Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero

Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Founded	1989
Founder	Lori Ann Cole
Successor	Quest for Glory series
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Lori Ann Cole (developer), Corey Cole (developer and producer)
Products	Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero
Owner	Sierra On-Line
Parent	Sierra On-Line

Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero—initially released as Hero's Quest: So You Want to Be a Hero—is a 1989 hybrid adventure and role-playing game developed by Lori Ann Cole and published by Sierra On-Line for the MS-DOS platform. As the inaugural title in the Quest for Glory franchise, it was groundbreaking in merging traditional graphic adventure gameplay with RPG mechanics such as character statistics development (including strength, intelligence, and health) that influenced player progression. The game is distinguished by its humorous and satirical narrative style. Early 1990s saw ports to systems like the Amiga, Atari ST, and NEC PC-9801. A VGA-enhanced remake titled Quest for Glory I: So You Want to Be a Hero was launched in 1992 for DOS and later in 1994 for Classic Mac OS.

Gameplay

The original version utilized a text parser interface, whereas the remake transitioned to a point-and-click system.

Promoted as "three games in one," players could select from three distinct classes—Fighter, Magic User, or Thief—each influencing initial gear, puzzle-solving approaches, and quest trajectories. Despite these class distinctions, the design allowed considerable flexibility; players were encouraged to cultivate skills across classes to unlock varied quests both within this installment and throughout the series.

The game incorporated innovative realism features uncommon at the time: a dynamic day-night cycle affected environmental conditions; the protagonist needed to eat and rest regularly; and skill advancement was activity-based rather than reliant on conventional level grinding. For instance, frequent use of magical abilities enhanced Magic skill and Intelligence stats, while engaging in combat or physical exertion improved Strength, Vitality, and Agility.

A notable aspect is the protagonist’s minimal verbal interaction—even when issuing commands such as "ask about brigands"—highlighting player-driven engagement over predefined dialogue.

Plot

Set within Spielburg Valley’s barony, the land suffers under a curse from the ogress Baba Yaga. The local baron is afflicted: his daughter has disappeared, his son has been transformed into a bear, and the territory is overrun by monsters and brigands. The valley desperately requires a Hero to restore order. Players assume the role of a customizable adventurer who has just graduated from the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School and must assist the inhabitants to earn recognition as a true Hero.

The adventurer faces off against brigands and creatures such as kobolds while completing side missions like retrieving lost artifacts and gathering magical ingredients. Alongside aiding various fantasy characters—including a dryad, a hermit, and small furry beings called Meeps—the player gains experience points and earns currency to acquire better equipment and potions. The game offers an open-world structure where quests can be tackled in any sequence. Throughout the journey, recurring characters like the wizard Erasmus with his familiar Fenrus appear, alongside mentions of the benevolent faery Erana.

Although side quests are optional, achieving the best ending—which is regarded as canonical within the series—necessitates lifting the baron’s curse and defeating Baba Yaga’s schemes. This includes rescuing Elsa von Spielburg, the baron’s daughter, who is trapped under a brigand leader’s spell. Successfully fulfilling these objectives fulfills an ancient prophecy, restores prosperity to Spielburg Valley, and grants the adventurer the esteemed title of Hero. The narrative concludes with the Hero departing on a magic carpet alongside merchant Abdulla Doo and innkeepers Shameen and Shema for Shapeir, setting the stage for Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire.

Development

The idea behind Quest for Glory was to create a harmonious blend of narrative, combat, and exploration, inspired by diverse folklore traditions. Several intended features were ultimately cut to adhere to practical development schedules. Lori Cole initially planned for four distinct races—a gnome resembling a thief, an elf capable of magic, a human with versatile abilities, and an archer centaur—alongside an option to play as a female character. However, due to limited resources, the focus shifted toward developing multiple classes within the human character instead.

Plans also included a complex goblin labyrinth and the ability to enter various town buildings, but these elements were removed before release. Furthermore, the concept of magic users having familiars, such as the character Zara, was abandoned because of programming difficulties.

The game originally launched under the title Hero's Quest: So You Want to Be a Hero, but was renamed in 1990 to Quest for Glory I: So You Want to Be a Hero following trademark disputes with the HeroQuest board game. The initial release featured EGA graphics, while the subsequent remake upgraded visuals to VGA quality.

Corey Cole, who served as both developer and producer, revealed that the production budget for the original version was approximately $150,000, with the VGA remake costing nearly as much as a complete VGA title.

Reception

So You Want to Be a Hero is widely regarded as a pioneering title that successfully merged adventure gaming with role-playing elements.

Scorpia from Computer Gaming World commended the game for its straightforward yet compelling puzzles, impressive graphics, humor, and role-playing depth, describing it as "a definite winner." The magazine awarded it Adventure Game of the Year in 1990, highlighting its appeal to both novices and experienced players. In 1993, Scorpia reaffirmed praise for its visuals, wit, and replay value. By 1996, Quest for Glory had secured 73rd place among the greatest games ever and ranked 15th on the list of most innovative computer games by the publication.

Jim Trunzo reviewed Hero's Quest in White Wolf #19 (1990), giving it a 4 out of 5 rating and emphasizing its strong foundation for future sequels. He maintained this score in 1992 with the updated edition, praising its humor, action sequences, and puzzles as reasons for enduring popularity. In 1993, Compute! described Hero's Quest as "probably the most satisfying" Sierra title at that time and noted that Quest for Glory was significantly enhanced through rewritten dialogue, clay animation sequences, and stereo soundtracks—calling it "a must-buy."

The editors at Macworld honored Quest for Glory with their 1994 "Best Role-Playing Game" award. Steven Levy highlighted its combination of classic RPG mechanics with Sierra’s distinctive adventure game approach. He noted it as an accessible role-playing experience particularly suitable for newcomers familiar with adventure titles.

Michael Baker from RPGamer rated the game 3.5 out of 5 stars, appreciating its well-balanced mix of puzzles, gameplay mechanics, and narrative despite some pacing flaws. Tyler Willis awarded it 4 out of 5 stars for its captivating characters and richly designed locations. Richard Cobbett of PC Gamer provided generally positive remarks, especially favoring the VGA remake for creating an immersive environment.

From a commercial perspective, the game sold approximately 130,000 units during its first year on the market and became one of Sierra’s fastest-selling releases. According to co-creator Corey Cole, sales surpassed 250,000 copies within several years.

Remake

Building on Sierra's successful franchises such as King's Quest and Space Quest, a VGA remake utilizing the SCI1.1 engine was launched in 1992 for DOS and Classic Mac OS. This edition introduced a point-and-click system, replacing the original text parser, and incorporated a dialogue tree menu to simplify player interactions. Both the original game and this updated version were packaged together in the 1996 Anthology and again in the 1997 Collection Series CD-ROM compilations.

Visual enhancements included meticulously hand-painted backgrounds and character designs, while monster battles and character portraits were crafted through clay modeling combined with stop motion animation techniques. Gameplay adjustments were significant; for example, depleting the hero’s stamina now resulted in immediate death, adding an extra layer of tactical consideration. Some hidden references were revised—for example, Erasmus’s residence now refers to The Dagger of Amon Ra rather than King's Quest IV. Notably, the treasure chamber within the troll cave was removed.

Corey Cole attributes the design of this remake and Quest for Glory III: Wages of War—which was developed simultaneously—to Lori Cole. The artwork featured on the remake’s box cover takes its inspiration from the renowned depiction of Saint George and the Dragon.