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[Tye The Czar]

I currently own Wizardry 6 through 8.

I was told that they're pretty brutal, but groundbreaking RPGs that were a direct inspiration for games like Dragon Quest.

So, where do I start from here?

 

[Arulan]

VI is a great place to start. VI-VIII are connected through story, and you can transfer your save across them.

 

[RexNovis]

I heard Hogwarts has a solid program. Not the safest place to be though.

 

[tapedeck]

I took this thread literally and was about to laugh at you and say wrong forum.

 

[Arulan]

Have people really forgotten about Wizardry?

 

[StoppedInTracks]

I started with 7. What a great fucking game but it took me like 100 hours to beat. I've heard 6 is awesome as well but it's 16-colours only and that's what holds me back at the moment. Gotta man up and play it, tho.

 

[Hyunkel6]

I took this thread literally and was about to laugh at you and say wrong forum.

Hahaha. Same here. Sorry OP, I never heard about this series.

 

[Justinh]

I've only played 7 back when I was a youngin'

Spoiler

I don't know how I did it

. I tried to start 6 a few months ago, but I didn't get far, same with 8. I think 7 played fine by itself, but if you're going to start fresh, why not start with 6 so you can import?

I started with 7. What a great fucking game but it took me like 100 hours to beat. I've heard 6 is awesome as well but it's 16-colours only and that's what holds me back at the moment. Gotta man up and play it, tho.

Maybe this was my problem. 8 is just weird to me, too. 7 is *muah, wonderful! I'd recommend the DOS version, and not Wizardry Gold.

Have people really forgotten about Wizardry?

Yeah, I find this a little disappointing.

 

[nikos]

I took this thread literally and was about to laugh at you and say wrong forum.

I was going to suggest contacting Bloodninja.

 

[Sub_Level]

Never played one but just wanted to say that Wizardy VIII seems like one of the most intimidating games ever.

And for those who don't know: there are also surprisingly a handful of Japanese Wizardry games because they have a following over there.

 

[JTripper]

Sorry but if you haven't been told "yer a wizard" before in your life you'll never get into wizardry.

 

[Elaugaufein]

Pretty much the entire Japanese DRPG group descends from Wizardry (and Rogue).

Also you should totally start with IV.

Spoiler

I'm a bad person and you should not take this advice. I don't think IV can be completed without looking at a guide if you haven't played I-III.

 

[MrDoctor]

As far as mainline goes, Wizardry I-V were released on PSX in Japan as Llylgamyn Saga and New Age of Llylgamyn. Fans consider them the best options due to the presentation and interface. They can be played entirely in both English and Japanese. VI and VII are kind of muddy and debatable about which is the best experience, so stick with what you have or research for yourself.

 

[Tagyhag]

If you could go back to the graphics of 6 and 7 afterwards, then I say try out 8. It's a great entry into the series and it's the least clunkiest.

 

[Renekton]

If you do play W8, download the mod that makes monsters faster so you don't die from combat tedium.

 

[Tye The Czar]

Have people really forgotten about Wizardry?

Yes. Any PC RPGs that came before Fallout 1 or Diablo are simply nonexistent. RPGs actually started with JRPGs like Dragon Quest.

Spoiler

sarcasm

 

[Aselith]

Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls is on PSN

 

[Eusis]

I'm hoping some of you at least are aware of Ultima when it comes to older RPGs.

Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls is on PSN

Wizardry 6-8 are on GOG. And Steam for that matter.

 

[Lanrutcon]

8 is amazing. Best blobber of all time. I'd start with 6 or 7 though.

 

[noquarter]

I just replayed 1 and 2 on the NES last year and thought they were still pretty fun. Plus you get the spell 'Reset' which can be used anytime you get a battle ailment such as Lose 2 Levels.

Still haven't played VI-VII, but did find Tale of the Forsaken Land fairly enjoyable on the PS2 when I played it.

So, I would say start with 1 and go from there. They don't take too long if you play smart.

