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Sorcery! saga |OT| Four games, three years in the making, one epic adventure

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http://www.inklestudios.com/sorcery/

In the 1980s, Steve Jackson introduced the gamebook series Sorcery!, a sprawling fantasy adventure with death and danger lurking around every choice. Jump forward thirty years, and developer Inkle (of 80 Days fame) began adapting this classic gamebooks into works of digital interactive fiction, bringing the words and art to life for a new generation. While the first game was a relatively direct adaptation, each game continued evolving and expanding upon the original gamebooks; for example, Sorcery 3! introduces an open world and a parallel timeline that can traveled to freely.

If you enjoy complex fantasy sagas, well-written adventures, games where your choices truly matter and can come back to haunt you, Inkle's Sorcery! quadrilogy offers over a million words of choices and secrets.
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Steve Jackson's Sorcery! is a four-part fantasy adventure like never before. With tens of thousands of choices, the story rewrites itself around your actions. Battle weird and deadly creatures, cast powerful spells, play with honour, or lie, cheat and steal. The fate of the land of Kakhabad is in your hands!
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Sorcery! 1, The Shamutanti Hills
App Store | Google Play | Steam
Journey across the wilds of Kakhabad on a quest to recover the Crown of Kings. Wield powerful magic, with over forty spells to choose from, all with weird and wonderful effects. Collect new weapons, treasures, and strange artefacts.
Can you survive the Shamutanti Hills?

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Sorcery! 2, Kharé: Cityport of Traps
App Store | Google Play | Steam
Enter the town of Kharé: a city of traps and murderers, ruled by a Council of Thieves. Battle weird and ruthless creatures using our unique strategic duelling mechanic. Outwit the citizens of the city at Swindlestones. Wield powerful magic, with over forty spells to choose from, with powerful, story-changing effects. Unearth the City's turbulent history and find its hidden secrets. Releases
Can you survive The Cityport of Traps?

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Sorcery! 3, The Seven Serpents
App Store | Google Play | Steam
Sorcery! 3 continues the epic narrative adventure into the wilds of Kakhabad - a cursed land, stalked by serpents, and unstuck in time. Explore an open world, travel through time, cast powerful spells, battle deadly creatures, gamble with swindlers - with every choice you make remembered and shaping the story.
Can you survive The Seven Serpents?

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Sorcery! 4, The Crown of Kings
App Store | Google Play | Steam
An open-world narrative adventure into a cursed Citadel of monsters, traps and magic. Fight weird creatures, cast powerful spells that shape the story, cheat death, and explore everywhere. Begin your journey here, or conclude your adventure from Part 3.
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  • Disguise yourself - adopt different disguises as you infiltrate the Citadel. Characters react differently depending on how you are dressed
  • Uncover the secrets of magic - secret spells to discover, and new forms of magic to master
  • Multiple endings, and hundreds of secrets - the game is stuffed with secrets and hidden content. Can you enter the vaults? Will you find the grave of the invisible girl?
  • Cheat, swindle, deceive, or play with honour - how will you win the trust of the citizens of Mampang? Remember, every choice matters...
  • New enemies, including mutants, guards, merchants and the undead - each with their own strengths and weaknesses
  • Swindlestones is back! The game of bluff and deceit is back, with the toughest opponents yet - the Gambling Monks of Effe
  • Seven Gods, all with different quirks and powers
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With the fourth game coming out next week, I imagine there are some who were waiting for the series to finish before checking out the series. HowLongToBeat estimates playing through the first three takes around 15-20 hours, so I figured it would be a good idea to start the thread now so people could have time to play through the other games before 4 comes out.
 
Oh shit, 4 is nearly out??

I guess I had better finish up 3 then.

Inkle are the best.
Right? Kind of sad the journey is almost to an end, but I'm excited to see what their original interactive fiction will be like

I asked them on Twitter about 4's word count, and they said it was similar to 80 Days at launch. Which was around 500,000 words
 

Shikoba

Member
I've had these on my wishlist forever. And since I've been fiddling around with various tabletop rpgs I could go for a good game book type game.

Is there any big differences between getting them on a phone vs steam? I think I'd prefer my phone to be able to play while in bed, on break at work, etc., assuming they hold up on there?
 
I've had these on my wishlist forever. And since I've been fiddling around with various tabletop rpgs I could go for a good game book type game.

Is there any big differences between getting them on a phone vs steam? I think I'd prefer my phone to be able to play while in bed, on break at work, etc., assuming they hold up on there?
Oh. yeah, they were on mobile first. Personally I prefer playing on my phone over PC, just due to the portability and ease of play with one finger.
 

RustyO

Member
With the fourth game coming out next week, I imagine there are some who were waiting for the series to finish before checking out the series.

Puts hand up sheepishly. I'd be one of those.

Thansk for the OT More_Badass, nice writeup and subscribed.
 

Pachimari

Member
I'm playing Sorcery 1 at the moment, and I feel bad for leaving that old man up in the tree, but I'm a wuzzy and wouldn't going to war with a beehive.

It has been some weeks since I started it up, so I can't really remember who I am or what it all started with. Is it, that one country stood the crown from Ananland and now I as the sole hero is going there all alone?
 

BTA

Member
I only ever played 1 and near launch at that, so I just redownloaded it. Got a lot on my plate so it might be a while before I get through all 4 of them, but with how much praise they've gotten, I'm excited.
 

