Wizardry 8

by Mecca

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000059L4L
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: December 5, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,669 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Wizardry 8 is an epic fantasy RPG that picks up where Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant left off. Fans of the series will recall that all hell had broken loose at the end of Wizardry 7. The Dark Savant had taken flight with a device called the Astral Dominae, an incredibly powerful artifact containing the secret of life itself. Following him are two powerful races, the T'Rang and the Umpani, as well as your own brave party of adventurers. Everyone is headed to Dominus, a world on the cusp of the Cosmic Circle, birthplace of the Astral Dominae, and home of the Cosmic Lords. Many paths will converge on Dominus, and many long-hidden secrets will be revealed.

Newcomers to the series will enjoy a special beginning just for those who haven't played the previous game. Whether you're an old Wizardry adventurer or new, you'll enjoy a unique, well-developed role-playing world of unusual depth and freedom. The game is not strictly linear: if you're smart enough and tough enough, you can go wherever you want. You can team up with some of the factions you'll meet--and then double-cross them, if it suits your fancy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

144 of 147 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best CRPG, December 12, 2001

By 

cynalus "cynalus" (Hershey, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wizardry 8 (CD-ROM)

Wizardry is epic.

This reviewer is 23 and has played many, many role-playing games. After a while, you become jaded, and get picky about your likes and dislikes. Sometimes games seem to just blend into one another and they aren't all that unique and distinguishable.

This one is different. It has to be - it is expected. It's a Sir-Tech game, after all. It's Wizardry.

In the 1980s, the big three were Wizardry, Ultima, and Might and Magic. I've always felt Wizardry was king of 3d, Ultima of top-down/isometric, and Might and Magic was just a runner-up.

Wizardry is "classic" or "old-school." There is (of course) an excellent story, above-average music, fine gameplay, and decent graphics (the 3d engine is impressive - it draws you in but I'll leave it at "good" and not "amazing") - the monsters are the best graphics in the game with their animations - and they are awesome. Couldn't get much better there. But what makes Wizardry 8 classic are not these features (enjoyable as they are)...

Wizardry 8 is about characters - the essence of role-playing. It features extensive character generation (and brings back the "good ol' days" before fast-food generation of bland characters became standard. There are so many races and classes, so many combinations to try, so many statistics to become involved with (should I allocate points towards Wizardry to improve my mages' spell points, or stock points to make less of his spells fail? should I have my rogue become an expert lock-picker or better at pickpocketing first? or should I put points in other places...) Fighters can get lots of strength, Priests piety, etc. There are many standard attributes (strength, intelligence, piety, vitality, dexterity, speed, senses, etc), and then combat categories to put points in -- close combat, ranged combat, dual strike -- weapons: from bows and slings to maces and swords and axes -- to characteristics like mythology (the higher the more you know about your enemies), artifacts (exactly what is this cloak I just picked up and what does it do?), to scouting ("monsters approaching!!") This process is extremely interesting and sucks you in whenever you advance levels. After all, you have six characters to flesh out and differentiate. Character generation in the first place is great.
This is the essence of why Wizardry is the best CRPG. You completely control all levels of your characters (you form a party of six with optional NPCs being recruited later). You pick your characters' pictures, statistics, names, and even personalities. You literally create personal roles to play for hours and hours (and hours).

A side note on personalities - they are awesome. There are personalities to pick for each character such as aggressive, kindly, chaotic, eccentric (definitely one of the most entertaining), cunning, and laidback. Once chosen, your characters speak tons and tons of lines of dialogue echoing their personalities. The eccentric mage (if you so choose), may refer to himself in third-person. Wonderful. Lines are spoken throughout the game in all instances - just adventuring, combat, winning a battle, someone dying (comments on who has dibs on a dead character's stuff is pretty funny), a great attack made, a miscast spell that affects your party - our hero has made a horrible mistake..

The combat is also great. Wizardry is combat-intensive. It is generally turn-based (but can be continuous) -- you pick your characters' options a round starts - monsters go, you go - determined by speed, level, etc. It involves elements of strategy, from setting up, to choosing actions for your characters and watching them unfold after your options are chosen. Many classes can cast spells ranging from affecting a single enemy to a group - classics such as fireball and magic missiles - to spells that affect conditions of monsters: nauseate them with Noxious Fumes, make them go nuts with Insanity, freeze them with Web...and enemies are intelligent. They will circle your party if they can to attack your lowly mage hiding in the back. Try working your way out of that one...

Experience is gained, levels are upped, points for statistics are distributed...all while adventuring in a wonderful world with great people. The NPCs were labored over. They all have unique voices and personalities as well, and respond to questions you ask via either keywords typed in or selected from their dialogue or a keyword box. It reminds me of talking to people in real life - a favorite is a woman in the first town, very Midwest and small town who is really nice to you and loves to gossip. Reminds me of an aunt in Indiana I have. NPCs voice their reactions to events in the world and have opinions on just about any topic you can think of asking them about. The combination of EXCELLENT (EXCELLENT!!!) voice-acting and writing make these interactions extremely enjoyable. They really add to the atmosphere of the game.

From the graphics, to writing, gameplay, combat, voice-acting, storyline, character interaction, even interface (yes, it is one of the best ever - easy to use, uncomplicated to learn, logical), this game is hands-down a complete winner. It is the best CRPG I have ever played and I have played them for well over 15 years.

