If you like RPGs, even if you're not a retro gamer, get this game. It's a brilliant masterpiece, with a massive open world, and literally everything and anything in it. Every possible class (fighter, thief, warlock, wizard, bard, etc...), dozens of unique items, complex and fun questlines with multiple decision branches affecting the world, hard dungeons, harder (optional) bosses. Everything is in it. Trust me.
Lord of Storms is a DLC for Nox Archaist that takes place in a 3-level keep, its dungeon and extensive caverns below it. The 15-hour DLC integrates seamlessly in the game, although you'll need to start a new game when running the DLC-enabled version. The DLC comes with 2 saved games composed of either a Level 4 or a Level 5 party, properly trained and equipped. So you can jump right into the content that's made for such mid-level parties if you so choose. The DLC fills a hole in the original game where mid-level parties had trouble getting over the XP hump. Get through the Lord of Storms DLC and you'll be well rewarded with both experience for leveling, and powerful weapons and armor for your party. Nothing is imbalanced, just more love for neglected character types such as the bowman/ranger or the 2-handed warrior. The Lord of Storms content has more puzzles than the original game content, and much denser. It also has some fun new mechanics including a new spell. Think of it as the original Nox being more like the Ultima series, and the DLC moving slightly towards The Bard's Tale. If you already own Nox Archaist, get this DLC. If you're thinking of buying Nox Archaist, buy the bundle! The definitive Nox Archaist is here, and this DLC is part of it.
Nox Archaist is what would have happened if Richard Garriott and Origin Systems had continued making Ultima games after Ultima V on the Apple 2, and not switched to the PC for Ultima VI. This game was written in 6502 Assembly and runs on the original Apple //e (with 128kB of RAM). It also of course runs under emulation on your current machine, which is probably the way you'll run it now. The game comes bundled with a cross-platform emulator is it's the usual double-click and play. However, if you're on Windows 10+, you may want to download "Nox Archaist Companion" (search on Google), a free app that I wrote that runs Nox Archaist in a more efficient manner and has a number of extra features. This preamble done, how's the game, you may ask. The short answer is: it's a great RPG, get it. The longer answer is: This is a tile-based RPG that will run you for over 80 hours. It's got some quality of life features over the 80s-90s games but it doesn't have auto-mapping. So you're going to have to do it yourself (which is part of the fun!), or use a 3rd party app such as Grid Cartographer (commercial) where you can load user-created maps for Nox. There are dozens upon dozens of quests, puzzles and battles galore. Your party can have you and up to 5 other characters, chosen from a dozen possible companions around the world. You can swap them at any time by sending them to the inn and retrieving others. In fact, this game is pretty unique in what it allows you to do. You can play with a full party. You can play solo (it's hard but doable!). You can have any character be anything. Assassin? Check. Paladin? Check. Summoner? Check. The trick is the simplicity of the system: you have 3 base attributes. Strength, agility and intelligence. By spending level up points on them you'll allow your player to use different weapons, armor and spells. And their skills will improve accordingly. So although it's a classless system, anything goes. Get it. You won't be disappointed.
