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Today we present to you a major work by the editorial staff of the magazine "SPECTROFON," dedicated to one of the most beloved games of computer fans - "HERO QUEST." This typical role-playing game has recently seen an interesting sequel, which was immediately named "HERO QUEST-2." Although, in general, the second part is simply ten new interesting quests for our heroes.
Recently, we learned that a third series of adventures for our heroes is being prepared (or is it already ready?). But let's take it step by step. Read the expert analysis of the game "HERO QUEST."
Dmitry Usmanov.
HERO QUEST
"Hasbro Bradley Limited" in collaboration with "Games Workshop Computer Software" GREMLIN GRAPHICS"
A long time ago, when the continents had not yet been torn apart by the Cataclysm, when the air was fresh and not polluted by the smoke of machines and factories, when the forces of chaos and order fought among themselves for possession of the Earth, there existed an Empire.
From the capital at the peak of Power, the Emperor ruled his land, striving to prevent the forces of Chaos from entering the Earth.
The people lived, not worrying about such great problems - peasants cultivated the land, fearing raids by barbarians, wizards tried to comprehend the powers of white and black magic. Dwarves in the mountains smelted metals and quarreled with gnomes, who mined precious stones. In the forests, there also lived a small folk - merry elves and terrible trolls. If you head east, you will inevitably find yourself in the enchanted forest, behind which loom the Black Mountains: a monument to the battle between the Lord of Chaos - Morcar, and the great Emperor Agraim. These mountains are filled with orcs and their minions - goblins. Far to the south, the castles of dark sorcerers loom, where, according to rumors, countless treasures are guarded by living dead.
One day the Emperor announced his decision to recruit a small team for his needs to carry out complex tasks.
After a strict selection, the team included:
BARBARIAN - SIGMAR
Sigmar was born in a tribe of barbarians on the plains of the South. The God gifted him with mighty muscles, quick reflexes, and endurance, but he was not generous with intellect. However, Sigmar is not at all worried that even a stupid orc might outsmart him, for if it comes to that, Sigmar will slice any orc in half with his sword.
DWARF - GRUGNI
Grugni belongs to the race of dwarves who live in the Iron Hills. From an early age, he began to show interest in all sorts of castles and mechanisms. Having studied all the devices owned by dwarves and gnomes, Grugni ran away from his tribe to seek knowledge on the surface. After long wanderings, he mastered both the toolset and the battle axe perfectly.
ELF - LADRIL
Ladril, son of the king of elves from the western forest, received a complete education befitting a prince - manners, magic, swordsmanship with the elves' narrow sword... But life at court bored him, and as soon as he heard of the Emperor's order, without warning anyone, he left to seek his fortune in the capital of the Empire.
WIZARD - ZOLTAN
Zoltan is a young, talented wizard, who, despite his age, was initiated into the rank of a second-level white mage. His rapid advancement in magic caused other, more powerful wizards to lose sleep, and one fine day Zoltan received an order from the supreme mage to join the team being recruited by the Emperor as a wizard. The young sorcerer understood perfectly that this order was merely a way to settle scores with him once and for all, but he did not dare to oppose the will of the chief mage and set off on his journey.
So, before you is a wonderful version of a game in the genre of R.P.G. (Role Playing Game) - the program "HEROQUEST 1,2". The title of the game can be translated as "Heroic Feats"; it is feats that you will have to accomplish at the behest of the Emperor in twenty-four missions that make up the two parts of the game.
After loading the game, you will see the main menu:
PLAY GAME - START GAME
BUY EQUIPMENT - PURCHASE EQUIPMENT
CREATE CHARACTERS - CREATE CHARACTERS
SET CONTROL - SET CONTROL
CREDITS - AUTHORS' NAMES
Navigate through the menu using the "up" / "down" keys. (Initially, control is set from the keys: "up" - "O", "down" - "K", "left" - "Z", "right" - "X", "select" - "SPACE".
The "CREDITS" option exists only in HEROQUEST - 1, and you will not see any authors' names there, but you will be able to read the hacker's pseudonym who cracked this program.
Choosing "SET CONTROL," you will find yourself in the game settings menu:
1. KEMPSTON ON/OFF
2. MUSIC ON/OFF
3. CHANGE SCRIPT
0. EXIT
By pressing "1," you can connect to the "Kempston Joystick" control survey, but it will only start working after you begin the game, and before that, you will have to navigate through several menus using the keyboard.
