Developer: Zippo Games Publisher: Acclaim Released: March 1992 Genre: Action-Adventure
When it comes down to it I don’t know if I can honestly say I ever liked the Wizards & Warriors series. I have fond memories of the first game but I was about 8 or 9; I would play any game you put in front of me. But at its core it was still average game that had its moments. Ironsword did nothing to correct the first game’s flaws and instead added even more. That brings us to Wizards & Warriors iii, which presents a radical shift in gameplay. But the question is, is it any better for it?
After defeating Malkil atop Ice Fire Mountain Kuros thinks he is victorious. But the villain’s spirit lives on, blasting him with magic and causing him to lose his memory. Malkil travels to the town of Piedup and possesses its king, effectively becoming their ruler. After months of aimless wandering Kuros stumbles into Piedup and must now regain his lost strength to stop his nemesis once and for all.
Rather than the level by level structure of prior games Visions of Power adapts a nonlinear format. The entire city of Piedup is yours to explore for gold and items. Piedup is divided into 3 distinct parts, the town, the underworld and the castle. The goal of the game is to reach the top of the castle and face Malkil but doing so is easier said than done. Technically there is no set path to the end but. To achieve your goal you will need to join the various guilds and pass their tests to gain the skills needed to fully explore Piedup. This aspect makes up the majority of the game.
You won’t amass an inventory of secondary items like the first game but the class change system is a good replacement. The Knight, Thief, and Wizard classes become available after you’ve found the bronze, silver, and gold statues required to undergo their respective test. These tests are increasingly challenging platform sessions that end in a boss battle to prove your worth. Failure only results in a slight loss of health before you can try again.
Each class has 3 levels with each serving a particular purpose. A level one thief can sneak past bodyguards; at level 2 you have a crowbar that can open locked windows (different from locked rooms); at the final level you are granted a skeleton key which unlocks everything. Wizards move the slowest but have the highest jump along with magic that can defeat certain enemies. Truthfully the wizard forms are not for combat; a level two wizard only has a force field needed to pass through waterfalls. That’s it. Level 3 allows you to levitate at the expense of offensive magic, making almost the entire map accessible. The Knight class is the primary ass kicker, arming you with a short sword, throwing axe, and finally a long sword that shoots fireballs.
Wizards & Warriors III succeeds at giving you a giant playground to explore. But it does everything in its power to dissuade you from wanting to play it. Piedup is a huge city but there’s no map. There are many areas you’ll have to save for a later class like Metroid. Trying to keep track of it all let alone how to backtrack is a pain in the ass. The guild statues need to be brought back to the corresponding level to take that particular test. While the first few are within earshot you’ll soon have to travel a considerable distance to match them up. You will need the various class skills to save the three princesses for their gems and defeat a dragon for the gems needed to reach Malkil. This is the main goal of the game but it offers the vaguest hints as to their whereabouts.
I’ve had issues with the terrible combat of the prior games. Wizards & Warriors III addresses it by featuring very little action. Most enemies can and should be avoided completely. As a matter of fact with the right attire for the area enemies won’t attack you at all! Kuros still flails about like an idiot when attacking but at least you won’t have to do it much. About 90% of the game is platforming and the controls, while slippery, facilitate that.
Possibly the biggest mistake made with Wizards & Warriors III is the absence of any means to save progress. You get 3 lives with the occasional 1-up and that’s it which is ridiculous. This is not a short or easy game by any means; even if you know exactly where every important item is it will still take a few hours to complete provided you don’t die along the way. The lack of any passwords or battery back-up ranks up there as one of the most glaring omissions in gaming history, right up there with Battletoads and the SNES version of Jurassic Park.
In Closing
Wizards & Warriors III has the framework of a good adventure but botches the execution. The lack of any save functionality, even continues, hurts the game tremendously. The game’s tumultuous development ruins what could have been a solid game. This could have and should have been a better game.
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