Temple of Apshai Trilogy - Available on Steam

The classic dungeon crawler Temple of Apshai Trilogy is now available on Steam:

Temple of Apshai Trilogy

Relive the classic fantasy role play experience that spellbound players in 1985. This game was a remastered combination of the three games from the Dunjonquest series (Temple of Apshai, Upper Reaches of Apshai, and Curse of Ra).

Create a character, buy equipment, enter the dungeon and prepare for adventure. Explore and fight your way to hidden treasure and magical items. Gain experience, cure your wounds, recover from fatigue and survive to reach the next level.

All that lies before you cannot be foretold, even by the Oracle. I can tell you that the greatest adventure lies not in the din of sword or shield, or in the rapacious hoard of silver and diamond. Nor in the gleam of distant sunsets, or the firm visage of mailed warriors who guard ancient kingdoms. It lies within. Within Apshai. Within you.

More information.

So this is the "HD" version, released in 1985. Not the super-ancient one.

From the Steam forum, it sounds like they didn't include the manual. That's a VERY bad thing for this game! The manual has all the room descriptions which you're supposed to look up by number. And what keys do what.

I was wondering about that date. I wasn't aware that there was an HD version until you mentioned it, but I played the original on an Atari 800 years before 1985. A quick search found the Atari/C64 manual on archive.org so that might still be usable. It definitely should have been included.

The original ROGUE has been released on Steam also. Seems to be a trend.

There's actually a market for these type of RPG games still?

Used to play the C64 version which was more palatable than the PC one. I like how the obscured the actual PC sounds in the video on Steam with music.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
There's actually a market for these type of RPG games still?

Yes, at least one person is considering a purchase.
However, I think I'll wait for a sale… $4 is a little steep for an ancient game that should be free. This was the first crpg I ever played (on a Commodore PET), and it probably would've been my last had I not seen a friend playing Ultima I on an Apple II. Needless to say, I should be flogged for mentioning these two games in the same breath, but I remember it as being fun for a short while.

Originally Posted by Vindicator
Yes, at least one person is considering a purchase.

Yep definitely shocking.

Oh well tastes differ I just don't see the appeal of this game or it's style.

Nice! I've still got my C64 original box set of this trilogy. Played it a fair bit in my mid teens. Epyx made great games. From memory I nearly completed Gateway, but not the others. Good to see it getting some respect here. Perhaps Steam is including these sales to somewhat meet / compete with GOG's market focus for games like this.

This is from before computers became my primary gaming platform, but I remember watching my cousin play it on his C64. I was more interested in games like Bruce Lee and Skyfox back then.

I played the very original version of it back on my old apple 2e. Even back then I didn't really think it compared well to other RPGs at the time, and I kind of doubt it aged well. Probably the only reason to play it would be for either nostalgia or to experience a piece of gaming history. Although given that I was pretty young when I played it, it's possible there would have been something about it that I'd have appreciated if I were older.

If this was the C64 version it'd be an instabuy.

Originally Posted by crpgnut
If this was the C64 version it'd be an instabuy.

I prefer the C64 version as well, the PC sucked back then.

The "super ancient" version, Gateway to Apshai, can be loaded up pretty easily on a modern PC. It was a couple of years back, but I remember it being effortless.

I expect the icon for the game took up more memory than the actual game, @screeg!

I played it at a friend's house on the Atari 400 from a tape drive. Bounced off it hard. Star Raiders was way more fun. Heck, putting in machine code from a magazine and dreaming what the game you're typing in could be like was more fun.

Friend of mine had this for the Commodore 64. I was pretty young, but I remember him playing it (he was older than me).

Crazy that this stuff is still available. I have to say the C64 version was even more rough than this. At least what I remember.

Originally Posted by Zloth
Heck, putting in machine code from a magazine and dreaming what the game you're typing in could be like was more fun.

I remember doing that on my C-64! It took hours and required insane focus and dedication. After entering what seemed like a hundred pages of numbers my eyes would glaze over and I'd speak in "beep-beeps." My only reward, besides hand cramps, was a crappy game designed by someone who thought Pong was fun. I was as disheartened as a kid opening gifts on Christmas morning only to find clothes. The following month, I'd roll the dice and do it all over again hoping for an Ultima knockoff, or at least a Temple of Apeshit.

Game was good back then. Glad to see others can experience it.

My personal favorite from this time period was Age of Adventure, which was awesome, including turn based local multiplayer. I think at least some of the Apshais didn't have a way to win. Gateway to Apshai on the C64 seemed cool for a short while back in the day.

One of the first RPGs I played on my Commodore 64, I was probably in 2nd grade or so at the time. I had a friend that would come over and read the adventure book descriptions out loud while I roamed through the dungeon and we just thought it was the coolest thing, this was even before I really got into D&D proper. Wow. Memories.

I'd probably buy it and toss it in my library just for nostalgia's sake. I'd show my wife and she'd look at me perplexed wondering how I can go from Solasta back to this.