Since the loading of the 128th version of the program, music has been playing continuously from the speakers for the music board. But after a few hours of gameplay, this melody starts to get annoying, and for some time now, I have been turning it off with key "2", especially since the effects replacing the musical accompaniment perfectly complement the action on the screen.
By pressing "3," you can replace the beautiful but hard-to-read font with a simple one used by the standard character generator of the Spectrum. I recommend you use this font, as it makes it easier to understand the quickly appearing messages on the screen (only for 128 kilobytes).
"0" - exit from the menu.
BUY EQUIPMENT - in this mode, you can buy equipment for your heroes with the money earned during missions.
First, by pressing the "down" key, you select the character you want to purchase something for. If he already has any equipment, it will be highlighted on the right. At the bottom is a table with prices for weapons (left column) and armor (right column). You can choose:
WEAPON - WEAPONS:
STAFF - staff
SHORT SWORD - short sword
BROAD SWORD - broadsword
BATTLE AXE - halberd
CROSSBOW - crossbow
HAND AXE - hand axe
SPEAR - spear
Weapons enhance attack power, and the crossbow can only be used at a distance. The hand axe or spear can be used in close combat, or thrown at the enemy. (In this case, they will be irrevocably lost).
ARMOUR - ARMOR:
SHIELD - shield
HELMET - helmet
CHAIN MAIL - chainmail
ARMOUR - plate armor
Armor helps to deflect enemy blows.
The dwarf starts with a toolkit (TOOLKIT), which is indispensable for disarming traps and debris; the others can also acquire it over time, if, of course, their financial situation allows.
You can find out how many gold coins this hero has by looking at the image of a wallet at the bottom right.
END - exit from the menu.
CREATE CHARACTER - Entering this submenu, you can save to disk or load the characteristics of the game heroes, as well as change their names at your discretion.
To change a character's characteristic, point the cursor at him with the "down" key. The "right" key can change his status - "alive" / "dead". In this way, you can resurrect fallen heroes, but all their equipment, money, and experience will be lost.
By pressing "select," you will enter the menu:
NAME PLAYER
LOAD
SAVE
NAME PLAYER - this option allows you to give the hero a name at your discretion, choosing letters of the Latin alphabet with the "left" and "right" keys.
LOAD - load the hero's characteristics. A disk access menu will appear. You can load up to five independent characteristics with the keys "1"-"5". If there is a failure during disk operations, the program will emit a sound signal.
SAVE - record the hero's state to disk. You can make up to five recordings. In my opinion, this is more than enough, as you will realistically only need to use one file. The state of the heroes is unloaded into a separate file. Each character should be recorded separately.
PLAY GAME - start the game. But first, you will be asked to choose magic for the wizard and the elf. Magic is divided into four groups by elements - air, fire, earth, and water. Each group includes three spells:
1. AIR SPELLS - AIR SPELLS
1.1. GENIE - after casting this spell, a genie attacks the enemy and takes one health point.
1.2. TEMPEST - the character affected by the storm cannot move until it subsides (one turn).
1.3. SWIFT WIND - a tailwind helps the character and doubles the number of his steps in one turn.
2. FIRE SPELLS - FIRE SPELLS
2.1. COURAGE - helps deal with strong opponents by increasing attack power.
2.2. FIRE OF WRATH - burns the victim, taking one health point.
2.3. BALL OF FLAME - the action is similar to the previous one, but the power of this spell is slightly greater.
3. EARTH SPELLS - EARTH SPELLS
3.1. ROCK SKIN - the character affected by this spell temporarily becomes able to withstand monster blows without harm.
3.2. HEAL BODY - restores 4-5 health points to the hero it was directed at.
3.3. PASS THROUGH ROCK - a very effective spell that allows one to pass through a wall once. Not all walls can be traversed with this spell, so I advise you to only pass into visible rooms; otherwise, you might, after passing into the neighboring screen, have to fight your way through the entire maze.
4. WATER SPELLS - WATER SPELLS
4.1. SLEEP - this spell puts the character to sleep for about seven to ten turns. During these turns, he cannot move.
4.2. VEIL OF MIST - if you surround the hero with this veil, he will become invisible to the enemy for one turn and they will not be able to attack him.
