Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan

Last updated
Crusaders of Khazan
Tunnels & Trolls - Crusaders of Khazan Coverart.png
Developer(s) New World Computing
Flying Buffalo
Fiery Dragon Productions
Publisher(s) New World Computing
Director(s) Jon Van Caneghem
Designer(s) Liz Danforth
Platform(s) MS-DOS, FM Towns, NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-9801, Sharp X1, X68000
Release 1990
Genre(s) Role-playing video game
Mode(s) Single-player

Crusaders of Khazan is a computer adaptation of the tabletop role-playing game Tunnels and Trolls , developed and published by New World Computing in 1990 for DOS, FM Towns, PC-88 and PC-98. The game is available from Flying Buffalo and in Fiery Dragon's Tunnels and Trolls 30th Anniversary Edition. [1] [2] The game was an international production, designed and directed in the US but programmed in Japan.

Contents

Story

A long time ago, a war broke out in the Dragon Continent between the great wizard Khazan and the demon queen Lerotra'hh the Death Empress and her sorcerer consort Khara Kang. Wishing to stop the bloodshed, Khazan proposed a truce to Lerotra'hh: Khazan would go into exile in exchange for a promise that the evil pair would allow humankind and monsterkind to coexist peacefully. Lerotra'hh accepted the proposal and Khazan was never heard from again. As the game begins, however, Lerotra'hh has broken the pact and now she prepares her Dark Legions to attack. The player's quest is put this threat to an end (meaning killing Kang and then Lerotra'hh) and to bring Khazan back to this world to enforce the peace.

Gameplay

The game is a fairly typical computer RPG of its era, featuring an icon-driven user interface, turn-based top-down combat and auto-mapping.

Reception

Crusaders of Khazan received polarized reviews. The game received 5 out of 5 stars in Dragon . [3] Scorpia and Marc Klupper of Computer Gaming World in 1991 both disliked the game, however, one writing that "it could have been so much more" and the other describing it as "an almost perfect example of what happens when designers and programmers do not work together ... How could the playtesters have missed so many flaws?" [4] In 1993 Scorpia called the game "a big disappointment". [5]

Jim Trunzo reviewed Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan in White Wolf #25 (Feb./March, 1991), rating it a 3 out of 5 and stated that "Tunnels & Trolls has many more pluses than minuses. It's fun to play and that is of primary importance. Nevertheless, the computer version of the game – much like the pencil and paper T&T – is a matter of taste. For everyone who loves the game, my guess is you'll find someone who slams it. It's a great introduction to roleplaying because, in spite of the game's depth, Tunnels and Trolls is relatively straightforward and simple. For many gamers, that will be a definite plus." [6]

Reviews

Related Research Articles

<i>Tunnels & Trolls</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game

Tunnels & Trolls is a fantasy role-playing game designed by Ken St. Andre and first published in 1975 by Flying Buffalo. The second modern role-playing game published, it was written by Ken St. Andre to be a more accessible alternative to Dungeons & Dragons and is suitable for solitaire, group, and play-by-mail gameplay.

<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>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>Kings Bounty</i> 1990 video game

King's Bounty is a turn-based fantasy video game designed by Jon Van Caneghem and published by New World Computing in 1990. The game follows the player's character, a hero of King Maximus, appointed with the job of retrieving the Sceptre of Order from the forces of chaos, led by Arech Dragonbreath. King's Bounty is notably considered the forerunner of the Heroes of Might and Magic series of games.

<i>Dungeon Master</i> (video game) 1987 video game

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.

<i>The Bards Tale II: The Destiny Knight</i> 1986 video game

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight is a fantasy role-playing video game created by Interplay Productions in 1986. It is the first sequel to The Bard's Tale, and the last game of the series that was designed and programmed by Michael Cranford.

<i>Conquests of Camelot: The Search for the Grail</i> 1990 video game

Conquests of Camelot: The Search for the Grail is a graphic adventure game released in 1990 by Sierra On-Line. It was the first game in the Conquests series designed by Christy Marx and her husband Peter Ledger. The only other game in the series was 1991's Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood. Marx did the majority of the design work while Ledger created the game and package art.

