Summary
- Release Year: 1985
- Genres: Role-playing game (RPG)
- Platforms: Amiga, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST/STE, Commodore C64/128/MAX, DOS, Mac
- Developers: Paradise Programmin
- Publishers: Datasoft, Inc.
Alternate Reality: The City (1985)
Alternate Reality: The City is a groundbreaking role-playing game released in 1985 for the Commodore 64 and Apple II computers. Developed by Synergistic Software and published by Datasoft, it was one of the first CRPGs to feature a non-linear storyline, moral choices, and a variety of ways to resolve encounters.
Story
The game begins with the player character being abducted from Earth by aliens and transported to an alternate dimension. The player is dumped in a strange, yet familiar city, and must explore the city and find the clues that will lead them to their captors and help them get back home.
The city is a vast and complex place, with many different areas to explore. The player can visit shops, talk to NPCs, and complete quests. The player’s actions will affect how the environment reacts to them, and can even lead to different endings.
Gameplay
Alternate Reality: The City is a first-person RPG with turn-based combat. The player character has a variety of skills and stats, which can be improved by gaining experience points. The player can also purchase new equipment and items from shops.
In addition to standard CRPG features, Alternate Reality: The City also offers moral evaluation of the player character. The player’s actions will determine whether they become good or evil, and this will affect how the environment reacts to them. For example, good characters will receive discounts from merchants, while evil characters will be able to intimidate NPCs.
Encounters are not necessarily just resolved with the turn-based combat system. The player can also try to trick, charm, or bribe opponents. This adds a layer of strategy to the game, and allows the player to avoid combat if they wish.
Reception
Alternate Reality: The City was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its innovative gameplay, non-linear storyline, and moral choices. The game was also a financial success, selling over 100,000 copies.
Alternate Reality: The City is still considered to be one of the best CRPGs ever made. It is a classic example of how to create a deep and engaging game world that gives the player a lot of freedom to choose their own path.
Legacy
Alternate Reality: The City has had a major impact on the CRPG genre. It was one of the first games to feature a non-linear storyline, moral choices, and a variety of ways to resolve encounters. These features have become staples of the genre, and can be seen in many popular CRPGs today.
Alternate Reality: The City is also notable for its innovative use of artificial intelligence. The game’s NPCs are some of the most complex and believable ever created. They have their own goals and motivations, and they will react to the player’s actions in a realistic way.
Alternate Reality: The City is a true classic of the CRPG genre. It is a game that is still enjoyed by many today, and it continues to inspire new generations of game developers.
Review
Alternate Reality: The City is a masterpiece of the CRPG genre. It offers a deep and engaging game world, a non-linear storyline, moral choices, and a variety of ways to resolve encounters. The game’s graphics and sound are excellent for the time, and the gameplay is still fun and challenging today.
If you are a fan of CRPGs, then you owe it to yourself to play Alternate Reality: The City. It is a truly unique and unforgettable experience.
Score: 9/10
Review Score
8.5/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
