Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord - Review

[HiddenX]

RPGFan checked out the remake Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord:

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord - Review

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord turned me into a quivering wreck. Over this last week or so, the sheer thought of losing yet more brave adventurers to enemy blades, of being teleported to a distant part of a trap-laden dungeon, or of having to return to the safety of the surface with half my party paralysed, praying I can flee from a random encounter, has taken its toll. It's been a mentally exhausting test of patience, just as the developers intended. Be that as it may, I still enjoyed my time with this classic DRPG, even if it has sometimes been an anxious slog. Few DRPGs are so deadly and confounding, and Wizardry: PGotMO takes this approach and dials it to maximum for an experience that is every bit as battering for the player as it is for their party.

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Wizardry: PGotMO is one of those games where every step could be your last, but you'll be entertained making those steps. Despite being a foundation of the genre, it does not provide an easy entry point for new players. It requires a high degree of patience, and this slow approach won't be to everyone's tastes. The graphics, sounds, and overall user experience are detailed and well thought out, with some lovely homages to the original in both setting and the number of OG player options. For a game that laid the blueprint for so much videogame history that followed it, taking a step back into the Proving Grounds felt like entering hallowed ground, like remembering a dream in vivid, modern detail. Just know that such a dream can become a quivering nightmare without warning. Be prepared to possibly lose everything in a single run, or a single combat, or even a single fudged combat round, and it's a grand old time.

Score: 83/100

More information.

 

[Hastar]

It's on sale on GoG so I picked it up yesterday. They have released a recent patch so some post-release updates are happening. I've played for around 5 hours and I'm impressed. I came close to a total party wipe at level 1 but my cleric and bishop survived. My party is now lvl 5 and I turned a fighter into a samurai.

I don't think there is an in-game map which I don't like but I can get maps online. I will not be using graph paper. This remake is very enjoyable so far and I definitely recommend it. When making a party wait for the random stat points to be around 20.

 

[JDR13]

I don't think there is an in-game map which I don't like but I can get maps online. I will not be using graph paper. This remake is very enjoyable so far and I definitely recommend it. When making a party wait for the random stat points to be around 20.

The spell "Dumapic" will show where you've been, but it doesn't mark pits or secret doors.

 

[Hastar]

I just reached lvl 9 with my party and I can understand why this game is what started my lifelong hobby. So many complain about the difficulty and it is at lvl 1 and 2 but if you play smart and leave the dungeon when you are low on spells it's not bad. I do want to see what happens if I get surprised by high-level casters or gas dragons.

 

[Carnifex]

I still need to get this one, sounds like enough patches are landing to make the effort worth-while. And yeah, best to be cautious in the game, especially in early stages, that's not something anyone is likely to forget.