The Horde

(Crystal Dynamics, 1994)

While this was one of the premiere (decent) offerings for the 3DO, and that version is indeed superior in most respects, its the PC version that is fondly remembered, and (as far as I know) more widely sold. Cutscenes within the game star Kirk Cameron as a farm boy who saves the King's life from choking to death. His reward is the King's old sword, which he'll need to protect his other reward; his own farmland. The threat to such farmland is the evil Horde; a group of reddish goblin type critters that eat everything in their path...including houses, crops, and even the townsfolk. Use money to buy protection for your land, and plant new crops. Then defend the land, season by season, from the dozens of attacking hordlings. Surprise, randomized cutscenes each season, included a small rise or fall in money (rewards/taxes), and even a meteor hitting your current game map! As the story progressed, the farm boy grows into a man, and gains more confidence as the game proceeds, showing both the progress of time as well as the rewards of your own success in gameplay; a nice plot device. By the end of the game, you inherit the King's throne itself, in an ending that helps put this game firmly in Techtite's choices for Top 50 Multimedia Classics; One of the better "interactive movies" on PCs.

Rating : Deep Impact.

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