King of Dragon Pass
Game: King of Dragon Pass
Genre: a mix of turn-based strategy, RPG and management
Platform: PC, iPhone, iPad
Year: 1999 (PC version), 2011 (iPhone & iPad). It works on Windows 7.
Developer: A Sharp, LLC
Publisher: A Sharp, LLC
Introduction: It may seem odd to attempt to review this game nowadays, in the age of Crysis or Modern Warfare, twelve years after its original release. KoDP didn’t receive a wider audience not even in its heyday, mainly because was and has remained a niche product developed by an indie company. But every now and then a miracle happens... The forgotten gods of Glorantha have decided this title is worthy of getting ressurected and so the original team went back to the drawing board, porting it to the iPhone and iPad platforms.
Story: Set in the fantasy universe of Glorantha, the player is in charge of one of many Orlanthi clans settled in the Dragon Pass after their banishment following the war against the forces of a ruthless tyrant simply known as the Pharaoh. The term Orlanthi designates a human civilization deeply rooted in the old Celtic and Viking templates. The times are hard and the much oppressed Orlanthi clansmen must face a series of trials. First thing they learn is that the valley is the ancestral abode of all sorts of humanoids, beasts and other supernatural forces. To make things even worse, there are plenty of enemies among their own kind, most willing to make use of any trickery to gain supremacy. Only those who will appease the gods will end up victorius at the end of the long journey.
10/10
The clan's settlement
Gameplay: At the beginning of each campaign, the player must choose a background for his clan, including its main gods as well as its arch-enemies, which in the end will influence the gameplay to some extent. There are three levels of difficulty and two versions when setting up the campaign length (small and long). The easier level is definitely for those who are new to the game, although the randomness of the gameplay may bring forth additional challenges. The hardest difficulty, combined with the long campaign, which requires to form a kingdom is reserved for grandmasters only. The interface might seem a bit intimidating at first, but in fact the learning curve is not that high. A lot of gameplay aspects revolve around the necessity of familiarizing with the lore (KoDP comes with a in-game glossary so no worries there).
An example of random event. The figures at the bottom are the clan's advisors.
The player acts as the hidden hand which guides the chosen clan throughout its existence. He must nominate the clan's circle of nobles out of a roster of high-born aristocrats, which in turn can provide useful advices by clicking on each of them, according to their skills AND character. But this is only the clan's upper echelon. The lower tiers consist of weaponthanes (the professional class of soldiers), craftsmen and herders. The player must maintain a fine balance between these tiers otherwise there will be internal frictions which can endanger the campaign.
Running a clan in KoDP requires the usual chores found in other games like fighting in wars, exploration, diplomacy, commerce, acquiring wealth and items of power, settlement management, plus a few unique categories, for example heroquesting which consists of performing a magical re-enactment of a deity's mythical deed. The religious aspect must not be neglected under any circumstances since the many gods of the Orlanthi people, along with other supernatural forces, are very much alive and eager to be worshipped.
The Sacred Time period and the allocation of magic points.
The time in Dragon Pass is divided in five seasons (Sea, Fire, Earth, Dark and Storm), plus an extra one before the end of the year (the Sacred Time). Each season requires certain activities to be performed - the timing is of utmost importance here. During the Sacred Time, the player must allocate magic points for the next year's acivities. Without these points the clan would most likely suffer.
One of the biggest assets of this game are the random events, about four hundreds of them (!), including triggered storylines. Each event is story-driven, opening up a dialogue tree which offers a plethora of possibilities to choose from.
9/10
The pre-battle screen
Graphics: Graphics? Did I mention the word graphics in the same sentence with King of Dragon Pass? Beware followers of Crysis, for the graphics department consists only of around 500 extraordinary hand-drawn color plates (which by the way, most of them are for sale)! It's like a big interactive comic book from beginning to end. It's safe to assume this game can be run using a 1Mb video card.
9/10
Sound: There aren't any sound effects in this game... Instead, the minimalistic soundtrack covers extremely well these unexpected deficiencies. The composer chose to adopt a tribal-like theme which sets a general mood for every situation which arises during the game.
8/10
Lasting appeal: I keep returning to this game year after year even though I pretty much know everything about it. Even so, no two games are the same, with the unpredictability factor still proving decisive. King of Dragon Pass is one of those truly underrated gems, a unique title in the history of video-gaming. The fact that this cult classic has been ported to more modern systems is a statement of its longevity and attractivity.
9.5/10
Exploration in the land of Dragon Pass
Pros: depth, immersive, a most impressive lore system, great interactivity and hugely creative, beautiful illustrations.
Cons: some would find it too minimalistic for today's tastes, a couple of minor design flaws (without affecting the overall gameplay though), lacking in modern features.
Overall: Rarely you'll find a game of such depth. The richness of its universe can probably be compared only with the Dungeon&Dragons and the Elder Scrolls settings.
9.1/10