4.3. WATER OF HEALING - adds three to four health points to the character's health indicator.
Spells can be used only once. Those spells that activate only under certain conditions (for example, "pass through rock" will only work when trying to enter a wall) can be used either immediately after casting or in the next turn.
First, you must choose the first element for the wizard's spells, then another one for the elf (switching elements with the "right" key). The remaining two elements go to the sorcerer.
After selecting magic, you will see a list of missions that need to be completed. By pressing the "down" key, select a mission and confirm your choice by pressing "fire." I strongly recommend that you go through all the missions sequentially, one after another, as they are interconnected by meaning and gradually increase in difficulty. Try, for example, to start from scratch and complete the last mission of the second "HEROQUEST"... (A recommendation for lovers of quick but painful death).
So, you have chosen one of the missions. The Emperor's advisor, the sage Grokul, will tell you about the latest events in the country and what you need to do now. (The translation of these instructions is given at the end of the description, and in the game, it is displayed only in 128 kilobyte mode.) Press "select," and you will begin the game.
Before you appears one of the rooms of the maze in three-dimensional imagery, and if you have the 128 version of the game, you will see the sage Grokul himself watching you from his cell in the palace. But he will not be able to help you; the heroes must rely only on their own strength.
On the screen, you see the first character from the team - the barbarian (BARBARIAN). His image is flashing, and in the upper left corner, the number of steps changes very quickly, next to the image of the foot. While these values are changing, you can change the control by pressing "select" on the keyboard, left or right Sinclair joystick, or on the Kempston joystick. This wonderful feature of the program allows you to play with four players, controlling each hero from their joystick. (By the way, try playing this way - it greatly intensifies the game due to the lack of coordinated actions and competition between characters).
By pressing "select," you will fix the number of steps that this hero can take in this turn. After doing this, you can calmly look around:
In the upper left corner of the screen is a block of informational messages about this character: his name on a small flag, with the barbarian having a purple flag, the dwarf a blue one, the elf a red one, and the wizard a green one. Below it is a heart - this is the health indicator; if it reaches zero, the character will die. A question mark next to it indicates the amount of intelligence; a symbolic image of a wallet below indicates the hero's financial status. Below the wallet is a footprint - this, as I mentioned, is the number of steps.
In the center of the screen is a cursor in the form of an arrow, with which you can control the characters, using the icons below:
A key in a keyhole - this icon allows you to open closed doors in the maze. In principle, you can pass through a door just by pointing the arrow at it, but then there is a danger that you, unprepared, will burst into a room with several monsters. Opening the door, you will see what is behind it (unless it is a magical door).
You can see the room behind the door, as well as the entire maze, by selecting the map icon. You will see paths marked in yellow available to your heroes' sight; the rest of the maze is filled with black. If you look closely at the outline of the black area, you will see numerous protrusions and depressions on it - these are possible branches and forks.
Two small protruding dashes indicate closed doors. The map also schematically indicates objects in the environment and creatures inhabiting the maze.
You can read their names by pointing the arrow at them. However, you will not read anything about some of the things indicated on the map (for example, about the dead fog). By the way, about the objects in the environment: you can find something useful in chests, cabinets, and buffets, and the weapons storage sometimes allows you to find something useful. Be careful; chests often contain traps in addition to treasures - they need to be disarmed. Exiting the map mode - with the "select" key.
The character moves very simply - just point the arrow to the destination, which must be on the same line as the hero, and he will go there until the steps run out.
It should be noted that if you have already given the hero an order to follow to a certain place, you cannot change anything while he is moving.
For more precise movements, you can use the arrow icons. When you select one of them, the character takes a step in the corresponding direction.
The halls of the maze are guarded by a whole army of monsters - here you will find zombies, animated skeletons, stone orcs, and disgusting goblins, mummies, and one-eyed fimirs - evil servants of chaos guarding higher-ranking beings - warriors, spirits, wizards, and fate guardians. The most powerful monsters have their own names.
To deal with them, you will have to fight. For this, there is an icon with a sword and shield (in version 48 it looks a bit different). When you select it, a map will appear before you. Point the arrow at your opponent and press "select" - the game will switch to battle mode.
