Legend of the Sword
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video game development |
| Founder | Karl Buckingham, Colin Mongardi, Eugene Messina |
| Headquarters | Eastbourne , England |
| Products | Legend of the Sword |
Legend of the Sword is a fantasy interactive fiction title released in 1988, developed by Silicon Soft and initially published by Rainbird Software for the Atari ST. Subsequent versions were made available for the Amiga and MS-DOS, while a planned Macintosh edition never reached the market. Its follow-up, The Final Battle, was introduced in 1990.
Plot
The narrative unfolds in the land of Anar, which has been overtaken by the malevolent sorcerer Suzar. Players command a group tasked with retrieving a mystical sword and shield essential to overcoming this foe.
Gameplay
The user interface is divided into four distinct sections: the upper-left corner presents contextual imagery; the upper-right contains a dynamic, scrolling map; centrally located are controls for movement alongside hitpoints, symbolized by a burning candle; and the lower portion is reserved for textual information.
Development
The game's creation extended over two years, originating when Karl Buckingham transitioned from drafting a novel inspired by a dream to collaborating with Colin Mongardi on a video game. Motivated by The Pawn, their objective was to eliminate ambiguous puzzles. Silicon Soft, established in Eastbourne, England under the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, initially designed the project for the Amstrad CPC with Buckingham, Mongardi, and Eugene Messina. After dismissing Mastertronic's publishing proposal, they aligned with Rainbird, who required a 16-bit version to enhance commercial viability. This decision prompted a six-month redevelopment phase focused on the Atari ST platform utilizing the C programming language.
Reception
Computer and Video Games remarked that while the parser did not meet Infocom's high standards, it nonetheless positioned Silicon Soft as a leading adventure game developer. The Games Machine praised the effective combination of screen layout and controls that contributed to the game's success. Amiga User International described the parser as "a delight," highlighting its accessibility and overall playability. Meanwhile, Your Amiga considered it "a competent and good-looking adventure," though they noted it explored familiar and somewhat overused themes.
Reviews
- Jeux & Stratégie issue #53
- Amiga Computing, Amiga Format, and CU Amiga magazines
- ACE issue #11
- Tilt issue #65