First GOG review, long-time member! This just goes to show how much this game is special to me. I'll keep this review brief, since if you have ANY interest whatsoever in computer RPG's and/or fascinating worlds, just buy this now. A game that, for its time, was forward thinking and often offered multiple choices to resolve problems, without guiding the player with straightforward A or B scenarios. A quick example to best demonstrate this; non-story related spoiler coming. At one point mid-game, your party gets captured by a raider group, who intend to sell you as slaves to the arena. Your party is within a small prison compound, surrounded by a bone fence. The raiders, roughly a dozen plus in strength, are well-armed and armored, with military-grade equipment. After waiting a while, I simply bashed the fence's gate (I was young! Bashing was an easy way out lol), a nearby guard screamed for help, and my party slaughtered the raiders after a prolonged and hectic fight. Content, I saved and quit. The day after, I mention this to my cousin, who was also playing the game at the time. He came over and asked me to load the game right to the point where I was still in the raider's prison. Curious, I did so. Now remember, as mentioned in the game's description, your overall goal is to assemble a vast army from the myriad of peoples living in the wastelands, Up to now, my alliance was a rag-tag group of barbarian tribes, nomadic people and refugees, none of which could be considered military-ready. Upon loading the game and still within the prison compound, my cousin makes me call out the raider leader, who comes promptly. After lengthy negotiations, not only was my party freed without any bloodshed, but the raiders ACTUALLY joined my army. They were the first truly battle-ready people I had recruited. This short story just goes to show how this game offers multiple far-reaching choices, far ahead of its time. Grab it now, overlook the dated graphics, and have a blast.