You will see the portraits of your hero (on the left) and the opponent (on the right) with health (BODY) and mind (MIND) indicators below them. Below is the attack power displayed in the number of swords, and the defense power (the number of shields). If the number of swords exceeds the number of shields, the attacker defeats the opponent, and the latter loses as many health points as the number of swords exceeds the number of shields. Since all creations of chaos have a health indicator of one, it is enough to wound the monster once to destroy it. In this case, the program will write "YOU KILL YOUR ENEMY," otherwise the attack will fail. (If you have the 128 version of the game, you will see a beautiful picture illustrating what happened in both cases).
If you are using close combat weapons, you must be on the same tile as the opponent (but not diagonally), and the opponent can even be on another screen. If you have a useful item like a crossbow - you only need to not get too close to the opponent and ensure that there are no obstacles between him and you (doors don't count).
You can change weapons during combat by pressing the "WEAPON" line at the bottom of the screen. To cancel the attack, press "CANCEL."
It should be remembered that the attack will fail if someone else is standing on the same tile as the attacker.
Selecting the icon with the backpack will take you to the characters' equipment screen (this is where you will go if you select the "WEAPON" option during battle).
Before you will appear four or five menu windows, depending on the hero, which you can use. These are:
1. POTIONS - this section shows all the potions you can find in the maze (more on how to do this below). Each vial of potion has its own purpose, for example:
POTIONS OF STRENGTH - increases attack power.
POTIONS OF SPEED - doubles the number of steps in the next turn.
POTIONS OF RESILIANCE - if you drink this potion, it will be much harder to wound you in the next battle; swords will bounce off your body.
POTIONS OF HEALING - perhaps the most desirable potion, restores four health points to the character.
HEROIC BREW - allows you to attack twice in one turn. After one battle, you will be asked if you want to attack again, but you will have to do so from the same spot where you stood initially.
HOLY WATER. In the mazes, you can find a vial of holy water, and the bottle states that holy water kills any immortal creature. I don't know if the water I found had expired or if the creatures in the maze are not afraid of water, but no matter how much I used it, I achieved no effect. Who knows, perhaps we are also expecting "HEROQUEST III," with castles inhabited by vampires, who, as we know, really dislike holy water?..
Potions can be used by selecting them with the arrow. Those that disappear immediately act immediately; the others are highlighted in inverse, and will take effect as soon as the appropriate circumstances arise. Therefore, it makes sense to use the found vial of resilience immediately to protect yourself from sudden attacks. You can carry no more than two identical potions at the same time.
2. WEAPON - in this menu, you can choose additional weapons for combat. The selected weapon is indicated in inverse, and you can only use one type of weapon at a time. To use the halberd (BATTLE AXE), you need to hold it with both hands, which means you won't be able to hold a shield in the other hand. The selected additional weapon cannot be completely disabled, meaning that if you only have a crossbow, you will have to avoid close combat.
3. ARMOUR - here you can wear armor purchased in the weapon shop. Remember that wearing armor hinders movement and reduces the number of steps per turn. Armor can be used all together, simultaneously; you just cannot wear both chainmail and plate armor at the same time. The wizard does not have this menu, and he can only use a staff as a weapon.
4. SPELLS - this menu is only available to the wizard and the elf. By selecting a spell from this menu, you will see a map where you need to indicate who your spell is directed at.
The effects of spells extend infinitely far, provided that there are no obstacles between you and the target; otherwise, the program will write "SPELL WAS DEFLECTED." A deflected spell may return to you, and then you can use it again. But it is also possible that the spell will deflect again and still work. (This happens very rarely).
5. QUEST TREASURE - here you write down particularly significant items you find - talismans, legendary weapons, precious armor, etc.
Most of the items you find are given to the Emperor at the end of the mission, but many can be kept for yourself and used: some items as weapons; others as armor; and others, even if they cannot be selected with the cursor, also bring benefits.
At the bottom of the screen, additional messages are printed. For example, if a character has a toolkit, you can use it by selecting the "USE TOOLKIT" option.
At the bottom right, additional options specific to certain missions are printed. For example, to use magical keys to open a magical door, or to drop excess gold that the hero is overloaded with, etc.
Exit from this mode is done using the "EXIT" option at the bottom.
The icon depicting an eye allows you to search the room. The program will ask you if you want to find hidden traps, doors, or treasures (SEARCH FOR TRAPS, DOORS, TREASURE).
