Wizardry 6+7

I played Wiz6 on Amiga, I remember the audio being much better than the DOS version I played later so I could create a party of characters to import into Wiz7. I played these games across operating systems, mapped every square of the grid based map and just played it until I could navigate vast sections without paying attention to the screen. Nearly all the puzzles are logical & can be figured out sensibly, but there were a couple where you just had to experiment with the objects in your inventory (Ah! So that's what that stick is for!). You might not be impressed by the graphics or sound now but there is still a depth of gameplay that shames a lot of modern games.

Wizardry 7, Crusaders of the Dark Savant, feels like an early-90s game. But in all the years since, I've never found its particular mix: an open, nonlinear world full of surprises and hidden side quests; a rich, genre-crossing plot that spills off the edges of the page; and most uniquely, NPCs who move unpredictably around that world with their own agendas, fighting and permanently killing one another as you follow rumors and cast spells in an effort to chase the right ones down. Some similar RPGs: the early Fallouts, Ultima Underworld, Knights of the Old Republic. All very good, but none in quite the same way. I played it when I was 12 or so, and my imagination no longer seems interested in lingering long enough inside a game to imbue it with the magic it could at the time. But it'll always be precious to me. 25 years later, with several playthroughs over the years, I still somehow find myself thinking about this game and its sequel (Wiz8, similar and also good) almost once a week or so.

I was just thinking of these titles this past weekend, wondering if they'd ever show up here. Bought, sight unseen (does that phrase even make sense?) This is why I have a GoG account. Moments like this. If you want a tough, hard-nosed, old-school experience, look no further. Back then, you had to roll entire parties, lots of choices, the fights were hard, the difference factions made for a great experience.....just buy it already. Hall of Fame games right here. Don't even wait for a sale.

These are 2 of the best games ever made. Once I played Wizardry 6, I was hooked for life. They are very hard but worth the time to explore these worlds. A word to the wise, you might spend hours rolling your characters trying to get just the right stats.

wizardry 6+7 also comes with not only the inferior gold edition of wizardry 7 but the superior dos version in the extras for wizardry 6