Curious little RPG
This is another little oddity, a charming enough RPG that hails from the days when all you needed to make a game was an idea, a bit of programming knowledge and plenty of patience. In this case, it was the amateur game maker Erik Badger who produced Sword Quest 2 and although it is not going to go down in the annals of gaming history, it certainly stands as a neat example of the artistry of the back room coder. The game is a follow up to Badger's previous Sword Quest game and continues in a similar vein, featuring an epic quest for the titular talisman. This is done in fairly typical old-school RPG style, and which involves exploring, fighting, talking and using magic to help you on your way. There is actually a surprising amount of stuff to do here, with plenty of things to discover and beasties to kill, while the detail and depth are pleasing, given the game's simple origins. The graphics are very basic, with minimal animation and detail, and with blocky sprites that are basic even for the period from which this dates. However, gameplay is actually rather fun, and although Sword Quest 2 can't compare favourably with other classic RPGs like Legend of Zelda, it is interesting curiosity for gaming historians.
