Quest for Glory III: Wages of War

Quest for Glory III: Wages of War

Company type	Video game
Industry	Video games
Predecessor	Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire
Founded	1992
Founder	Lori Cole, Corey Cole
Successor	Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Lori Cole, Corey Cole
Products	Quest for Glory III: Wages of War
Owner	Sierra Entertainment
Parent	Sierra Entertainment

Quest for Glory III: Wages of War is a 1992 release blending adventure and role-playing genres, designed for MS-DOS. It represents the third installment in the Quest for Glory franchise and continues the narrative from Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire.

Although Quest for Glory II suggested the possible comeback of Ad Avis, the Coles chose a different narrative path to appeal to a wider player base, steering away from darker themes. Consequently, Quest for Glory III: Wages of War was created, only alluding to Ad Avis’s storyline, which was fully explored later in Shadows of Darkness, the series’ fourth chapter.

This title was eventually reissued on Steam, now compatible with Windows operating systems.

Plot

The Paladin Rakeesh escorts the Hero (the Prince of Shapeir), accompanied by Uhura and her child Simba, to Tarna, a city located within Fricana—a region characterized by jungle and savannah landscapes inspired by central African environments. Fricana is home to Liontaurs, creatures that are part human and part lion.

Tarna stands on the brink of war as Uhura’s Simbani tribe and the Leopardmen each hold sacred artifacts stolen from one another and refuse to return them. The Hero’s mission is to avert this war and ultimately face a demonic threat endangering the world.

By earning acceptance into both tribes, the Hero unites them to battle the demon wizard. Following their triumph, the Hero vanishes mysteriously into darkness.

Gameplay

Players can choose among three primary character classes: Warrior, Magic User, and Thief. Additionally, a concealed Paladin class becomes available by importing a character recognized as honorable from the previous game. Any saved character imported as a Paladin retains all previously acquired skills, allowing unique cross-class combinations such as integrating Paladin abilities with Magic User spells without incurring penalties.

The Fighter class is given particular focus in Wages of War, gaining exclusive access to the Trials of Simbani quests. Magic Users encounter antagonism and have a limited side mission involving the creation of a magical staff, whereas Thieves engage in two class-specific scenarios that highlight their unique talents.

Departing from earlier entries, Quest for Glory III introduces an overworld map showcasing major cities and landmarks instead of using interconnected screens. Traveling across this map triggers random enemy encounters that require either combat or evasion. Time advances rapidly during travel, increasing encounter rates—though stealthy Thieves experience fewer confrontations. Some encounters are non-hostile or beneficial, such as meeting the Awful Waffle Walker who prevents starvation or Arne the Aardvark who provides helpful hints.

Development

Created with Sierra's SCI1 engine (Version 1), Wages of War marked the series’ first use of VGA graphics, establishing a visual benchmark for future titles. The user interface transitioned from a text parser to mouse-driven point-and-click mechanics.

Corey Cole attributes "90% of the design work" on Quest for Glory III to Lori Cole, who developed it simultaneously while overseeing the VGA remake of Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero.

A programming error prevents players from achieving a perfect score, and an early-game bug can make it impossible to complete if a critical event is missed.

Corey Cole disclosed that the development budget for this game was $750,000.

Reception

The transition from a text parser to a point-and-click system in this installment elicited varied responses from fans and is frequently regarded as a rather conventional approach.

Computer Gaming World commended Quest for Glory III for its "exotic and captivating setting," "lavish" VGA visuals, and musical score, describing it as "another outstanding creation from the innovative team at Sierra," while raising expectations for the following installment. In 1993, the game received a perfect 5-star rating from Dragon.

Jim Trunzo, writing for White Wolf issue #34, awarded the title 4 out of 5 stars, noting enhancements in artwork, audio, interface responsiveness, and narrative immersion, yet remained optimistic that Sierra could deliver an even stronger sequel.

In 1994, PC Gamer US placed it at number 28 on their list of the greatest computer games ever made, praising its tightly constructed storyline, striking graphics, and exceptional soundtrack as prime examples of the adventure genre. Neil J. Rubenking of PC Mag described it as an ideal fusion of role-playing and adventure elements, valuing the character-driven humor that balanced the combat sequences.

Retrospective reviews

Michael Baker from RPGamer rated the game 3 out of 5 stars, criticizing its combat mechanics and suggesting that the VGA graphics did not surpass the effectiveness of the earlier EGA version. Richard Cobbett of PC Gamer characterized it as somewhat of a filler title within the series.