Ishar: Legend of the Fortress
Developer(s)Silmarils
Publisher(s)
  • EU: Silmarils
  • UK: Daze Marketing (Amiga)
Designer(s)Michel Pernot
Pascal Einsweiler
Programmer(s)André Rocques
Louis-Marie Rocques
Michel Pernot
Artist(s)Jean-Christophe Charter
Pascal Einsweiler
Writer(s)André Rocques
Louis-Marie Rocques
Michel Pernot
Composer(s)Fabrice Hautecloque
SeriesIshar
EngineALIS[lower-alpha 1]
Platform(s)Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, MS-DOS, Atari Falcon
ReleaseAmiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, MS-DOS
  • EU: April 1992
  • UK: July 1992 (Amiga)
Atari Falcon
  • EU: November 1992
Genre(s)Role-playing game
Mode(s)Single-player

Ishar: Legend of the Fortress is a 1992 role-playing video game developed and published by Silmarils for the Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, MS-DOS, and Atari Falcon home computers. It is the first entry in the Ishar trilogy.

Gameplay

Atari ST version screenshot

Ishar: Legend of the Fortress takes place on the island of Kendoria. At the beginning, the player controls a warrior called Aramir, and he must defeat Krogh, an evil sorcerer who has killed lord Jarel. The game takes its name from Krogh's fortress, Ishar, whose name means "unknown" in the game's fictional elf language. In order to achieve this, the player's characters must travel across the whole island and, among other things, meet with the surviving companions of Jarel.

Most of Ishar takes place in an outdoor environment, which was original for computer roleplaying games of the time. It also featured a unique system to change the lineup of player characters: the player can have up to five characters at the same time, but each one will like or dislike his comrades. These preferences come into play when the player tries to recruit or dismiss a character, because the other characters will then vote for or against the recruitment or dismissal. If a character cannot be dismissed by a vote, it is possible for the player to have him assassinated by another character, but there is a risk that other characters will murder the murderer himself, possibly creating a chain of murders that slays the whole party but one.

This opus was the only one of the series that in order to make a save game the player had to pay 1000 gold pieces from the party's inventory.

Development and release

The band Summoning used the cover art of the game for their album Minas Morgul.

Reception

Nicholas Bavington for Page 6 said "I can't recommend this game enough to those of you who enjoy a good hack and slash. To those who don't but enjoy blasting things get it anyway – you'll be hooked in minutes."[2]

Rob Mead for ST Format said "The Falcon version of Ishar: Legend of the Fortress is identical to the ST version in almost every respect – only the enhanced sound and graphics enable you to tell them apart."[3]

Amiga Action said "Noticeably distinguished in the graphics area, Ishar: Legend of the Fortress plays almost as well as it looks."[4]

Henning Vahlenkamp for Amazing Computer said "As the first AGA-specific RPG, Ishar is a rather good effort. Its straightforward control should appeal to those put off by traditional games in this genre."[5]

Zero said "most of all, it's the exciting sense of adventure (encompassing over 100,000 screens) that makes Ishar incredibly smart."[6]

Reviews

Notes

  1. ↑ Short for Actor Language Integrated System.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Vaillant, Aurélien (Wasabim) (October 7, 2017). "Interview with Fabrice Hautecloque". Atari Legend. Archived from the original on 2018-09-24. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  2. ↑ "Page6 64 Oct93" – via Internet Archive.
  3. ↑ "ST Format - Issue 047 (1993-06)(Future Publishing)(GB)". June 9, 1993 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ↑ "Amiga Action (1992-07)". July 9, 1992 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ "Amazing Computer Magazine (April 1994)". April 9, 1994 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ "Zero_Issue_33_Jul_92" – via Internet Archive.
  7. ↑ "Swiat Gier Komputerowych 03 1993". March 9, 1993 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ↑ "Amiga Style 1992 12" – via Internet Archive.
  9. ↑ "swiat293" – via Internet Archive.
  10. ↑ "Ishar review from Amiga Power 15 (Jul 1992) - Amiga Magazine Rack".
  11. ↑ "Amiga Games (1992-10)(Computec Verlag)(DE)". October 1992.
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