HeroQuest - Review @ CRPG Addict

CRPG Addict played through HeroQuest, an isometric dungeon crawler from 1991 based on the board game with the same name. He was fairly disappointed with the game's CRPG elements:

MobyGames codes [HeroQuest] as both a role-playing game and a strategy game, but it really is neither. There's no character development to qualify it as an RPG, and no actual strategy to qualify it as a strategy game. (..)

[Gameplay] gets 2 for being non-linear in the approach to its missions and 1 point for some slight replayability with different classes. But it's far, far too easy, and even in the short amount of time I played it, it seemed too long. (..) The final score is 19. Throughout the past year, we've learned that gamebooks don't work well when translated literally to the computer. Now we learn that the same is true of board games.

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1. Game 198: HeroQuest (1991)

More information.

I was so disappointed that the original Hero's Quest aka Quest for Glory had to change there name for this game. It doesn't even have the decency to be decent. The game plays very simply through graphics were okay at the time.

I had some good times with my friends playing the actual board game. I had no idea that a CRPG version existed, although it sounds like I didn't miss anything.

I loved the board game and also played the CRPG. I remember that I didn't dislike it. But I also remember that it didn't hold my attention (and I didn't own it personally).

In any case, there is an awesome remix of one of it's soundtracks:

I have great memories playing this board game at school camp back in high school. Cue images of high-fantasy befuddled teenagers in a tiny three-man tent with torches, rolling skulls and shields, trying to be the one to slay the Gargoyle or Ulaag, the Orc Chieftain with the long bent sword.

I even remember the DM who introduced me to the game used to color one of the skulls black on the to hit die in order to balance the save/blocking mechanic in the monsters favor. (And so a black skull would also be a monster shield…)

Creating your own maps/campaigns was great fun, as was slightly embellishing the rules to enhance the role-playing potential of the game. I never did track down two of the expansions (Return of the Witchlord and Wizards of Morcar….had Keller's Keep though!)
I do still have the main game from all those years ago. A couple of students even painted a few of the orcs/goblins for me, which is cool!

I never thought the computer games would be any good and sadly it seems this article appears to somewhat underline this intuitive sentiment.

Throughout the past year, we've learned that gamebooks don't work well when translated literally to the computer. Now we learn that the same is true of board games.

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bad reasoning is bad

HeroQuest was sort of fun to play with a friend. Not something that does a lot for you nowadays playing it alone via emulation.

Do I have to say that I also like virtual gamebooks?

Well spotted and I agree with you Sacred - it is a weak argument.
What's more, game-book conversions into computer games goes way back to the 80's, so it's not as if we haven't had a precedent by which to consider this idea.

Good to hear you like the virtual gamebooks.
I bought a few more recently myself:
- Vlad the Impaler
- Starship Traveller (I'll pick up more of the FF's as they become available to Steam...)
- Caverns of the Snow Witch (Very hard! It's as viciously unforgiving as I remember...)
- Joe Dever's Lonewolf (I finally beat it last weekend; admittedly it was a struggle toward the end of Act III, but I slogged it out.)
The Assassin + Curse of Orlandes are also on my watchlist...

Sacred_Path said:

bad reasoning is bad

HeroQuest was sort of fun to play with a friend. Not something that does a lot for you nowadays playing it alone via emulation.

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He plays his games only in single-player mode IIRC. And to be fair, he did say this about it:

CRPG Addict said:

Of course, I did miss out on one element: playing the game with other people. Maybe some of you played HeroQuest in groups and can testify as to how well it worked as a social game. Personally, I can't see the fun in four people huddling around the beige monitor and keyboard of some 486 PC, but maybe I'm just too introverted.

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Kordanor: Thanks for the music link! Lovely piece.

I really wish I was more into board games when I was younger. I own Arkham Horror, but don't really know anyone nearby interested in playing it.

This is why I don't usually like video games based on board games. Tabletop games are a completely different experience with the social aspect and cool stuff in your hands, minis, terrain etc.

Saxon1974 said:

This is why I don't usually like video games based on board games. Tabletop games are a completely different experience with the social aspect and cool stuff in your hands, minis, terrain etc.

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Rpgs based on tabletop rules I almost always enjoy; depending on how its implemented.

The boardgame was great fun, but also a little simplistic.

I bought "Advanced HeroQuest" thinking it would be better, but it turned out to be more like a create-your-own dungeon game with a DM required.

I always loved this style of boardgame, though - and I have very warm memories of playing Space Crusade and Space Hulk with friends.

The Amiga version was "ok" with great music, but it was singleplayer only IIRC? In any case, the formula is way too basic to last long.

BTW, if you want a somewhat similar game with a bit more meat on its bones, I can recommend trying out Card Hunter.

A game with no role and a character progression system is a RPG
A game with roles and no character progression system is not a RPG.