Eye of the Beholder

RPG 1991 Dos Dosbox Westwood Fantasy First person

Classic dungeon crawling thrills

This is an early example of the 3D dungeon crawler and which is set in the world of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, making use of the 2nd edition ruleset. It's a pretty standard entry into the genre, similar to the likes of Dungeon Master and Stonekeep, but which stands up well thanks to the fact that most of its elements are implemented well enough so that any faults, such as lack of originality, can be overlooked. The story revolves around that old fantasy fallback, a mysterious horror that lurks in the darkness and which can only be defeated by a bold party of adventurers. Controlling this party, which initially consists of four members but which can added to later, of course falls to the player and in typical fashion, you explore murky sewers and dungeons, battling monsters with both magic and more conventional weapons while also solving the occasional puzzle. It's all pretty standard stuff but as far as these things go, Eye of the Beholder remains a top-notch experience. The exploration is suitably compelling, with a genuine sense of dread and the unknown as you venture into uncharted territory, while the real-time combat is satisfying and exciting, with some excellent monsters to battle and neat spells to unleash. The visuals do a great job of bringing AD&D to life and the game is full of well-designed and varied dungeons that really keep your interest and ensure you are always keen to progress. Sound too is similarly impressive, while factors like the ability to add members to your party and the enhanced interactivity also add some strong appeal, making Eye of the Beholder a game which might lack originality but which is eminently playable. The first sequel, Eye of the Beholder 2, continues with the same high standards but Eye of the Beholder 3 lets the franchise down somewhat.

A typical dungeon crawl with good vareity

Role game which is played form the perspective of first person and involves a lot of fun aspects. Starting with the plot of the game. The city of Waterdeep is under the threat of evil which is really powerful. The evil is actually threatening from the underground of the city which is filled with a variety of traps and monsters. The Lords of the city have called upon a group of people who will play as the heroes to save it from the evil. As soon as the heroes enter the underground dungeons in the game, the entrance is trapped by the evil and the rest is action, puzzles and adventure. Talking about the puzzles, they are quite logical and competitive and you have to be good with your decisions and reflexes to make the best out of them. All the spell casting and the combat in the game happen in real time and that is great fun factor for me. The variety of collectable items in the game are very good and the variety of moves that you can do are also great. The graphics are well suited for a dungeon crawl theme and the level designs are expansive and unique. Its sequel Eye of the Beholder 2 carries forward the fun and the gameplay and is also a very good recommendation.

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