Solid board game-style fantasy action
This is a pretty decent adaptation of the board game which was developed by Games Workshop and is quite similar to their other releases like Space Crusade or Space Hulk but with a fantasy twist. Rather than being a wargame like Warhammer: Dark Omen or Shadow of the Horned Rat, Hero Quest is more akin to a dungeon crawling RPG mixed in with card-game aspects. The game plays out in isometric fashion, with players charged with going through a series of missions to track down an evil wizard. Four characters are available, the usual fantasy types of warrior, wizard, dwarf an elf, each with their own unique abilities and skills and who must explore a set of dungeons, slaying monsters, avoiding traps and other such RPG-style activities. Actions here are turn-based with movement based on a computer-rolled dice and with a fair combination of luck and strategy required in order to successfully complete your quest. While seemingly simple Hero Quest is actually a reasonably deep game, offering some decent opportunities for tactical play, but which never becomes burdened by over complex mechanics. There is a good sense of exploration and adventure on display here, with characterful visuals that are bright but without seeming inappropriate and which have a good level of detail. The missions don't vary a great deal and there isn't much to the game beyond dungeon crawling, but for fans of casual RPGs this makes for a decently entertaining diversion. Hardcore gamers might find it a bit too light thanks to its lack of customisation, but for everyone else, this remains an enjoyable slice of adventuring.
