Little known but excellent RPG
An underrated little RPG gem, Dark Sun has enough strong points to overcome its shortcomings and is certainly worth a look for fantasy fans in need of a quick gaming fix. The game takes place in the popular Dungeons and Dragons world of Dark Sun and takes the form of a turn-based RPG with the usual mix of combat, exploration and interaction with background characters. The story here takes place in a sort of post-apocalyptic desert world and revolves around a party of gladiators (controlled by the player) as they escape from captivity and band together to fight the evil Draj, the Sorcerer King, and bring an end to his plans for world domination. The game features the usual array of hideous beasts to battle and characters to talk with, and the well realised world is certainly one of Dark Sun's high points. The environments are refreshingly different from many other RPGs, and this makes exploration both exciting and enjoyable. Combat too is challenging, requiring real strategy, requiring careful consideration of player formation and effective use of spells in order to win. There is a lot of depth on display here, which will please hardcore RPG fans, while the graphics and sound, although not overly impressive, certainly do their job. The story is engaging and all in all, this is a neat little RPG that is sure to please Dungeons and Dragons fans as well as followers of Baldur's Gate and similar such games.