I don't know if this is an idea of the authors or a result of hackers' work, but in our version of the game, when you select trap searching, you will also find hidden doors, and vice versa. This certainly makes life much easier. Masked doors open immediately.
Traps should be discussed separately; they exist in all mazes - traps in chests; tiles that open under your weight; darts shooting from the walls as soon as the hero steps on a certain tile. All this takes one health point from the character. If a trap was found in a chest after using the "SEARCH FOR TRAPS" option, the program will issue a message that you have discovered the trap and neutralized it. If after selecting this option the program does not issue any messages at all, it means that you discovered and removed the trap with the shooting dart. In the case of discovering opening floor tiles, the latter are shown with one opened flap.
In principle, you can pass through such a tile, but there is a very high chance of falling into a pit beneath it and losing one health point. It is best not to take risks and to use the toolkit to eliminate the trap. For this, you need to stand next to the trap, or even on it, and use the tools (USE TOOLKIT). I will add that to destroy the trap, you need to be on the same screen with it. Many halls of the mazes have not been visited for thousands of years, so it is not surprising that they have decayed and can collapse from the slightest tremor. Therefore, in some places, the ceiling may fall on you. (The program will issue a message "THE ROOF SUDDENLY FALLS IN ON YOU"). It may take one health point from your hero, may simply fall without causing harm, or may collapse next to you, creating a blockage. Such a blockage can be cleared using the toolkit, usually requiring two uses. It is impossible to detect an area with a collapsing ceiling; it may collapse multiple times.
Searching for treasures may lead to finding a potion or several dozen gold coins, but there is a danger of falling into a trap that cannot be detected, as well as the possibility that instead of treasures, a guardian monster will appear before you. There is only one in the maze, but you will not be able to kill it.
A good move would be to put it to sleep with the sleep spell. In this case, it will only attack the first time upon appearance, and then stand peacefully. The sleep spell will also work on its subsequent incarnations.
As I mentioned, there is only one treasure guardian, and it can be "recalled" from one place to another if you are "lucky" while searching for treasures. If you try to search for treasures twice in the same screen, the program will write "THIS ROOM HAS BEEN SEARCHED," and you will find no treasures. However, in one of the missions, in a room with chests, they could be taken three times by different heroes. But this is an exception.
Remember that in one turn, a character can either search the room, cast a spell, or enter into battle. Moreover, if the character performs one of these actions at the very beginning of the turn, when he has not yet moved, all his steps are preserved. But if the hero has taken at least one step, then after these actions his moves are reset. Therefore, it is advisable to look for treasures, fight, cast spells either at the very beginning of the turn or at the very end.
After you finish your turn with one character, select the icon with a male head and an arrow - this is the transfer of the turn to the next hero. The barbarian always goes first, followed by the dwarf, then the elf, and lastly - the wizard.
If one of them is affected by a restraining spell, he skips his turn, and the program issues a corresponding message, for example: "YOU FEEL ASLEEP. MISS YOUR GO" (You are asleep, you miss your turn.)
When all four characters have taken their turns, the turn is passed to the dark master - Morcar. He controls all the monsters in the dungeons. They can also move and attack you. But they only move when they see you in their room, and only within the screen. Therefore, try not to linger aimlessly in rooms with monsters: if you have the opportunity to leave - it is better to leave.
USEFUL TIPS:
1. If several characters are in the same screen with monsters, the monsters usually try to attack the barbarian first, then the dwarf, then the elf, and finally the wizard. Keep this in mind when planning your defense.
2. Once you enter a door, you cannot exit until the end of your turn, so always look at the map before entering a room.
3. Wandering through sorcerous castles alone means putting yourself in deadly danger. But going all together is also an unreasonable waste of strength. It is optimal to travel in two groups: barbarian - wizard, and dwarf - elf.
4. While playing, you will surely face the problem of how to restore strength. I advise you to use restorative spells and elixirs as a last resort, save them until the end of the dungeon to use when exiting. Then in the next mission, you will be fresh and healthy again.
5. Never take elixirs (especially HEALING) out of the dungeon; they will not carry over to the next mission. It's also not worth saving spells - you will be given new ones anyway.
