Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony

Last updated
Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony
Moebius - The Orb of Celestial Harmony Coverart.png
Developer(s) Origin Systems
Publisher(s) Broderbund
Designer(s) Greg Malone [1]
Platform(s) Apple II, MS-DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Macintosh
Release1985
Genre(s) Role-playing, action
Mode(s) Single-player

Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony is a video game produced by Origin Systems and designed by Greg Malone. [1] It was originally released in 1985 for the Apple II. Versions were also released for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Macintosh, and MS-DOS. The game is primarily a top-down view tile-based role-playing video game, but it has action-based combat sequences which use a side view, roughly similar to games such as Karateka .

Contents

Origin Systems produced a sequel to the game, Windwalker .

Gameplay

The player's objective, as a disciple of the Headmaster, is to recover the Orb of Celestial Harmony from the disciple-turned-badguy Kaimen. To do that, the player must train his body and soul in the best tradition of Chinese warriors: to "walk the path of Moebius the Windwalker." The action takes place on the four Elemental planes of Earth, Water, Air and Fire, which the player must traverse in order to recover the Orb. Although gameplay is similar to standard RPGs, there are some differences: in addition to familiar character statistics such as dexterity, the players also has karma, a crucial attribute that goes up or down constantly depending on his deeds. Frighten a citizen with a sword, and the karma will drop; defeat monsters in battle, and it will rise. Combat is also played in a 2D side-scrolling view similar to fighting games, having a wide range of attacks to use, even including shurikens and fireballs if the character is experienced enough.

Reception

COMPUTE! called Moebius "yet another program worth raving about" from Origin, and a worthy followup to Ultima IV . It stated that the game had excellent graphics, "challenging and functional" arcade combat, and "many hours of enjoyment" from the puzzles. [2] Computer Gaming World stated in 1986 that the game was "sort of an outgrowth or continuation of the best parts of Ultima with special emphasis on graphic detail ... The addition of a fully animated combat system was frosting on the cake". [3] The magazine's Charles Ardai stated in 1987 that the martial-arts and RPG portions of Moebius "don't fit together very well, but each is individually enjoyable". [4] Info gave the Commodore 64 version three stars out of five, stating that the "ambitious game ... has a decent storyline and the action is challenging". The magazine criticized Moebius's "Apple conversionitis, with blocky graphics, jerky animation, and a clumsy keyboard user interface". [5] The game was reviewed in 1989 in Dragon #141 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4½ out of 5 stars. [6]

Steve Fuelleman reviewed Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony in Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer No. 78. [7] Fuelleman commented that "Overall, the game is excellent, in spite of the graphic animation and frustrations of play, or perhaps because of them. They lend an interesting flavor to the game and keep you on your toes. The graphics are good, and the animation doesn't overshadow the plot. This one is a gem, and the flaws only add a little more fire to it. Not only a must have, but probably one you would like." [7]

Reviews

Related Research Articles

<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>Times of Lore</i> 1988 video game

Times of Lore is a 1988 action role-playing game that was developed and published by Origin Systems for several platforms, including PC, Commodore 64/128, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Apple II, NES, and Amiga.

<i>Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar</i> 1985 video game

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar, first released in 1985 for the Apple II, is the fourth in the series of Ultima role-playing video games. It is the first in the "Age of Enlightenment" trilogy, shifting the series from the hack and slash, dungeon crawl gameplay of its "Age of Darkness" predecessors towards an ethically-nuanced, story-driven approach. Ultima IV has a much larger game world than its predecessors, with an overworld map sixteen times the size of Ultima III and puzzle-filled dungeon rooms to explore. Ultima IV further advances the franchise with dialog improvements, new means of travel and exploration, and world interactivity.

<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>Autoduel</i> 1985 video game

Autoduel is a role-playing video game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, Apple II, and IBM PC compatibles in 1985. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga and Macintosh. The game is based on the Steve Jackson Games series Car Wars.

<i>Roadwar 2000</i> 1986 video game

Roadwar 2000 is a 1986 video game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. It is a turn-based strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic future which resembles the world portrayed in the Mad Max films.

<i>The Faery Tale Adventure</i> 1987 video game

The Faery Tale Adventure is a 1987 action role-playing video game designed by David Joiner and published by MicroIllusions for the Amiga, and later ported to the Commodore 64, MS-DOS, and Sega Genesis. The MS-DOS version is titled The Faery Tale Adventure: Book I. Microillusions also released a "Book 1" version for the Amiga which was going to be the start of a series of games, according to Talin, but bankruptcy prevented it. The initial version was produced for the Amiga 1000 and featured the largest game world to that date. A sequel, Faery Tale Adventure II: Halls of the Dead, was released in 1997.

