Ravenloft: Stone Prophet

Last updated
Ravenloft: Stone Prophet
Ravenloft - Stone Prophet Coverart.png
Cover art by Clyde Caldwell
Developer(s) DreamForge Intertainment
Publisher(s) Strategic Simulations
Designer(s) Christopher L. Straka
Programmer(s) Mike Breitkreutz
Thomas J. Holmes
Don Wuenschell
Artist(s) Jane Yeager
Craig Mrusek
Composer(s) Jamie McMenamy
Series Ravenloft
Platform(s) MS-DOS
Release1995
Genre(s) Role-playing video game
Mode(s) Single-player

Ravenloft: Stone Prophet is a fantasy role-playing video game developed by DreamForge Intertainment for MS-DOS and published by Strategic Simulations in 1995. [1]

Contents

Gameplay

Combat scene Ravenloft Stone Prophet screenshot.png
Combat scene

The game is a follow-up to Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession and uses the same engine as its predecessor. [1] The game presents a real-time, three dimensional view from the character's perspective. In contrast to other contemporary first person RPGs, the game features (optional) non-block-related fluid movement of the characters navigating through the world. While based on rules from the AD&D 2nd edition, there are several alterations. The CD version features spoken dialogue as well as extensive pre-rendered cutscenes.

Plot

The game is based on the Ravenloft campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Although it is a follow-up to Strahd's Possession, it plays in a completely different environment. In the intro of the game, the two player characters are sent by Lord Dhelt to investigate a wall of fire which has suddenly appeared, and they end up in a hazardous desert called Har'Akir. Once a prosperous Egyptian themed place, the few remaining villagers are haunted by the creatures of the corrupted mummies of their last pharaoh Anhktepot and his high priest Hierophant, whose actions devastated the land and are unfolded in the course of the game. To break the curse of the land, the two player characters can take another two adventurers into their group, as well as meeting several distinctive individuals during the game.

Development and release

Ravenloft: Stone Prophet was developed by DreamForge Intertainment, using the same proprietary game engine behind its titles Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession and Menzoberranzan . [2]

This game was later included in the 1996 compilation set, the AD&D Masterpiece Collection . [3] In October 2015, the game was re-released on GOG.com, bundled with the previous game Strahd's Possession, with support for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux pre-packed with DOSBox. [4] [5] [6]

Reception

Scorpia from Computer Gaming World called the game "a worthy quest" and "a big step up from the disappointments of Menzoberranzan and Wake of the Ravager ". [1] In PC Gamer US , T. Liam McDonald wrote that "this type of game seems almost retro now, but if you still like first-person RPGs, it's certainly a good one". [8] John Houlihan of PC Gamer UK wrote that Stone Prophet is "a solid, enjoyable RPG that succeeds by not trying to be too much. If only all of SSI's AD&D games had been this good". [7]

Reviewing the game for Electronic Entertainment, Al Giovetti summarized Stone Prophet as "a must-have for AD&D fans and beginning role players, with plot and conversation playing as important a role as hack-and-slash". He believed that it was an "excellent all-around product [that] delivers fresh sound and visuals, solid game play, and a compelling plot". [9]

In January 1998, PC Zone included Stone Prophet on its list of the top 10 computer role-playing games. The editors remarked that it was "a great improvement" over Strahd's Possession, and that its "intuitive spell/combat system is a joy" despite the game's unimpressive visuals. [11] According to GameSpy, "while the game was quite good in most respects, it fell down a bit thanks to a disappointing ending. Still, a commendable effort from SSI and DreamForge". [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravenloft</span> Dungeons & Dragons fictional campaign setting

Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a pocket dimension or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land pieces called "domains", brought together by a mysterious force known only as the Dark Powers. Each domain is tailored to and mystically ruled by a being called a Darklord who is forever trapped and surrounded by magical mists surrounding the domain. Strahd von Zarovich, a vampire in the original AD&DRavenloft I6 module released in 1983, became the first Darklord, both ruler and prisoner of his own personal domain of Barovia. The story of how Count von Zarovich became Darklord of Barovia was detailed in the 1993 novel I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire. As originally established in the Ravenloft: Realm of Terror boxed set known as "the Black Box" released in 1990, the Ravenloft campaign setting was located in the Ethereal Plane. As a physical manifestation of that plane, lands, monsters and even people were created out of the mysterious mists, and the realm acted as a prison where one could enter or be transported, but means of escape were few. Other Ravenloft Domains and Darklords were eventually added in various AD&D 2nd edition products establishing a core continent attached around Barovia which could be traveled to by others if their respective lords allowed entering or leaving their borders; while some Domains remained isolated in the mists and were referred to as Islands.

<i>Pool of Radiance</i> 1988 video game

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.

<i>Eye of the Beholder</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Eye of the Beholder is a role-playing video game for personal computers and video game consoles developed by Westwood Associates. It was published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. in 1991, for the MS-DOS operating system and later ported to the Amiga, the Sega CD and the SNES. The Sega CD version features a soundtrack composed by Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima. A port to the Atari Lynx handheld was developed by NuFX in 1993, but was not released. In 2002, an adaptation of the same name was developed by Pronto Games for the Game Boy Advance.