6. In the first HEROQUEST, you can use this trick to restore health: since some missions start right at the exit, you can restore the characters' health and immediately exit the castle. In the second part, this trick won't work. Besides, a true player wouldn't stoop to such "bugs."
7. Never rush, it's best to search for traps as soon as you enter a new screen. Health is worth more than any treasure.
8. Don't try to search for treasures if there is a monster in that room; it won't let you do it anyway.
9. To protect yourself from the appearance of a monster while searching for treasures, just make sure there are no free floor tiles around the hero who is searching the room.
10. Each mission contains some special feature, a highlight. For example, when I stepped into the corridor at the Witch Lord's court, I saw an attacking orc. Without hesitation, I swung my halberd at him and... shattered my weapon against a stone statue. Such features will occur often; without them, the game would quickly lose its charm.
To ensure these surprises do not shock you too much, carefully read the sage Grokul's advice before each mission. He doesn't say anything just for the sake of it.
Here is the translation of these advices:
The first part of heroic deeds.
FIRST MISSION: "THE MAZE"
This will be your last trial before you move forward. You must use all the skills you have learned.
Try to find the way out. There are many monsters in the maze, they will hinder you, so beware.
To the one who finds the way out of the maze first, 100 gold coins will be paid. They can be used to buy equipment for future adventures.
SECOND MISSION: "RESCUE OF SIR RAGNAR"
Sir Ragnar, one of the most powerful knights of the Emperor, has been kidnapped.
He has become a prisoner of Ulag, the orc leader. You must find Sir Ragnar and bring him back to safety.
Prince Magnus will pay two hundred gold coins to whoever rescues Sir Ragnar. The gold can be shared among several heroes, but no reward will be given if Sir Ragnar is killed during the rescue operation.
THIRD MISSION: "LAIR OF THE ORC WARLORD"
Prince Magnus has decreed that the orc leader - Ulag, who is responsible for the kidnapping of Sir Ragnar, must be found and killed.
Whoever kills Ulag will receive a reward of one hundred gold coins. Any treasure found in Ulag's citadel will belong to whoever finds it.
FOURTH MISSION: "PRINCE MAGNUS' GOLD"
Three treasure chests were stolen while being transported to the Emperor.
A reward of two hundred gold coins will go to anyone who can return the chests and all the gold.
The thieves are a gang of orcs hiding in the Black Mountains. They are under the command of Gultor, a warrior of chaos.
FIFTH MISSION: "MELAR'S MAZE"
Many years ago, a great wizard named Melar created a talisman that gave its owner the ability to understand magic. He carried the talisman with him at all times, fearing that it might be stolen and used by Morcar's allies.
Melar said he forgot the talisman in his laboratory in the heart of the maze.
Melar's maze is guarded by numerous traps and magical guards. Rumor has it that someone visited this maze and perished while trying to find the talisman.
SIXTH MISSION: "LEGACY OF THE ORC WARLORD"
Grak, the filthy offspring of Ulag, has sworn to take revenge on the killers of his father.
Despite being only a few months old, he is tracking you down, and you have fallen into an ambush. Now you are prisoners of the dungeon, and Gark is exhausting his brain to devise a way of terrible punishment for you.
While the guards were sleeping, you managed to lift the bolt on your dungeon with the help of an old rat bone...
You must find your gear and escape.
SEVENTH MISSION: "THE STONE HUNTER."
The Emperor's personal wizard, Karlen, has disappeared.
The Emperor fears that Karlen has been killed or has succumbed to the temptations of chaos.
You must find out what happened to Karlen and, if he is alive, escort him to safety. You will be paid one hundred gold coins each for returning.
EIGHTH MISSION: "THE FIRE MAGE"
Orcs from the Black Mountains are using fire spells in their raids.
Balur, the fire mage, is apparently responsible for assisting them. No fire magic can harm him, and imperial wizards are unable to withstand his spells.
Therefore, you have been chosen to infiltrate his lair deep beneath the Black Fire Cliff.
The Emperor will pay you one hundred and fifty gold coins each for destroying Balur.
NINTH MISSION: "RACE AGAINST TIME"
The guide led you into a dark dungeon that, according to rumors, holds a great secret. He took you down through many dark corridors and, finally, you found yourself in a room with three doors. Suddenly, the guide extinguished his torch, and in the darkness, you heard his laughter. "Goodbye, my heroes!" he sneered, making his escape. You horrified discovered that it was a trap.