 

[Breads]

Wizardry IV is like a kaizo romhack of CRPGs. It's so unreasonably difficult and obtuse. I'd wager that 99% of people who play it nowadays would have no idea how to even leave the first room you start in.

So yeah start there.

 

[Comandr]

Start and stop with 8. The Japanese developed ones are... Acceptable but have a very different feel to them. Wiz8 has some nifty little mods like widescreen and battle speed enhancer that really make it the pinnacle of the series.

 

[Cato the Censor]

Ah, nostalgia... Well, I replay Wizardry 7 nearly every year, so i should know something about the topic...

First: look at the games and find out what you can tolerate. I would start with 6, personally, but the mouse controls are not very good (aka there are none). 7 is easier to control and that's where the story really picks up steam. So, if you can stand to play a blobber with ugly graphics and bad controls, start with 6. Otherwise, begin with 7 - like I did back in the day.

Here are some beginner tips for that:

1) read a guide about character generation. These games were only really completable if you either really did your research or restarted with a new party several times.
2) In 6 and 7, REROLL you stats until you get something really good. I mean, for a long time.
3) Ignore "basic" classes except if you really know what you do.
4) Install the consmic forge editor for Wiz 6 and 7 and use some of the patches:
- Allow several attacks with ranged weapons
- No bonus damage against fighters
- If you want an easy start: changed algorythm for creating stats.
5) READ THE MANUALS. No really. They are really good.

These games are fantastic, but you need patience, determination and time to complete them. Also, for 6 and 7, lots of graph paper. Because:

6) Draw a map

Have fun!

EDIT: Also, do not start with IV except if you are a masochist and like to lose.

 

[vocab]

First: look at the games and find out what you can tolerate. I would start with 6, personally, but the mouse controls are not very good (aka there are none).

6 has full mouse control for the menus.

Wizardry is a tough series to get into. 1-7 are very old games that do a lot to keep new players from giving them ago. Might and Magic are a lot easier to pick up. Wiz 6-8 is considered the best, and they are also the more easier ones to get into. They actually have graphics. I'm playing 6 with an auto map mod, and used a utility to get better bonus rolls for rolling characters.

 

[autoduelist]

As far as mainline goes, Wizardry I-V were released on PSX in Japan as Llylgamyn Saga and New Age of Llylgamyn. Fans consider them the best options due to the presentation and interface. They can be played entirely in both English and Japanese. VI and VII are kind of muddy and debatable about which is the best experience, so stick with what you have or research for yourself.

Wait, what? This is wonderful! I can go on ebay and get myself Wizardry I-V, and can ...

oh... i need a modded ps1. Dammit.

Oh how I wish Gog could sort out getting I-V.

 

[szaromir]

Yes. Any PC RPGs that came before Fallout 1 or Diablo are simply nonexistent.

Same for me actually, I only played Betrayal at Krondor and Ultima Underworld 1/2 from the RPGs older than Fallout.

 

[Overside]

Have people really forgotten about Wizardry?

They have forgotten far more than just wizardry.

 

[water_wendi]

All of them are great games. 6 might be hard to get into because of the lack of sound and the EGA graphics.

 

[CertifiedFP]

Man, I want to get into Wizardry as well, but I always get discouraged and disheartened when I remember the IP got bought out by some Japanese company with little interest in localization. Though I suppose they did sanction the Steam re-release of VI through VIII I guess? That's uh, something. Not much though.

Though the way I heard it, selling the IP was a last-resort "Fuck You" at EA when they attempted a hostile-takeover of Sir-Tech with the goal of nabbing the Wizardry IP. So fuck EA I guess.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

I heard Hogwarts has a solid program. Not the safest place to be though.

 

[Bandersnatch1]

Loved Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land, it really isn't like the main titles though.

 

[Mozendo]

Remember that Wizardry is also on consoles, so if you can't get into the PC games give the console ones a try.
Some of the Japanese only games are fully playable in English, but can't remember which if not the are fans translations for them. They have really nice soundtracks too
Parakeetman really loves Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land, if you're ever in the mood for a more modern Wizardry look into that.

