Shameen and Shema
| Company type | Video game series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder | Corey and Lori Ann Cole |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Corey Cole, Lori Ann Cole |
| Products | Quest for Glory series (five hybrid adventure and role-playing games) |
| Owner | Sierra On-Line |
| Parent | Sierra On-Line |
Quest for Glory is a collection of hybrid adventure and role-playing video games created by Corey and Lori Ann Cole. Produced and distributed by Sierra On-Line, the series was developed using the proprietary Sierra Creative Interpreter, a specialized engine for crafting adventure games. It merges elements of humor, challenging puzzles, and motifs inspired by various myths, resulting in a unique quintet of titles within Sierra's lineup.
Initially known as Hero's Quest, the franchise was renamed Quest for Glory after Sierra was unable to secure a trademark for the original name. The Milton Bradley Company held the trademark rights to an unrelated electronic adaptation of their collaborative Games Workshop board game, HeroQuest, compelling Sierra to adopt a new title for all subsequent editions.
Series
Lori Cole introduced Quest for Glory to Sierra as an immersive, story-rich role-playing adventure.
Consisting of five installments, each game continues the overarching narrative from its predecessor. Characters frequently reappear across titles, creating continuity. The gameplay centers on transforming the player’s avatar from a novice adventurer into a hero by completing quests that are not strictly linear.
A groundbreaking feature of the series is its character import system, which enables players to transfer their character’s skills and possessions from one game to the next.
By combining adventure gameplay with role-playing mechanics, the series delivers serious storytelling enhanced with wit and clever dialogue. Common features include crafting dispel potions in most games and numerous hidden references to other Sierra productions.
Each entry draws inspiration from diverse mythological and cultural backgrounds—ranging from Germanic fairy tales to Middle Eastern Arabian Nights, Egyptian-African lore, Slavic myths, and Greco-Mediterranean traditions—while introducing progressively tougher foes and recurring figures. The series deliberately incorporates anachronisms and playful deviations from strict cultural accuracy, such as pizza-loving eccentric scientists.
Among CRPG fans, Quest for Glory is celebrated for its open-ended gameplay and inventive systems like day-night cycles, NPC routines, and skill-based character advancement. It is acknowledged by outlets such as Polygon and Kotaku as a forerunner to contemporary RPGs. Fraser Brown of Destructoid described it as "one of the greatest adventure series of all time."
Rowan Kaizer from Engadget attributes the franchise’s success to its hybrid adventure-RPG design, emphasizing how skill checks allow players to tackle obstacles through practice or exploration instead of relying solely on obscure inventory puzzles.
Gameplay
The initial four titles blend adventure and role-playing with real-time combat mechanics; the fifth installment transitions into an action RPG format.
Following Sierra’s adventure game conventions, players select from three classic RPG classes: fighter, magic-user/wizard, or thief. Skill customization across these classes permits creating distinctive "hybrid characters." Through honorable conduct in the second or third games, players can become a Paladin, unlocking new powers and wielding a unique sword. Character data can be transferred between games (except for Dragon Fire), preserving statistics and some inventory items; paladin abilities and weapons persist except in Shadows of Darkness, where items reset at the start. Importing characters allows class changes, including switching to Paladin.
Each class features particular strengths, vulnerabilities, and exclusive scenarios. Many puzzles offer multiple solutions tailored to class-specific skills, encouraging repeated playthroughs. For instance, a locked door might be forced open by a fighter’s strength, picked by a thief’s dexterity, or unlocked via magic by a wizard. Early in the first game, retrieving a golden ring from a tree varies by class: fighters throw stones to dislodge it, thieves climb up to grab it directly, while magic users cast spells to obtain it. Only thieves can sell this ring within their guild; other classes lack this option. Across multiple titles, players can develop characters proficient in all skills despite some tasks remaining exclusive to certain classes.
Classes possess unique abilities alongside shared attributes that improve through completing quests and performing actions. Maximum attribute values increase with each successive game (calculated as 100 times the game number). In Quest for Glory V, players can earn bonuses exceeding standard limits and equip gear that modifies stats dynamically. At each game's outset, attribute points are assigned; some classes have limitations on certain attributes but may purchase others at additional cost.
General attributes influence interactions with characters and objects; for example, strength allows moving heavy items while communication skills facilitate negotiation. Attributes enhance through related activities—for instance, climbing skill improves by climbing frequently; running boosts vitality. Class-specific proficiencies include parrying for fighters/paladins, lock picking and stealth for thieves, and spellcasting for magic users.