<i>Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World</i> 1988 video game

Might and Magic II: Gates to Another World is a role-playing video game developed and published by New World Computing in 1988. It is the sequel to Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum.

<i>Dragon Wars</i> 1989 video game

Dragon Wars is a fantasy role-playing video game developed by Rebecca Heineman, published by Interplay Productions in 1989, and distributed by Activision.

<i>Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday</i> 1990 video game

Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday is a role-playing video game set in the Buck Rogers XXVC universe. It was published in 1990 by Strategic Simulations for MS-DOS, Commodore 64, and Amiga. A Sega Genesis version was released in 1991. Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed is the 1992 sequel.

<i>The Magic Candle</i> 1989 video game

The Magic Candle: Volume 1 is a role-playing video game designed by Ali Atabek and developed and published by Mindcraft in 1989.

<i>The Bards Tale Construction Set</i> 1991 video game

The Bard's Tale Construction Set is a computer game creation system that allows for the creation of dungeon crawl video games based on the Bard's Tale game engine. It was developed by Interplay Productions in 1991 and distributed by Electronic Arts. It was released for the Amiga and MS-DOS.

<i>Gateway to the Savage Frontier</i> 1991 video game

Gateway to the Savage Frontier (1991) is a Gold BoxDungeons & Dragons computer game developed by Beyond Software and published by SSI for the Commodore 64, PC and Amiga personal computers.

<i>Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge</i> 1990 video game

Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge is the 6th title in the Wizardry series of role-playing video games. It was the first in the trilogy surrounding the Dark Savant, which was followed by Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant and Wizardry 8. It was developed by Sir-Tech Software, Inc. and was released on the Amiga and DOS platforms in 1990 by the same company, and for the Super Famicom in Japan in 1995 by ASCII.

<i>Hard Nova</i> 1990 video game

Hard Nova is a role-playing video game developed by Malibu Interactive and published by Electronic Arts in 1990 for DOS, Amiga and Atari ST. It is a follow-up to Sentinel Worlds I: Future Magic.

<i>Command HQ</i> 1990 video game

Command HQ is a real-time strategy world domination game. It was released in 1990 by Microplay Software and was created by designer Danielle Bunten.

<i>Mines of Titan</i> 1989 video game

Mines of Titan is a single-player role-playing video game, developed by Westwood Associates, and published by Infocom in 1989 for Apple II, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS.

<i>Breach 2</i> 1990 video game

Breach 2 is a science fiction strategy video game developed by Omnitrend Software in 1990 for the Amiga, Atari ST and MS-DOS. It is the sequel to the 1987 game Breach, and was itself followed by Breach 3 in 1995. The game is set in the universe of Omnitrend's Universe and Rules of Engagement, and is compatible with both Rules of Engagement games.

<i>The Keys to Maramon</i> 1990 video game

The Keys to Maramon is a video game published by Mindcraft in 1990 for MS-DOS. It takes place in the same universe as The Magic Candle.

<i>Siege</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Siege is a video game released by Mindcraft in 1992 for MS-DOS. An expansion pack, Dogs of War, was released. It added multiplayer, six new castles, and 16 new units to the game. A sequel, Ambush at Sorinor, was released in 1993.

References

  1. Fiery Dragon Productions, 2005. Tunnels and Trolls 30th Anniversary Edition.
  2. Flying Buffalo, 2007. Tunnels and Trolls, retrieved July 25, 2007
  3. Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (March 1991). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (167): 47–54.
  4. Klupper, G. Marc; Scorpia (February 1991). "Two Views". Computer Gaming World. No. 79. p. 26. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  5. Scorpia (October 1993). "Scorpia's Magic Scroll Of Games". Computer Gaming World. pp. 34–50. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  6. Trunzo, Jim (February–March 1991). "The Silicon Dungeon". White Wolf Magazine . No. 25. p. 57.
  7. "Amiga Joker Amiga Joker Sonderheft Nr.3 - Rollenspiele Page scans - Amiga Magazine Rack".
  8. "Desktop im Drachenland". www.kultboy.com (in German). Retrieved 2024-02-11.