 

[Retrozocker]

6) Draw a map

Good old times hahaha...

 

[Parakeetman]

I currently own Wizardry 6 through 8.

I was told that they're pretty brutal, but groundbreaking RPGs that were a direct inspiration for games like Dragon Quest.

So, where do I start from here?

There really is no reason to go back and play the super old stuff unless you are super hardcore about it.

The unfortunate thing is outside of the stuff thats on the PC, if you are looking for console titles, there isnt too much to choose from cept for a few scattered here and there.

Most of the other Wizardry games on consoles / handhelds came out in Japan and were never localized for the most part.

If you want something that is the closest thing to Wizardry but not called Wizardry and localized look into the 2 localized Elminage games.

Elminage Gothic on Steam and then the FUBAR localized version fo the first Elminage game by UFO.

Back to the topic of Wizardry you could also go look through here.

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/wizardry/wizardry13.htm

Also as others have mentioned, while it is not the vanilla formula for a Wizardry title, one of the more unique Wizardry spin-offs has been the Busin series or "Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land" in the West. Was on the PS2. So might be hard for those to play who do not have a BC PS3 or PS2, unfortunately. But at least the title is localized so its not as if you need to read Japanese or jump through hoops to put on some sort of English patch.

The usual pic when it comes to talking about old Wizardry.

*not my pic

Bunch of stuff written by the guy who did that map I think? Anyways the pic came from his blog site.

https://richardgoodness.wordpress.com/tag/wizardry-6/page/2/

If you insist on playing something older and on a handheld system, you could go after the following title "Wizardry Empire III: Haō no Keifu" on JPSN forget how much it costs though. But as usual will be all in Japanese. Do not really suggest going after the actual PSP copies of the game as it has some sort of weird premium in Japan and is quite expensive even used.

There was a PS2 version before the PSP one, but chances are of you having a PS2 that can play JP games Id imagine are slim, so am suggesting the PSP one instead which also has a digital version available. Plus if you are really hardcore you can play it in wireframe mode for the dungeon lol

Anyways once again do not suggest going backwards in the series unless you are a true hardcore fan as other members have mentioned too a lot of the mechanics and whatnots will feel archaic to some and eventually will cause said players to stop playing or get turned off to the series.

 

[djtiesto]

I picked up a pristine CIB copy of the NES port of Tales of the Foresaken land. For a big RPG fan as I am I never played any Wizardry games before... of course, the game was a bit sluggish, as could be expected. How do the NES ports compare to the original PC games?

 

[yog-sothot]

Reading the title l thought OP wanted to become an actual wizard. I am slightly disappointed.

 

[Blues1990]

I heard Hogwarts has a solid program. Not the safest place to be though.

Yes, it was a lot more dangerous during the 1990's, but it's fine now.

 

[Ganzlinger]

second post nailed it.

 

[Flying Toaster]

I am beaten but still.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Well, first you're gonna need a robe.
...
And a hat.

 

[Sinatar]

Wizardry is an interesting beast as there are 2 distinct styles of game.

First you got the Robert Woodhead era which is Wizardry 1 - 4 (you can add 5 here, Woodhead didn't work on it, but it's in the Woodhead style).

These games all follow the same model of you having a central town and a singular dungeon that you descend from top to bottom. They are very D&D-esque in their rules sets and are extremely difficult by modern standards. For example your party can be "eradicated" at which point the game will erase your save file from the disk. Seeing as how you can't play wizardry 2 or 3 without a party imported from the previous games, this could result in you having to start the entire trilogy over if you haven't been making backups regularly.

These games are the influence you're talking about for pretty much all JRPG's. Also all the Japanese Wizardry games (and Wizardry-alikes like Elminage) are structured after these games.

Wizardry 4 is a noteworthy exception. You play as the main villain from Wizardry 1 and are trying to escape the prison you were locked in at the end of that game. Instead of a traditional adventuring party you summon various monsters to do your bidding. Wizardry 4 is quite possibly the hardest game ever made.