Brazil

Living in the shadow of Amaz
I've started playing the third one yesterday, and man, what a ride has it been. inkle is the shit.
 
I've started playing the third one yesterday, and man, what a ride has it been. inkle is the shit.
3 is crazy. You try something and inkle has probably already thought of it and has text for it

Like if
you use the time lights to make a town half in the present and half in the past, the text and game will account for that
[minor gameplay spoiler]
 

Shikoba

Member
I started playing through the first one last night. Definitely enjoying all the options and paths. I got slightly put off when I was forced to be a jerk at one point in a town?

I forget the town name, but a bartender put out his hand (I assume for a handshake) and the only option it gave me was to shove him. Leading to a brawl in the streets. I don't understand why I didn't receive an option to shake his hand when every event prior to that one allowed me many options?

Aside from that odd event I am enjoying it!
 

batbeg

Member
Started these up on a day off yesterday and am loving it. Blew through the first one, the second one is kind of frustrating me with its
groundhog day escapades, as I'm now having to turn back time for the 3rd time, and also have got stuck once before figuring out how to rewind more than one move back,
but I'm still thoroughly enjoying it.
 

batbeg

Member
So More_Badass was in cahoots with inkle to get GAFers buying the games at full price before the sale confirmed.

Ah well at least I can get 3 for cheap.

I also forgot I'd bought the first through the amazon store so bought it twice lol
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
I loved those books as a kid! Even though the last one was impossible without cheating really. xD And the third one too, if you want to get all 7 serpents.

I have part 1 on my phone but never played it, 'cause I never play on my phone really... I do have all 4 parts on my wishlist on Steam, though. Hopefully there will be a bundle sales when part 4 comes out?
 

duckroll

Member
I still haven't beaten 3. I love how complex it is but I kinda got stuck and was distracted by other games. Any tips?
 
I loved those books as a kid! Even though the last one was impossible without cheating really. xD And the third one too, if you want to get all 7 serpents.

I have part 1 on my phone but never played it, 'cause I never play on my phone really... I do have all 4 parts on my wishlist on Steam, though. Hopefully there will be a bundle sales when part 4 comes out?
1/2 and 3 are currently on sale on Humble
 

Gen X

Trust no one. Eat steaks.
Ive never heard of the Sorcery games. Is this the same Steve Jackson that came up with the Fighting Fantasy books in the early 80s? Those were amazing.
 
Ive never heard of the Sorcery games. Is this the same Steve Jackson that came up with the Fighting Fantasy books in the early 80s? Those were amazing.
Yes, those gamebooks expanded and improved. 2 and 3 have tons of new content and concepts that could never work in the original books. Inkle and Steve Jackson worked together closely
 
I played the first one and thought it was nowhere near as good as the book. Didn't like Libra being replaced by a "spirit guide", and didn't really enjoy the combat system.

The Sorcery! books are incredible though, some of the best gamebooks ever released, up there with the Lone Wolf books and some of the best FF books like Robot Commando & Legend of Zagor.

Anyone who likes gamebooks should read them
 
I played the first one and thought it was nowhere near as good as the book. Didn't like Libra being replaced by a "spirit guide", and didn't really enjoy the combat system.

The Sorcery! books are incredible though, some of the best gamebooks ever released, up there with the Lone Wolf books and some of the best FF books like Robot Commando & Legend of Zagor.

Anyone who likes gamebooks should read them
The latter games feature much more than the original books that you should play them just because the experiences have been expanded greatly
 
I just found Sorcery 1 and 2 on Amazon.coms actually free thingamajig if you have prime. I'd post the link but you can just search for it on Amazon.

I've never played or even heard of this series but it looks awesome and I'm currently downloading it. Thanks for making the thread!
 

Pachimari

Member
Bought Sorcery 2 and 3 on sale, and has dived into Sorcery 1. Not sure how much I like it, but I'll keep going. It's a nice read at night anyway, and I like when illustrations pop up. I also really like the combat.
 
Had no idea this series was close to completion!
Only had the Kharé book, don't think I ever managed to finish it properly.
How well does the spell system translate?
 

MiTYH

Member
Is it worth starting these from the beginning? Or picking up 3 for (assumed) better newer features?

All one sale for $1 on iOS so I won't complain, but I am curious
 
Is it worth starting these from the beginning? Or picking up 3 for (assumed) better newer features?

All one sale for $1 on iOS so I won't complain, but I am curious
Play from the beginning, your choices and gear/gold/etc carry over between games.
 
The week of Sorcery 4 finally

Where are people at in the series? I'm always impressed with 3, especially when you play from the start and see how each game gets progressively larger in scope
 

RustyO

Member
Where are people at in the series? I'm always impressed with 3, especially when you play from the start and see how each game gets progressively larger in scope

Breezed through 'The Shamutanti Hills' in one sitting... now
wandering around aimlessly knee deep in waste and refuse in the sewers of Kharé
. Hey you asked ;)
 
Have been keeping an eye on this series for years. Loved loved loved 80 days. Really good game and still dip in from time to time.

This thread and finding out about the sale and yup. Got all 3 and will give them a play. All I need to do now is get off this train, cycle across London and then hit the company WiFi to download.

Will take myself off and have a read over lunch.

Thanks and happy adventuring.
 
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