply f…

If you are old enough to remember the Ultima series then you are old enough to sign up for an AARP membership at the old folks home. also this game is meant to look and feel like those RPG's from the late 70's early 80's so this would be the game for you ie Ultima: First Age of Darkness. i highly recommend it. i give it a "Life Alert I've fallen and can't get up Ad" out of 10