The Bard's Tale 2: The Destiny Knight

The Bard's Tale 2: The Destiny Knight expands the original formula with a larger world, tougher enemies, new locations, and another opportunity to discover that adventuring is mostly an elaborate way of getting repeatedly attacked. Released in 1988, it retains the first-person dungeon-crawling structure while adding more depth to exploration and character development. Party management remains crucial, with spells, equipment, and combat choices all playing an important role in survival. The world is broader than before, giving the player more freedom to explore and more opportunities to become thoroughly lost. The atmosphere is classic fantasy, complete with dangerous monsters, mysterious places, and treasures that rarely come without some sort of unpleasant surprise. The Bard's Tale 2 is a solid continuation for anyone who enjoys traditional RPG mechanics and does not mind doing a little manual mapping. Getting lost is practically a feature, and eventually every corridor starts looking suspiciously familiar.