It’s a difficult task to create and sell a competent and accurate recreation of the D&D rulebooks. After putting together a game based on the complex set of guidelines for combat, character creation, and equipment usage, among other things, one then has to sell what amounts to a turn based system to a gaming community that seems to be demanding a faster action level and a quickened pace. The most popular games in the genre tend towards skewed and warped versions of the D&D laws, such as Baulder’s Gate and its “sort of, but not quite” turn based approach to combat. The Temple of Elemental Evil, developed by Troika Games, aims for the pure blood RPGers amongst us, adhering to a strict interpretation of the D&D 3.5 rule set, and a clean, solid graphical presentation. Accompanied by a roughly 175 page manual, Elemental Evil does a decent job of presenting an incredibly complex world of rules in such a way that the average human being doesn’t get too lost in the details. Beautiful to look at, fun to play, Elemental Evil is atmospheric and capable of dragging you under for longer periods of time than you meant to be taken down, despite a few flaws in design. While difficult, and lacking any resemblance to mercy for the poorly skilled, a good night in the dungeons of this game will send chills up your spine.​