You must escape or perish in this dark, forgotten hole.
TENTH MISSION: "CASTLE OF MYSTERY"
Long ago, the mad wizard Olar opened the entrance to a gold-bearing mine. Using great powers, he built a magical castle above the mine to protect it.
The castle had many magical gates and was guarded by a host of monsters trapped by time.
Can you find the entrance? Others have tried, but the castle always thwarted them.
ELEVENTH MISSION: "BASTION OF CHAOS"
The land to the East has been plagued by killers - orcs and goblins.
The Emperor has ordered a team of heroes to send forces to eliminate them. The orcs are well protected in a powerful underground fortress known as the Bastion of Chaos. The orcs are commanded by a small group of chaos warriors.
You must carve your way through and kill all the monsters you find. You will receive a reward of: 10 gold coins for each goblin killed. 20 gold coins for each orc, 30 gold coins for each fimir or chaos warrior killed.
TWELFTH MISSION: "BARAK TOR, THE HOME OF WITCHLORD"
War is brewing with the eastern orcs, and the Emperor needs to unite the small kingdoms for the conflict. To do this, he must find the ancient Western Star that the legendary King Roger wore when he fought Morcar.
Two hundred gold coins will be paid to whoever finds this diamond. The jewel is located in Barak Tor, the resting place of the Witch Lord, the king of the dead, a powerful servant of Morcar.
The Witch Lord was destroyed by the Blade of Spirits long ago. It is the only weapon that can harm him.
THIRTEENTH MISSION: "QUEST FOR THE SPIRIT BLADE"
You have awakened the Witch Lord. He poses a serious danger to the Emperor in the impending war. The Witch Lord must be destroyed before he leads his immortal army to attack the Emperor's forces.
You must be the first to find the Blade of Spirits, for only this ancient weapon can harm him. The Blade of Spirits was forged by dwarves in the mountains at the edge of the world and tempered in the fountain of elves in Lebin. The sword now lies in an ancient ruined castle. You must find it.
FOURTEENTH MISSION: "RETURN TO BARAK TOR"
Now that you have found the Blade of Spirits, you must return to Barak Tor and destroy the Witch Lord.
The Emperor has galloped ahead with his army to meet the orcs at the fiery pass.
If you fail, the Witch Lord will raise his immortal armies and attack the imperial forces from the rear.
Then nothing will be able to hold back the forces of chaos, and they will overflow the entire land.
THE SECOND PART OF HEROIC DEEDS - "RETURN OF THE WITCHLORD"
Several years have passed since you destroyed the Witch Lord. But recently, the undead have begun to raise their heads again, their raids have once again troubled the peaceful inhabitants. Just recently, a squad of the dead attacked the Guardians of the Gates of Destiny, killed them, and disappeared beyond the Gates. It is said that this squad was commanded by the Witch Lord himself, risen from the dead. You have been ordered to follow the squad into a parallel world through the Gates of Destiny and destroy the Witch Lord.
FIRST MISSION: "THE GATE OF DOOM"
It is not difficult to find the entrance to the repository of power; no one has tried to disguise it. The entrance remains open, and you can clearly see how many changes have occurred in the last few days.
"You must carve your way through the terrible tunnels to find the Gates of Destiny. Your destination lies beyond them.
Step carefully, my friends, the enemies have had plenty of time to prepare for your arrival."
SECOND MISSION: "THE COLD HALLS"
These icy passages are a resting place for the terrifying ghostly riders who once commanded the skeleton cavalry in battle.
Now they rest on their laurels, waiting to be summoned again to the black banner.
THIRD MISSION: "THE SILENT PASSAGES"
These passages have kept silence for over a thousand years. The last sound that echoed off these sacred walls was the voice of King Agraim and his people, who desperately defended the city.
He said that ancient and terrible magic had worked here.
"Step carefully, my friends."
FOURTH MISSION: "HALLS OF VISION"
King Agraim was one of the greatest kings who ruled before the beginning of Chaos. He was a fine warrior, and his laws were just.
Agraim was also fascinated by magic and created these halls of vision, a labyrinth of magical rooms, the secrets of which lay in Agraim's keys.
