Unoriginal but enjoyable fantasy questing
Unoriginal it may be, but anyone looking for a new fantasy adventure to embark upon would be well advised to check out Dragonflight, offering as it does a solid combination of Ultima- and Dungeon Master-style thrills. The plot is the usual fantasy nonsense, revolving around disappearing dragons which must be found in order to restore balance to the world. This of course requires a party of heroes, each with wildly improbable names, to venture forth into the world, slaying beasts, exploring gloomy dungeons and generally doing everything you've seen in every other fantasy RPG. Your party of four (elf, warrior, mage and dwarf) roam around the land, which is viewed via overhead perspective, with dungeons switching to a fake 3D style and with combat playing out in turn-based fashion, with the usual options for melee and ranged attacks and with magic also rearing its familiar head. Really, if you have ever played a fantasy RPG, you'll know exactly what to expect from Dragonflight, but this lack of originality isn't a great problem as the game does get pretty much everything else right. There's no character customisation, which is a tad disappointing for hardcore RPG fans, but the exploration and combat are both satisfying and compelling, while the game's non-linearity also makes for an intriguing experience, as you can largely venture where you wish. The visuals and sound are extremely dated and somewhat basic but this is forgiveable given its age and the quest itself is pretty epic and involving so if you are in the mood for an old-school slice of adventuring, then this will be right up your alley.
