Ishar Series

[mondblut]

Dungeon Master and Chaos Strikes Back.

I meant gameplay as RPG gameplay.

 

[Melan]

They look a lot better than they play: the graphics were breath-taking in their time and still has its charm, but the extra mechanics they added to the basic EoB/DM recipe either did not do anything or did not work well. In hindsight, they are perfect examples of stlye over substance. Mind you, a great style, and even the black cardboard boxes the games were sold in were great for storing random crap.

 

[Erebus]

I only wish they had kept the tb combat from Crystals of Arborea.

Crystals of Arborea had more interesting combat, but the rest of the game was pretty lame.

 

[Morkar Left]

I only wish they had kept the tb combat from Crystals of Arborea.

Crystals of Arborea had more interesting combat, but the rest of the game was pretty lame.

Indeed. I guess it has some merit as baby's first rpg but otherwise pretty boring.

 

[Galdred]

Aargh, I finally got it on Gog. I spent a lot of time on it as a teenager, on my STe. Without the load times, the game plays pretty quickly. The UI and combat are retarded, but for some strange reason, I cannot stop myself replaying (even though I don't really like blobbers). I got my saves wiped out when my sister overwrote my floppy with lemmings saves, so I could not finish Ishar 1 (and Ishar 3 loading times on a STe were really driving me insane, so I only finished the second one).

Overall, I liked the atmosphere, and the recruitment process : I was much more excited after recruiting my two chaos warriors than I ever was recruiting any "NPC with a rich backstory and romance options". They really radiated coolness (and had über stats), and many other characters had this effect too. I think I remembered my party characteristics better than in any of the Bioware games (or even Fallout or Arcanum for that matter, but as the companions were borderline liabilities in combat, that is not too surprising).

 

[OndrejSc]

 

[Lhynn]

Thanks, I tried serch-function but it claimed it couldn't find anything.

I think i have a clue as to why it didnt work.

 

[Melan]

OndrejSc Beautiful cover - and the simple black cardboard box inside is among the best simple black cardboard boxes. Very sturdy stuff. I used mine to lug around RPG miniatures for several years.

 

[Naraya]

Nostalgia rush right there. This reminds me, next time I'm at my parents' I'll grab my M&M World of Xeen box from the attic

 

[OndrejSc]

I just noticed the box front sticker advertising "VGA 526 COLOURS" - what they probably meant to say is 256.

 

[OndrejSc]

 

[Naraya]

^ obvious decline, only 256 colours!

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

^ obvious decline, only 256 colours!

256 colors can be enough.

 

[Shinji]

Ishar II cover art was made by the Brothers Hildebrandt, the same guys that did a lot of LOTR art:
https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,54537/

 

[urbi_zg]

Hello

Is there anyone in this forum who has finished all parts of the ishar game ?

 

[Agame]

Ok do you mean Ishar 1? Or all 3 games?

 

[urbi_zg]

All 3 games.

 

[Shinji]

I was playing the first one some years ago, up to the point I got to that cabin that kills one of your companions. I don't remember why I didn't finish it, but I remember it was a fun game. At first having to spend money to save was tricky, but later on I had so much money that it wasn't an issue anymore -- the gold hidden in the bushes near the beginning area also helped a lot.

The second one I played until I arrived in that port town.

What I really like the most is the atmosphere they've managed to convey. In the first one the only sound you hear is of howling wind, and it really gives you a feeling of isolation -- much like Myst, ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. The second one has a really good soundtrack too.

 

[Brozef]

I remember buying them back in the day due to the box art and the great graphics, but bounced off pretty hard. Can only remember, taht I found them incredibly slow. Dont't know why really, since I never had that problem with other blobbers.

And didn't the Amiga version have sound assets that where absent on PC?

 

[Agame]

What I really like the most is the atmosphere they've managed to convey. In the first one the only sound you hear is of howling wind, and it really gives you a feeling of isolation -- much like Myst, ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. The second one has a really good soundtrack too.

2nd and 3rd game have beautiful graphics, 1st one is a little bland but still has that great atmosphere as you say.

I have finished Ishar 1 & 2, and I think 3 tho I cant remember now if I did get right to the end, 3 has a particularly bizarre plot involving time travel, so the doorways to new levels open up in random places at specific times... I would HIGHLY recommend using a walkthrough for this one if you genuinely want to beat it without going crazy.

The reason I love this series is because it captures the mood of classic Sword & Sorcery, specifically Robert E Howards stories where Conan is alone in the wilderness. It creates the feeling of being alone and lost in an alien, hostile landscape. And the almost complete lack of plot and dialogue with other characters actually enhances this feeling.

 

[Micormic]

Played them since they're some of the only French rpg's.


They sucked.

2 >>> 3 >>>1 for different reasons.

 

[FritzedProcess]

I remember playing all of these (including their predecessor, Crystals of Arborea) in the early and mid 90s, and robbing the bank, I think that was on Ishar 3. The guards were hard as fuck but wouldn't respawn, so you could easily spawn some spell to kill them at a distance, rest, rinse and repeat. Used the proceeds to equip the whole team with the good stuff, including some Chaos armor.

Potion crafting was a major PITA if you didn't have the manual at hand, as it listed the recipes.

Silmarils made some of the best looking games of its time, IMO (some if the hardest, too). Their graphics style had a haunting quality. Anyway, it's not an Ishar game, but do try Transarctica (a videogame adaptation of the "Ice Company" novels) from these guys.

 

[OndrejSc]

 

[Arrowgrab]

Silmarils made some of the best looking games of its time, IMO (some if the hardest, too). Their graphics style had a haunting quality. Anyway, it's not an Ishar game, but do try Transarctica (a videogame adaptation of the "Ice Company" novels) from these guys.

Didn't know Transarctica was based on a novel series, have an Informative!

 

[OndrejSc]

Fun fact: Ishar is french pronunciation of "I shart", the t is silent..