Video game:Atari ST Phantasie III: Wrath of Nikademus

Publisher Strategic Simulations, Inc. released Phantasie in 1985. An early computer role playing game (RPG), Phantasie introduced many innovative features to the RPG genre. The game is set in the Isle of Gelnor, a land ruled by the evil wizard Nikademus and his Black Knights. Players control a party of six characters and guide them on a quest to defeat Nikademus and bring peace to Gelnor. Compared to contemporary RPGs, Phantasie features a diverse gameplay. Phantasie allows players to create characters from a wide variety of races including trolls, pixies, minotaurs, and lizard men. It also offers multiple combat options. During combat each individual character may cast spells, parry, or choose from three different types of attacks. They may avoid combat by begging for mercy, fleeing, threatening, or greeting monsters. Experience points are awarded after successful combat and players are allowed to distribute the points among their party as they wish. Phantasie featured many other innovative elements. It was one of the first games to feature an automapping system in which the computer generates maps of dungeon levels, eliminating the need for hand drawn maps. Phantasie also represents one of the first times that unexplored areas of the gameworld remained hidden on the world map. The game introduced in-game scrolls that when found provide helpful hints and information about the storyline. It also features a bank in which players may safely store gold. These interesting and innovative features earned the Phantasie series critical acclaim and commercial success. The series culminated in three installments, the latest released in 1987.