Vital statistics decrease with use: health (derived from strength and vitality) represents hit points; stamina (based on agility and vitality) governs how long actions can continue before rest is necessary; mana (linked to intelligence and magic) fuels spellcasting for magic users.
Player progress is tracked via puzzle points and experience points; in the first installment, experience levels affect random encounters by unlocking more challenging monsters at higher levels.
Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero
Within the Spielburg valley barony, the ogress Baba Yaga has placed a curse on the land and its ruler. The baron's offspring have disappeared, and the area is overrun by monsters. The Valley of Spielburg urgently needs a Hero to address these troubles.
The original title debuted in 1989, followed by a VGA remake released in 1992.
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire
Taking place in Shapeir, located in Gloriana, Quest for Glory II continues the Hero’s adventure from Spielburg. Accompanied by Abdulla Doo, Shameen, and Shema aboard a flying carpet, the Hero battles elemental magic threatening Shapeir. At the same time, Emir Arus al-Din is missing, leaving his city Raseir under oppressive rule.
This chapter was developed using Sierra's EGA graphics engine but later received a VGA fan remake in 2008 by AGD Interactive utilizing the Adventure Game Studio engine.
Quest for Glory III: Wages of War
Paladin Rakeesh escorts the Hero and companions Uhura and Simba to Tarna, a jungle-savannah region inspired by central African landscapes. Tarna is on the brink of war between the Simbani tribe and the Leopardmen, each faction possessing a sacred artifact stolen from the other. The Hero must avert this conflict and confront a demon threatening worldwide devastation.
Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness
Suddenly stranded without gear in Mordavia’s hazardous Dark One Caves, the Hero must survive undead dangers and defeat an ominous force intent on casting eternal darkness across the world.
Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire
Set in Silmaria, a kingdom reminiscent of ancient Greece where the king has recently been assassinated, the Hero enters the Rites of Rulership to claim sovereignty. With assistance from Erasmus, Rakeesh, and familiar allies, the Hero faces competitors such as guard Kokeeno Pookameeso, warlord Magnum Opus, Gort, and Elsa Von Spielburg.
Collections
- Quest for Glory Anthology (1996) comprises the first four titles including the fully patched CD edition of QFG IV; copy protection details appear both in the manual and on the CD, with saved games located within the save folder alongside the VGA version of Quest for Glory I.
- Quest for Glory Collection Series (1997) reissued the Anthology and added a Dragon Fire demo plus a sample soundtrack.
- Quest for Glory 1–5 (2012) is a digital compilation available on GOG.com and Steam, featuring all five games along with both EGA and VGA versions of QFG1.
Original concept
The series was originally conceived as a tetralogy centered on four cardinal directions, classical elements, seasons, and mythological themes:
| Game | Cardinal Direction |
Central Element |
Season | Central Mythology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero | North | Earth | Spring | Germanic |
| Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire | South | Fire | Summer | Middle Eastern |
| Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness | East | Air | Fall | Slavic |
| Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire | West | Water | Winter | Greek |
To fill the narrative gap between Trial by Fire and the more demanding Shadows of Darkness, developers introduced Wages of War, expanding the series to five installments and adjusting their numbering accordingly.
Corey and Lori Cole described how these unifying motifs—seasons, elements, directions—symbolize the Hero’s evolution from youth in spring (the initial game) to maturity by winter (the concluding game). The first two entries establish this growth: So You Want to Be a Hero offers a lighthearted medieval German setting while Trial by Fire escalates complexity within an Arabian backdrop.
The inclusion of Wages of War was motivated by preparing the Hero for the solitary challenges encountered in Transylvania's Shadows of Darkness. Lori explained that unlike prior games where companions and safe zones were available, Shadows of Darkness emphasizes isolation and suspicion. Therefore, Wages of War acts as a transitional episode where support wanes before facing ultimate trials alone.
This narrative approach ensured a unified saga featuring clear character progression aligned with increasing gameplay difficulty and thematic richness.
Characters
Key figures recurring throughout the series include Rakeesh Sah Tarna, Baba Yaga, Abdullah Doo, Elsa von Spielburg, along with the primary villain Ad Avis.
World
The Quest for Glory series unfolds in a variety of settings influenced by mythologies from around the world: Spielburg draws from Germanic and Norse traditions, Shapeir is inspired by Arabian Nights, Tarna reflects African—particularly Egyptian—culture, Mordavia is based on Slavic folklore, and Silmaria incorporates Greek mythology. The games weave local myths into their storylines while occasionally featuring characters like Baba Yaga outside their usual Eastern European origins.