Lords of Time

Level 9 Computing

Industry	Video game development
Founded	1983
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Lords of Time

Lords of Time is an interactive fiction title created by Sue Gazzard and launched by Level 9 Computing in 1983. Originally released as a text-based adventure for 8-bit home computers, it was subsequently included in the Time and Magik collection, which featured enhanced graphics for floppy disk editions. Consistent with other Level 9 releases from that period, it was programmed using their proprietary A-code language to maintain compatibility across multiple platforms.

Gameplay

The player assumes the role of an unnamed protagonist—a modern-day computer programmer—who is commissioned by Father Time to retrieve nine sacred artifacts in order to defeat the malevolent Time Lords. The storyline traverses nine separate historical periods, such as the 20th century, Ice Age, dinosaur era, Dark Ages, future, Middle Ages, Tudor England, and Roman Empire. The narrative intentionally incorporates anachronistic elements, including scenarios where cavemen exist alongside dinosaurs.

Travel between these time periods is achieved through a grandfather clock that serves as a time-travel device.

In 1988, Lords of Time was reissued as part of the Time and Magik compilation together with Red Moon and Price of Magik. Although marketed as the initial installment of this trilogy, its plot does not connect with the other two games, unlike Level 9’s Silicon Dreams trilogy, which features a continuous storyline across all titles.

Reception

Upon its debut, Lords of Time garnered favorable critiques. The ZX Spectrum version received acclaim from Crash, which described it as "a brilliant adventure." A review covering multiple platforms in Computer and Video Games characterized the game as "light-hearted," entertaining, and moderately demanding while offering substantial gameplay duration. Additionally, Personal Computer Games awarded it PCG Hit status, indicating strong popularity in the market.

External links

• The Level 9 Memorial
• Entry for Lords of Time at World Of Spectrum