<i>Curse of the Azure Bonds</i> 1989 video game

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

<i>Gold Box</i> Video game series and engine

Gold Box is a series of role-playing video games produced by Strategic Simulations from 1988 to 1992. The company acquired a license to produce games based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game from TSR, Inc. These games shared a common game engine that came to be known as the "Gold Box Engine" after the gold-colored boxes in which most games of the series were sold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord Soth</span> Dragonlance character

Lord Soth, the Knight of the Black Rose, is a fictional character appearing in the fantasy realms of Dragonlance and later Ravenloft. He is depicted as a death knight and fallen Knight of Solamnia from the world of Krynn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strahd von Zarovich</span> Fictional roleplaying character

Count Strahd von Zarovich is a fictional character originally appearing as the feature villain in the highly popular Advanced Dungeons and Dragons adventure module I6: Ravenloft. Later, this character and his world would be explored in follow-up modules, novels, and the Ravenloft campaign setting. Within this setting, Strahd is the first and best-known of Ravenloft's darklords. He is a powerful ancient vampire. He is also a master necromancer, a skilled warrior, and the unquestioned ruler of the domain of Barovia.

<i>Dungeon Hack</i> 1993 video game

Dungeon Hack is a 1993 role-playing video game developed by DreamForge Intertainment and published by Strategic Simulations for DOS and NEC PC-9801.

<i>Dark Sun: Shattered Lands</i> 1993 video game

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands is a turn-based role-playing video game that takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting of Dark Sun. It was developed and published by Strategic Simulations in 1993. It received positive reviews although released initially in an unfinished state. The game had a sequel, Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager, in 1994. An online MMORPG taking place in the same setting, Dark Sun Online: Crimson Sands, was released in 1996 and hosted on the Total Entertainment Network.

<i>Champions of Krynn</i> 1990 video game

Champions of Krynn is role-playing video game, the first in a three-part series of Dragonlance Advanced Dungeons & DragonsGold Box games. It was published in 1990 by Strategic Simulations. The highest graphics setting supported in the MS-DOS version is EGA graphics. It also supports the Adlib sound card and either a mouse or joystick.

<i>Death Knights of Krynn</i> 1991 video game

Death Knights of Krynn is the second in a three-part series of DragonlanceAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons "Gold Box" role-playing video games, published by Strategic Simulations. The game was released in 1991.

<i>The Dark Queen of Krynn</i> 1992 video game

The Dark Queen of Krynn is the third in a three-part series of Dragonlance Advanced Dungeons & Dragons "Gold Box" role-playing video games. The game was released in 1992.

<i>Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager</i> 1994 video game

Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations in 1994 for the MS-DOS operating system. It is the sequel to Dark Sun: Shattered Lands.

<i>Al-Qadim: The Genies Curse</i> 1994 video game

Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse is an action role-playing game for the personal computer set in the Al-Qadim campaign setting of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The game was developed by Cyberlore Studios and published in 1994 by Strategic Simulations (SSI). The game combines role-playing game and adventure with a simplified interface; the player character is a young corsair trying to clear his family's name, rescue his betrothed and determine who has been freeing genies from their masters.

<i>Anvil of Dawn</i> 1995 video game

Anvil of Dawn is a 1995 fantasy role-playing video game developed by DreamForge Intertainment and published by New World Computing. Anvil of Dawn was named the best role-playing game of 1995 by Computer Gaming World and Computer Game Review.

<i>Menzoberranzan</i> (video game) 1994 video game

Menzoberranzan is a 1994 role-playing video game created by Strategic Simulations (SSI) and DreamForge Intertainment. Menzoberranzan uses the same game engine as SSI's previous game, Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession (1994), and is set in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

<i>Ravenloft: Strahds Possession</i> 1994 video game

Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession is a 1994 fantasy role-playing video game developed by DreamForge Intertainment for Strategic Simulations for DOS. Ravenloft: Stone Prophet is a sequel to this game.

DreamForge Intertainment, Inc. was an American computer game developer.

Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

<i>AD&D Masterpiece Collection</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

The AD&D Masterpiece Collection is a collection of role-playing games for MS-DOS, produced by Mindscape/SSI in 1996.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Scorpia (June 1995), "Scorpia in the Sand", Computer Gaming World, no. 131, Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, pp. 75–78.
  2. ↑ https://archive.org/details/RPGCompanion/page/n297/mode/2up [ dead link ]
  3. ↑ Butcher, Andy (January 1996). "Games Reviews". Arcane (2). Future Publishing: 80.
  4. ↑ "Release: Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft, Dark Sun, Krynn Series". GOG.com . CD Projekt. 27 October 2015. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  5. ↑ Shearer, Stew (28 October 2015). "GOG Crits Again: Adds Seven More Dungeons & Dragons Classics". The Escapist . Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  6. ↑ Sykes, Tom (27 October 2015). "GOG adds D&D: Ravenloft, Dark Sun and Krynn". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  7. 1 2 Houlihan, John (June 1995). "Ravenloft II: Stone Prophet". PC Gamer UK . No. 19. p. 60.
  8. 1 2 T. Liam, McDonald (July 1995). "Ravenloft: Stone Prophet". PC Gamer US . Archived from the original on January 18, 2000.
  9. 1 2 Giovetti, Al (May 1995). "Ravenloft: Stone Prophet". Electronic Entertainment (17): 61.
  10. ↑ Perry, Kevin; Chapman, Ted; Kaiafas, Tasos (June 1995). "SSI's Latest Wrap Star..." Computer Game Review . Archived from the original on December 21, 1996.
  11. ↑ Wells, Jeremy (January 1998). "PC Zone Recommends". PC Zone (59): 135–138.
  12. ↑ Rausch, Allen (2004-08-18). "A History of D&D Video Games - Part IV". GameSpy. Retrieved 2006-06-15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.