<i>The Kristal</i> 1989 video game

The Kristal is an adventure game first released in 1989 for the Amiga computer. It was later released for the Atari ST and MS-DOS. It was developed by the UK-based company Fissionchip Software, and published in Europe by Addictive Games and in the US by Cinemaware. Unusually for a video game, the game is based on a play, The Kristal of Konos, written in 1976; the authors of the play worked together with the game developers and the play was never shown in theatres or on film before the game's release. A dialog introducing the setting recorded by Patrick Moore, who introduced both the game and play.

<i>Iron Lord</i> 1989 video game

Iron Lord is an adventure video game developed by Orou Mama and Ivan Jacot for the Atari ST and published by Ubi Soft in 1989. It was ported to the Amiga, Acorn Archimedes, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and MS-DOS.

<i>Star Fleet I: The War Begins</i> 1984 video game

Star Fleet I: The War Begins is a 1984 strategy video game designed by Trevor Sorensen and developed by Interstel. It was released for Apple II, MS-DOS and Commodore 64. Versions for the Commodore 128, Atari ST, and Atari 8-bit computers were released in 1986 and versions for the Amiga and Mac were released in 1987. The game was successful enough to spawn sequels which are collectively known as the Star Fleet series.

<i>Archipelagos</i> (video game) 1989 video game

Archipelagos is a 1989 first person action and strategy video game developed by Astral Software and playable on Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS.

<i>Test Drive</i> (1987 video game) 1987 video game

Test Drive is a racing video game developed by Distinctive Software and published by Accolade, released in 1987 for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and DOS, in 1988 for the Apple II, and later ported for the PC-98 in 1989. It is the first game in the Test Drive series.

<i>Shanghai</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Shanghai is a computerized version of mahjong solitaire published by Activision in 1986 for the Amiga, Atari ST, Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, classic Mac OS, Apple IIGS, and Master System. Shanghai was originally programmed by Brodie Lockard. It was released as an arcade video game by Sunsoft in 1988.

<i>Questron II</i> 1988 video game

Questron II a 1988 role-playing video game published by Strategic Simulations for the Apple II, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC, and Amiga. It is the sequel to 1984's Questron. The story and original design is credited to Quest Software, the programming and artwork is credited to Westwood Associates.

<i>Skyfox II: The Cygnus Conflict</i> 1987 video game

Skyfox II: The Cygnus Conflict is a space combat computer game developed by Dynamix and published by Electronic Arts in 1987 for the Commodore 64 as a sequel to the original Skyfox for the Apple II. It was ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS. The creator of Skyfox, Ray Tobey, was not involved in this game.

<i>Final Assault</i> 1987 video game

Final Assault, known as Chamonix Challenge in Europe, originally Bivouac in French, is a mountaineering simulation distributed by Infogrames and Epyx in 1987 for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Thomson and ZX Spectrum. The original release of the game was copy protected.

<i>Transylvania</i> (video game) 1982 video game

Transylvania is an adventure video game published by Penguin Software. It was released for the Apple II in 1982 followed by ports to the Atari 8-bit computers and Commodore 64. A Mac conversion was published in 1984, then versions for the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS in 1985.

<i>Ogre</i> (video game) 1986 computer game

Ogre is a 1986 computer game based on the Ogre board wargame. It was released by Origin Systems for the Apple II, Amiga, Atari 8-bit family, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, and Macintosh.

<i>Phantasie</i> 1985 video game

Phantasie is the first video game in the Phantasie series.

<i>Windwalker</i> (video game) 1989 video game

Windwalker is a 1989 video game published by Origin Systems.

References

  1. 1 2 Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  2. ↑ Trunzo, James V. (July 1986). "Moebius: The Orb Of Celestial Harmony For Apple". Compute!. p. 62. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  3. ↑ McPherson, Jim (Jun–Jul 1986). "Moebius". Computer Gaming World. p. 37. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. ↑ Ardai, Charles (May 1987). "Titans of the Computer Gaming World / Part II of V: Ardai on Electronic Arts". Computer Gaming World . No. 37. pp. 28–29, 40–41. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Dunnington, Benn; Brown, Mark R.; Malcolm, Tom (January–February 1987). "64/128 Gallery". Info. pp. 14–21.
  6. ↑ Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (January 1989). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (141): 72–78.
  7. 1 2 Fuelleman, Steve (April–May 1987). "Capsule Reviews". Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer (78). Diverse Talents, Incorporated: 41.
  8. ↑ "Jeux & stratégie 39". June 1986.
  9. ↑ "Jeux & stratégie HS 3". 1986.
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.