The other Wizardry era is the D.W. Bradley era, and while he worked on Wizardry 5, you can think of this as 6 - 8. These Wizardry games have a larger scope. Instead of taking place in a single dungeon you have multiple dungeons, multiple towns and a world map. The character system was also completely revamped largely abandoning it's D&D clone roots for something more complex and interesting. Something pretty unique to this era is that not only do you import your characters from one game to the next (ala Wizardry 1 - 3) but that the decisions you make in the previous games can completely alter how the next one starts. Both 7 and 8 have multiple wildly different openings depending on your actions in the previous games (or if you're starting a brand new party).

I'd say the D.W. Bradley era games are a little easier to get into, but you'll find a lot less of the influences you're looking for. If you want to play the old school Woodhead Wizardry's I'd recommend the PS1 version, which has the first 4 in one package with redone graphics, music, automaps and retains the save transferring between games. It was only released in japan but has a full english translation included.

 

[Linkark07]

Well, first you're gonna need a robe.
...
And a hat.

You forgot the wand.

 

[1upsuper]

Damn, I didn't realize Wizardry was already so unknown.

I'd highly recommend starting with Wizardry I-II-III: The Story of Llylgamyn for the Super Famicom. It's a nice, extremely faithful remake of the first three games. It's how I first got into the series, and it's actually better than Llylgamyn Saga on the Saturn in a few ways. Also, bear in mind that it's basically a time-honored tradition at this point for Japanese ports/remakes of Wizardry to mix up the order of the second and third games. So The Knights of Diamonds is often listed as the third game in the series in things like Story of Llylgamyn, but it's really the one you should play second. And The Story of Llylgamyn lets you transfer your characters after you beat each game. It used to be, in the old PC/Apple days, basically mandatory to do this because Wiz2 and onwards were scaled to having a high level party from the beginning, but that was quickly abandoned by ports and remakes, so you don't actually need to transfer your party in these remakes.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. I'm a big fan of the early Wizardry games.

 

[rpg_fan]

6-8 are the best of the bunch, but play them in order. Yeah, 6 has old graphics, but after a bit you won't notice it.

-edit to add- Also, don't even touch 4 unless you're really into it. Seriously.

 

[Adnor]

As important as the Wizardry games are... I have never played one.

Well, that's not completely true, with my brother and sister we played Wizardry VII (actually my brother played, with my sister we created 2 characters), but because of our age, the fact that we never played any RPG before and especially the fact that we didn't understand a word of english I don't think we finished the first floor

EDIT: Someone should make a thread about really influential series that have been forgotten. Wizardry is one of the most important series in videogame history no one talks about it anymore.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I heard Hogwarts has a solid program. Not the safest place to be though.

I came in for this joke. Thank you.

 

[Arc Christelle]

I came hoping this thread was about the MMO.

 

[Crankshaft]

The death of the Wizardry series in the West is very sad to me.

But Atlus has resurrected it's corpse with the Etrian Odyssey series and that is a good enough replacement for me.

 

[OmegaDL50]

I currently own Wizardry 6 through 8.

I was told that they're pretty brutal, but groundbreaking RPGs that were a direct inspiration for games like Dragon Quest.

So, where do I start from here?

Don't forget the Ultima games too which also were influences to Dragon Quest...at least I think I've seen it mentioned in an old interview many, many years ago.

My experience with Wizardry was Crusaders of the Dark Savant. I created my party of 2 warriors, 1 ranger , 1, thief, a healer, and an offense mage. 5 minutes into the game I was ambushed by a pack of humanoid rat looking guys, like 12 of them. I died in that very first battle and put the game down. I should probably pick it up again now that I'm a bit more educated on the genre on how to properly play these sorts of games.

 

[Adnor]

Don't forget the Ultima games too which also were influences to Dragon Quest...at least I think I've seen it mentioned in an old interview many, many years ago.

Yeah, for what I remember the maps in DQ were inspired in Ultima and the combat was based on Wizardry, but with only one character because of memory limitations on the Famicom.