HeroQuest II: Legacy of Sorasil was developed and published by Gremlin Interactive in 1994. It is an isometric, level-grinding adventure based on the Milton Bradley board game, with simple, console-like controls and surprisingly absorbing gameplay.

I say “surprisingly absorbing” because initially I didn’t much like Legacy of Sorasil, but with some persistence I began to recognise that there was actually a reasonably enjoyable game in there.

You begin HeroQuest II by choosing four different characters – from eight available classes – to construct your party. The party can be any combination of fighter, wizard, cleric, and so on, and together they must undertake nine large quests, one after the other.

Movement and combat are turn based and characters can be controlled either via a pad or a mouse (actually, a combination of both is best) and take steps, search, fight, cast magic, and flee via a series of icons and a somewhat dated Graphical User Interface. When you get used to the interface (and its limitations), though, HeroQuest II does start to come alive.

Death comes easily the first few times you play, but thankfully restarting with a new party and getting right back into it is very easy. Experience begins to tell you that you can save health by not being so clumsy and setting off traps (there’s a way to detect, avoid, and even disarm them). And of course knowing what’s coming up in a nearby room always helps.

While HeroQuest II: Legacy of Sorasil is too simple to challenge the likes of any of the best RPGs of all-time, it is a game that will appeal to those who prefer a more simplified swords and sorcery style adventure than an in-depth one.

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