For those people who have played things such as Diablo, the Baldur's Gate series, Planescape:Torment, Icewind Dale, you will love this game. It includes the best elements from some of those games and makes them all even better in a 3D world. It also reminds me of the classics (Bard's Tale, The SSI Gold Box games, etc.) It has definitive elements of Wizardry that are completely unique - from combat to NPC interaction - and the whole thing put together will suck you in and hours will pass before you know it.

BUY THIS GAME!
The only thing you will regret is not having more time to play.

67 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wizardry 8...I am now a fan., January 1, 2002

By 

"pitfiend06" (Gastonia, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wizardry 8 (CD-ROM)

Being a long time RPG'er, of the old school games, such as Zork, Ultima, and Bard's Tale, as well as all the new games, such as Diablo (really pushing it calling it a RPG, but...), Baldur's Gate, and Daggerfall (ok, so this series isn't new, but with Morrowind coming out I figured I'd toss it in), I came into Wizardry 8 with a fresh mind.

And, was I surprised! Everything about this game says class! Sir-Tech has created a beauty of a RPG that no true RPG gamer can deny.

The best part of the game, as all RPG junkies know, is creating your party. And, Wizardry 8 is no slacker in this area. Samurai, Fighter, Lord, Ninja, Mage, Priest, Psionicist, Monk...these are just a few of the classes...yes boys and girls there are MORE! Gnome, Dracon, Rawulf, Faerie, and a weird race called Humans, are just some of the races...again boys and girls, there is MORE!

You spend points in dozens of skills, and stats, to create a character, but it doesn't end there. Choose your character's portrait, name, and nickname, and personality to put some flesh to them. The best part of creating a character, is picking their voice. The voice, is linked to their personality, and you will be laughing during the game, when your character says something silly. I can't say enough about the voice acting, it adds a lot to the game.

The game is not your hack and slash RPG, although combat is essential, to the leveling of your characters. The game has a epic story to it, and will engross you, and make you want to play the game non-stop until you have finished it. This is not Diablo with a half bakes storyline...it is a rich world, with a grand tale.

The combat is engrossing as well. Some are put off by how long combat takes, but they aren't understanding the game. There are many things you can do, to customize the game the way you like it. Combat is meant to be tough, and long encounters with enemies are usually very rewarding XP wise.

To the reviewer who gave the game 1 star for an advertisement, he should show his Bioware, Blizzard, or Sony bade...I don't know which. The advertisement takes all of 1 millisecond to click through once you exit the game, and has not angered me at all. I am not one to like ads where they don't belong either, but this one hasn't even crossed my mind. Sir-Tech is a company close to closing it's doors (Before Wizardry 8 was released Sir-Tech said it could be their last game...however Wizardry 8 has sold so well, Sir-Tech may not have to go away...this is only my opinion, though). It is an old school RPG game maker, that is back on it's heels, when it released this game. If advertising helped them release it, and it only takes me a half second to click through it when I exit, so be it. It's not like Gamespy, where they force you to look at the ad, for however long THEY want you to.

The ad is so minimalistic, compared to the gaming experience, it doesn't even deserve mention.

Sir-Tech has created a RPG like no other made in this day, and age. If you like real RPG's, not just hack and slash, buy Wizardry 8. You won't be sorry...and you won't even notice the ad.

Gulshog

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This game will blow you away, December 17, 2001

By 

G. Burns (Chino Hills, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wizardry 8 (CD-ROM)

I don't think there is an RPG that I have not played, from Collosal Caves to Dark Age of Camelot, except one series - Wizardry. Don't know why I missed playing the Wizardry games, but thank God I didn't miss Wizardry 8.

When my order arrived (ordered it online because all stores were immediately sold out with waiting lists) I installed the game and jumped right in - who needs a manual I am a very experienced RPG'er, this will be a quick and easy game. Well the joke was on me. The game is not easy and not quick, this game is at least as difficult as Revenant or Baldur's Gate, and then some. Average game time? Well I finished Baldur's Gate in about 3 or 4 days, it has already taken me 18 long days to get even close to finishing Wizardry 8 the first time and I am already planning my next team of characters for a second run through.

The size of the Wizardry 8 world is enormous, not just big like Might & Magic games, but enormous. This should be the standard for the size of game worlds. The enemies you encounter are well thought out and fit well into the game storyline. You start out with a few fairly easy critters to get your feet wet, but from then on, until the end of the game, you are very challenged by enemies that always seem too strong, too smart, and too fast for your team to handle. But you will find strategies to beat them, that is what makes RPG's so much fun.

Wizardry 8 has it all: Great graphics, interesting characters, intuitive controls, wide variety of races and classes, many quests and puzzles (cleverly disguised as aspects of the games main storyline), dungeons, spells, more types of weapons and armor than you will see anywhere else, and monsters that could walk into Hell/Hell in Diablo II and kill everything in sight just for something to do.

Think of the RPG that you really enjoyed the most, whether it was a Might & Magic, Baldur's Gate, Diablo, Ultima, or an Online game (like Ultima Online, EverQuest, Asheron's Call, or Dark age of Camelot) and you will know the kind of enjoyment you will get from Wizardry 8. If you are an RPG fan this is the game for you, don't pass this one by for it is one of the best games ever developed.

There are two patches available on the Official Wizardry website and there will be more. This is not an indication that the game has problems, it is virually bug free, but that the developers really care about this game and fixes any legitimate problem based on player input. I have no complains about the game - none - zippo. Good luck and happy gaming.