Right out of the gate, Wizards and Warriors seems like just another RPG. We have all seen them come and go, and we wonder if they will ever come out with something new.

Well, to be perfectly honest, if you are looking for ground breaking, innovative role playing, this one won't do it.

However, if you are looking for a solid RPG, delivering a good sample of what already is out there, then this one is definitely worth a look.

The original quest you are given is to find the Mavin sword, a blade forged of twin metals, one good and one evil. This leads you into a VERY complex quest with tons of side quests that have little to do with the main story, but are important if you want to advance your characters. This brings up an interesting side note on this game; your characters start out as warriors or rogues etc., but as you gain experience and join a guild, you are given the option of progressing into another class of character. Each progression requires a quest to go on, giving the game a few diversions that can either give you a welcome break from the main quest or frustrate you with the level of unrelated tasks you are asked to go through.

The game is not without its flaws though. One bug for example, when you try to pick something up off the ground, your characters do an odd little Irish jig in order to get to the object you want, and often they will dance until you click the mouse. This is frustrating after a while, though no real detraction from the game.

The graphics are nothing special, looking more like a cartoon than anything that might be realistic, and this for me is a bit of a let down.

On the plus side, the characters you meet are interesting, and often the plot twists are surprising and entertaining.

Over all, this game is worth a look certainly, but if your budget is limited, you may want to aim your dollars at another target. Odds of hitting the bulls-eye will increase if you look at Baldur's Gate II or Icewind Dale.

by Galen