Quest for Glory III: Wages of War

(Sierra On-Line, 1992)

Once the (as I like to always call it) critically aflamed icon interface was introduced by Sierra (via King's Quest V), one feeling was hoped for; that game designers Lorey and Corey Cole would make something challenging and fun out of the game engine, as they did for the earlier game engine. After all, Hero's Quest --which would later be called Quest for Glory-- took the dated game engine used for games like King's Quest IV, and made it into an Role Playing Adventure unlike anything any adventure gamer ever played. Couldn't they do the same improvements, for the icon-happy interface that dragged KQV and Space Quest 4 through the muck?

As it would turn out, they could not. The resulting Quest for Glory sequel, Wages of War, was a disappointment to the highest degree. Some cynical gamers might even claim that the game would have to be improved, just to be crap. In the introduction alone, the game is off to a shaky start, when the grandiose finale of QFG2 is made worthless; the main villain was never truly defeated! D'oh! While this is a common plot device of some games, keep in mind that the defeat of this villain led to your character getting accolades and gifts galore; are we to presume he must now give all those gifts back, as a total failure...? Mind you, this is just the game's prologue. It gets worse from here.

What can be said of the middle of the game? Not much. You meet some really boring characters and exercise enough to be prepared for the final battle, which isn't even a final battle! More on this lackluster "finale" next though let's ask a rhetorical question here; how stupid is it to have the core of the game be a preparation for a fight you cannot possibly win? Yes, kids, that was a stupid idea, indeed.

What were the game designers thinking...?

The icing on this bitter cake was the open ended finale, keeping the villain alive and well and...even with a new evil accomplice by his side! As for you, the hero...you're cursed (!), and will remain that way until the equally lackluster Quest for Glory 4...which was also open-ended! Arrrrrrgggggghhh! Said hero (i.e. you, in the game) is portrayed as a total idiot who didn't really do anything major in Quest For Glory 2 after all, and did absolutely nothing here. Perhaps...though the game designers did even less.

Rating : Burnout.

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