FIFTH MISSION: "THE GATE OF BELLTHOR"
Here begins the ancestral domain of the Witch Lord. In these deepest caves, he created his own underground fortress from which he planned to begin the destruction of the Empire.
"The tomes of knowledge have told me about the terrible guard of Bellthor that watches over the gates. You must face Bellthor together if you wish to prevail."
SIXTH MISSION: "HALLS OF THE DEAD"
You enter the halls of death, where the Witch Lord gathered his unholy army.
He is not here at the moment. You must strike at his forces before they slip away.
Good luck! Your skill and cunning are your only hope.
SEVENTH MISSION: "THE FORGOTTEN LEGION"
You have escaped from the Witch Lord, but he did not make you wait long and began to pursue you.
The halls you are now passing through conceal the Forgotten Legion, the elite forces of the Witch Lord. They are commanded by Skulmar.
"In battle, they fear for their scars earned in thousands of battles, and each one is a victory in the name of Chaos."
EIGHTH MISSION: "THE FORBIDDEN CITY"
No one has ever entered the Forbidden City before. Only the book of knowledge can slightly lift the veil on what lies ahead of you.
It says that these passages are filled with walking dead, mad servants of Morcar, who are summoned to roam the streets of the Forbidden City forever.
The city itself can also cause concern; it has become dilapidated and may collapse at any moment.
NINTH MISSION: "THE LAST GATE"
These, my friends, are the last gates you must pass through before you reach the court of the Witch Lord.
The passages beyond the gates are guarded by chaos warriors from the guardians of destiny.
Beware, they are stronger than the other chaos warriors you have fought before.
TENTH MISSION: "THE COURT OF WITCHLORD"
The Witch Lord has been watching your progress; he has tried to destroy you, but you have always defied him. Now he has fled to his throne room, where you must confront him. Do not give him any chance to escape.
When you complete the last mission, an epilogue will appear before you. Here is its text:
The Witch Lord is defeated, and his army of the dead sleeps once more beneath the earth. But the Witch Lord's favorites who have survived are still active and will surely seek revenge for their fallen master.
Skulmar, whom you thought was killed, managed to escape from the ruins of Kalos, taking with him many powerful spellbooks of the Witch Lord. He treacherously attacked Sir Ragnar, whom you once rescued from the forces of Chaos. War with Skulmar is imminent: Sir Ragnar has been kidnapped and is now being tortured. You have a chance to put an end to this threat once and for all.
"And now a little gift for you, you were too early to gather for rest. Come, friends, the Emperor awaits you in the Great Palace. Tonight we will celebrate you. For your heroic deeds, you are being elevated to the rank of nobility in the Empire."
Thus, the story of thrilling adventures does not end here. The third part of "HEROQUEST" is clearly on the horizon. So don't rush to erase your saves from the disk; they may still be needed...
That’s all, I just want to add that everything described above pertains specifically to the version of the game that you will find in the "APPENDIX" section. The fact is that different versions of the program differ significantly in details; for example, the recently released version marked "MAX IWAMOTO" has a serious drawback - it lacks the ability to load hero statistics to disk. We offer you the full disk version of the program.
Contents of the publication: Spectrofon #08
- Экспертиза - Дмитрий Усманов
Strategy guide for the ZX Spectrum version of HEROQUEST, detailing character actions, mission tips, and important game features.
- Дебют - Анатолий Хоробрых
Review of the strategic game THEY STOLE A MILLION, focusing on planning heists and using a team. Analysis of the game's mechanics and mission structure. Tips on managing resources and executing plans effectively.
- Экзамен
Quiz on the game 'THEY STOLE A MILLION' from the debut section, testing players' knowledge. Previous quiz winners on games 'HERO OF THE LANCE' and 'THE SENTINEL' announced. Fresh magazine issue awarded to winners.
- Обзор
Overview of recent Spectrum programs, focusing on Space Crusade and Dizzy-X games with strategic and adventure elements, plus a game chart.
- С миру по биту
Reader letters discuss ZX Spectrum hardware issues, game preservation, and editorial graphics. A competition for the magazine's logo is announced. Opinions on various ZX Spectrum games are shared.
- С миру по биту
Parody on game descriptions, exploring styles from detailed to absurd across different publishers, focusing on Tetris.
- Реклама
Advertising opportunities and distribution locations for Spectrofon magazine, collaboration invites for authors and artists.
