Sword of Honour

Sword of Honour is an action-oriented medieval adventure that mixes swordplay, exploration, and dangerous encounters into a compact old-school package. Released in 1993, it sends the player into a world where enemies are plentiful and standing around admiring the scenery is generally a poor survival strategy. Combat is central, with the player relying on timing and movement rather than simply selecting an attack from a menu. The game has a distinctly European fantasy atmosphere, and its straightforward design gives it a pleasant arcade edge despite the medieval setting. There is a certain satisfaction in mastering its combat and making progress through increasingly difficult situations. Sword of Honour may not offer the enormous scope of later action RPGs, but it has personality and a willingness to get straight to the point. Pick up the sword, face the trouble, and try not to become part of the scenery.