Summary
- Release Year: 1991
- Genres: Adventure, Hack and slash/Beat ’em up, Role-playing game (RPG)
- Platforms: Amiga, DOS
- Developers: Mindscape
- Publishers: Mindscape
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight (1991)
Overview
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight is a unique and ambitious video game that blends strategy, role-playing, and real-time combat. It was developed and published by Mindscape in 1991 for the Amiga, and ported to MS-DOS the following year. The game is set in a fantasy world where the player controls a party of four adventurers on a quest to find the titular Moonstone.
Gameplay
Moonstone’s gameplay is divided into two distinct phases: a turn-based strategy phase and a real-time combat phase. In the strategy phase, the player moves their party of adventurers around a map, visiting towns and dungeons and interacting with NPCs. The player can also use this phase to manage their party’s inventory, equipment, and skills.
When the player enters a dungeon, the game switches to the real-time combat phase. In this phase, the player directly controls their party members in combat against enemies. The player can use a variety of weapons and spells to attack enemies, and must also be aware of their party’s health and mana levels.
Setting
Moonstone is set in the fantasy world of Mystara, which is also the setting for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting of the same name. The game’s story begins in the town of Threshold, where the player’s party is hired to find the Moonstone, a powerful artifact that has been stolen by the evil wizard Mordath.
The player’s party travels across Mystara in search of the Moonstone, visiting a variety of locations, including forests, mountains, and dungeons. Along the way, they must battle a variety of enemies, including goblins, orcs, and dragons.
Characters
The player’s party consists of four characters:
- Sir John: A brave and noble knight.
- Elara: A skilled and resourceful ranger.
- Gandalf: A wise and powerful wizard.
- Shamino: A cunning and agile thief.
Each character has their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and the player must use their abilities wisely in order to succeed.
Reception
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight was a critical and commercial success upon its release. Critics praised the game’s unique blend of genres, its challenging gameplay, and its impressive graphics and sound. The game was also a commercial success, selling over 500,000 copies worldwide.
Moonstone is still considered to be one of the best video games of its era. It is a challenging and rewarding game that offers a unique and immersive experience.
Legacy
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight has had a lasting impact on the video game industry. The game’s unique blend of genres has inspired many other games, and its real-time combat system has been imitated by many other RPGs. Moonstone is also notable for its gore and violence, which was considered to be groundbreaking at the time of its release.
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight is a classic video game that is still enjoyed by many gamers today. It is a challenging and rewarding game that offers a unique and immersive experience.
Review Score
8.5/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
