Betrayal at Krondor Pack

This game is why GOG should exist. I can still vividly remember waiting what seemed like an eternity for the seven 3.5" floppy disks bearing this game to install on my 386SX-16 back in 1993. I was already a fan of Raymond E. Feist's Midkemia novels, but I had no idea what a defining gaming experience I was in for. Every time I have upgraded my computer in the last 17 years, I have enjoyed kicking and cajoling this game unto working on new hardware. It has been a pleasure. And now with GOG releasing Betrayal at Krondor, the gaming public has a priceless chance to rediscover a classic. The short version: this is one of the greatest CRPGs ever made. Period. On the levels of story, character, and setting, it is a paramount achievement. The mechanics of the game system are unique and fun. At the time, it was graphically beautiful, and even now, the striking visual style of the game is enough, for me at least, to overcome the technological limitations of the time (though some of the character portraits, e.g. Pug, were groan-inducing even then). This game lives in my memory like no other. I can remember Eggley, Lyton, Kenting Rush, the Mac Mordain Cadal as if they were real places that I have visited. I remember where the most vital chests are, what their passwords are, and where to find Brother Marc outside Sarth. I remember the shock of discovering what's REALLY going on behind the scenes of the plot. I remember what a blow it was to lose Locklear after the first chapter, and how much I thought James sucked in comparison. I remember the complete WTF of traveling to Timiryana. This game offers more amazing moments than I can ever summarize. If you like story (and don't mind reading it, rather than listening to it), if you enjoy turn-based combat, if you love really digging into a detailed and well-developed fantasy world, if you prefer your games to be of a deliberate pace rather than a twitch-fest, then this is the game for you. I look forward to diving into Midkemia again myself, and I envy those who will now have the opportunity to discover it for the first time.

I bought this game on CD-ROM and had a devil of a time to get it running. I needed a whopping 600KB conventional memory and I also had to find room for my soundcard driver, CD-ROM driver, mscdex, mouse driver and 64KB for an EMS page frame. But is was worth it. (If you don't know what I'm taking about, don't worry, It's *a lot* easier with DOSBOX which I'm sure GOG uses) The game uses 320x200 in 256 colors for the main part of the game and 640x480 in 16 colors for some text-only cut scenes. It's a realy great game but the graphics are sadly quit dated by today's standards. Some general tips: Never enter a dungeon without torches or magical light. Falling into pits means the end. Save your game before trying to open a chest. Traps hurt a lot and can kill the entire party. Use herbal packs a lot. They're cheap and will speed up healing a lot. Both when resting and walking around. Repair your weapons and armor when you can. Also make sure to repair weapons and armor before selling them. Shop a round for prices. Some shops are a lot cheaper than others. Buying "damaged" items can safe you a lot of money. Check all the food you loot. Sometimes it's spoiled or poisoned. Spoiled or poisoned food can still be sold at some stores.

Krondor is a timeless, perfect RPG. Antara is in the same flavor, though nowhere near the epicness. That said, be aware that the included version of Betrayal in Antara is utterly BROKEN. There is no way for me to progress past chapter 4 because of an unavoidable crash. Many others have experienced this problem, but it remains unaddressed. This game needs to be pulled out of the store or fixed ASAP. I feel somewhat cheated.

Great classic game but BIA is STILL broken and gog has known this for ages. FIX IT PLEASE.