The RPG Codex reviewed the dungeon crawler Islands of the Caliph!

RPG Codex Review: Islands of the Caliph

Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim

Every now and again, someone out there embarks on a quest to make his own RPG, all by himself in the quiet of his basement. I’ve always had tremendous respect for those who do that and manage to accomplish their goal.

Islands of the Caliph is an example of such game development. Produced by Schmidt Workshops, from what I can tell it’s for the most part a solo dev project that was announced, I believe, sometime in 2022, and it caught my attention with its first-person dungeon crawling gameplay and middle eastern flavour immediately from the get-go.

Fast forward a year and a half, and Islands of the Caliph (henceforth IotC) was released to be enjoyed by the general public. But is it actually good? You can never know with these one-man projects, because they’re just as likely to end up as shovelware, as they are to give you a gem that was made with care and a very clear vision. Let us inspect whether this one is up to par.

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To put it briefly, Islands of the Caliph is simply a very comfy game. It’s pretty, it’s creative, and most importantly it’s just plain fun. I would say it’s “casual” in all the right ways – it’s not very demanding but by no means is it devoid of gameplay. In fact, it’s rather absorbing, which makes it a great choice for just picking it up and going off on an adventure. I doubt it’s going to win any major awards, but it’s nevertheless a very solid effort that I’m glad to have played through.

It took me 14 hours to finish the game, which is funny, because I felt like it lasted more than that. Perhaps it was due to the way I played it, with an odd hour here and there every day. Still, the length is likely why the quality remains on more or less the same level throughout the game, since everything is densely packed into this short playtime, with very little filler to be had. I’m pretty sure I also did almost everything there was to do, though a locked door in one city and a bunch of entries missing from my keyring would suggest otherwise, but I have no idea where those could be found, if they even exist to begin with.

If you’re still wary or unconvinced after reading this review, I recommend that you check the free demo. It’s very representative of the general state of the game, and a good indicator of whether you’ll have fun with the full deal or not. I know I did. Salaam, effendi.

Thanks Couchpotato!

The dungeon crawler Islands of the Caliph has been released:

Islands of the Caliph

Islands of the Caliph imagines an ancient, seafaring Middle Eastern empire, spanning several islands to which the player may venture and explore.

Set in a fictional Island civilization, Islands of the Caliph is a unique mash-up of the old school RPGs the developer played in the 1980s, and Middle Eastern folklore and religion.

Enemies
Numerous mythical and dangerous beasts lurk in waiting as you explore and discover new lands. From giant spiders and scorpions, to more supernatural beings like ghouls and jinn, Islands of the Caliph will introduce players to some of the creatures of folklore of Arab, Persian and African cultures among others.

Weapons
Weapons are an important tool you will need to overcome adversaries. Find new weapons while adventuring or buy them from a merchant. Each weapon has different stats, so paying careful attention will help you to equip the best items.

Mapping
As you explore, your map with be updated automatically. Use it to keep track of your location and to discover new routes of exploration. A small mini map appears in the corner of the screen while exploring, but you can open it to view the whole area when needed.

Treasure
Many hidden treasures are waiting to be discovered by a brave adventurer. Some chests have coins, while others may have items to take. You may also use treasure chests to store items you don't need, but are not quite ready to sell.

The player must explore this open world and discover the game's primary quest for themselves. The game seeks to capture some of the open-endedness of classic RPGs like Might & Magic, Ultima and Bards Tale, with some modern conveniences. The player will be offered quests by some of the game's NPCs. Some of these quests will be required to make progress in the game's main story, while others will be optional. It is up to the player to figure out which is which, though often it will be obvious in the context given. 

The dungeon crawler Islands of the Caliph has been announced for 2023:

Islands of the Caliph

Islands of the Caliph imagines an ancient, seafaring Middle Eastern empire, spanning several islands to which the player may venture and explore.

Set in a fictional Island civilization, Islands of the Caliph is a unique mash-up of the old school RPGs the developer played in the 1980s, and Middle Eastern folklore and religion.

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Enemies
Numerous mythical and dangerous beasts lurk in waiting as you explore and discover new lands. From giant spiders and scorpions, to more supernatural beings like ghouls and jinn, Islands of the Caliph will introduce players to some of the creatures of folklore of Arab, Persian and African cultures among others.

Weapons
Weapons are an important tool you will need to overcome adversaries. Find new weapons while adventuring or buy them from a merchant. Each weapon has different stats, so paying careful attention will help you to equip the best items.

Mapping
As you explore, your map with be updated automatically. Use it to keep track of your location and to discover new routes of exploration. A small mini map appears in the corner of the screen while exploring, but you can open it to view the whole area when needed.

Treasure
Many hidden treasures are waiting to be discovered by a brave adventurer. Some chests have coins, while others may have items to take. You may also use treasure chests to store items you don't need, but are not quite ready to sell.

The player must explore this open world and discover the game's primary quest for themselves. The game seeks to capture some of the open-endedness of classic RPGs like Might & Magic, Ultima and Bards Tale, with some modern conveniences. The player will be offered quests by some of the game's NPCs. Some of these quests will be required to make progress in the game's main story, while others will be optional. It is up to the player to figure out which is which, though often it will be obvious in the context given.