Realms of Arkania III: Shadows over Riva

Description

Realms of Arkania III: Shadows over Riva, released in 1996 for the DOS operating system, is the third installment in a trilogy from Attic Entertainment Software, based on the popular German tabletop RPG system Das Schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye). The game continues the tradition of the series by offering players a deep and rich world full of details that will thrill any fan of the genre.

The story of Shadows over Riva takes place in and around the city of Riva, where the player's party of heroes find themselves in the middle of a dark conspiracy. The game uses a traditional isometric view and combines elements of point-and-click adventure with turn-based combat, giving it a classic feel that will remind older players of the golden era of RPGs. Despite its age, the game still offers complex quests, an elaborate story and interesting characters that draw you into the story.

The game's graphics, though now outdated, were impressive for their time. Hand-drawn pixel art scenarios and character portraits create a unique atmosphere of a medieval fantasy world. The game's soundtrack, though limited by the technical capabilities of the DOS platform, manages to draw the player into the game with ambient sounds and well composed musical tracks.

One of the biggest draws of Shadows over Riva is its emphasis on realism and fidelity to the original tabletop RPG system. Players can create and customize their characters, with each choice having a significant impact on gameplay. The combination of stats, skills and equipment requires careful planning and often a certain amount of experimentation. The complexity and depth of the game's mechanics may put off players looking for quick and lighthearted fun, but for die-hard RPG fans, this is a ready-made treasure.

The combat system is turn-based and highly strategic. Players must use terrain, skills and magic to overpower enemies. Battles can be challenging, requiring thorough preparation and clever tactics for players to successfully counter them. However, some fights can feel lengthy, which can be frustrating, especially when players fail multiple times and have to backtrack.

Navigating the world, solving puzzles, and interacting with NPCs are other strengths of this game. The dialogue is well written and often hides important information between the lines, adding a layer of mystery and immersion to the story. Many of the quests are multi-layered and offer different ways of solving them, which encourages repeated play and exploration of all the possibilities.

Shadows over Riva is undoubtedly a challenging RPG that rewards patient and thorough players. Although the graphics and some of the gameplay mechanics look dated today, the game still retains its charm thanks to its engaging story, well thought out world and deep RPG elements. For fans of classic computer games and hardcore gamers who appreciate detail and tactics, Realms of Arkania III: Shadows over Riva is an experience worth experiencing.