Knights of Legend
| Industry | Video game development and publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Knights of Legend, launched by Origin Systems in 1989, is a fantasy-themed role-playing video game.
Publication history
Developed by Todd Porter and released by Origin Systems in 1989, Knights of Legend was made available on DOS, Apple II, and Commodore 64 platforms. It was designed to initiate a series of connected adventures, but no follow-up titles were produced, likely due to its mixed critical reception and underwhelming commercial performance.
Story
The narrative unfolds within the imaginary realm of Ashtalarea, focusing on the mission to liberate the Duke and Seggallion, a knight known for previously defeating the antagonist Pildar. Players assemble a group of heroes tasked with rescuing these captives and ultimately overcoming Pildar.
Gameplay
This title integrates strategic combat with role-playing mechanics. Players can form parties composed of traditional fantasy races such as dwarves, elves, humans, alongside the distinctive flying species called "Kelder."
Role-playing aspects include engaging with townsfolk, gathering local knowledge, purchasing gear, and honing abilities. Quest assignments guide players to designated locations featuring pre-arranged battle scenarios where essential items must be secured. Additionally, random battles may occur while traveling between destinations.
Combat requires tactical planning by selecting moves like thrusts, parries, and jumps prior to each round. The game reveals certain adversaries’ intended actions based on their speed attribute. Managing fatigue is crucial; characters who exhaust their stamina suffer reduced effectiveness or may collapse. Visibility on battlefields is restricted to what each character can perceive, a mechanic reminiscent of later tactical RPGs such as the Jagged Alliance games.
Saving progress is only possible when resting at an inn.
Reception
The Apple II edition was criticized for numerous bugs that impaired gameplay, resulting in an "X" rating from Dragon magazine. In contrast, the PC/MS-DOS version received high praise, including a perfect rating in a subsequent issue.
Nonetheless, Games International highlighted issues with bugs and awarded it a score of 4 out of 10. Computer Gaming World characterized the game as "tactical wargaming with minimal role-playing elements," recommending it primarily to enthusiasts of wargames or hack-and-slash genres due to its repetitive combat sequences.