Lands of Lore: Throne of Chaos came out in 1994. I bought the game and the strategy guide around that time. What a game. It really made an impact on me especially with Patrick Stewart's vocals.

This was my first RPG and I think I must have really stunk at it. Everything scared me. The background effects constantly reminding me there were enemies nearby always kept me on edge. And when enemies came they came thick and fast. I can't begin to tell you how many times I and/or the rest of the party died. It was constant saving. I held my breath till I got thru the next fight and then saved again.

I don't know how some of you intrepid gamers come up with solutions to all the problems you face as you game.
Not knowing what particular items did or what they were for was very frustrating for me.

One thing I loved about the game was the automatic map. It showed you where you had been and key points found, not to mention the secret passages once you had passed that area.

My style of gaming was to play intensely, for hours and concentrate on the game and the guide for days, weeks. Then I would get to a point that I just couldn't seem to get thru. I would try and try and eventually give up. I didn't go back to the game for months, years. I kept restarting the game over because I couldn't remember enough of the game to feel comfortable just continuing from my last save.

All in all it took me 5 years of starting over and over again till I eventually completed the game.

Oh the wonder! The sense of accomplishment. Even though I used every walkthru, guide, map I could find, it didn't detract from my sense of finally winning against all odds.

Following the euphoria came exhaustion. I had won. I never wanted to see or play that game again. So I sold it with the guide. After selling it, I would sometimes feel nostalgic about it.

Now GOG has released this game again (along with Lands of Lore 2) in a playable format. I was so happy to see it I bought it right away.

My memory being a sieve, I can now play the game again with a somewhat fresh eye. It is more fun to me now because I understand the game more.

Just wanted to let other adventurers in The Lands of Lore know I'm back with a vengeance! Anyone else playing?

Woooo Hoooo SharonB...you will have to let us know if it is as fun as you remember.

Hi Sharon. Thanks so much for your enthusiastic review! I wanted this game SO bad a few years ago, but wasn't able to play it on my machine. Then like you mentioned, GOG got it, and I bought it recently along with a ton of other wonderful old games. I haven't played it yet, but hubby and I are huge fans of Star Trek TNG and Patrick Stewart, so when I heard he had done the voicework I was really excited.

Will definitely post again when I get into the game!

PS As an aside i've been dying to say this to someone so I'm going to say it here....I just LOVE old graphics and although my current loves like Oblivion and Skyrim are beautiful, nothing will ever beat the feeling of loading up one of the old games nearly twenty years ago and seeing THOSE graphics for the very first time. WOW.

Tracy

Just wanted to express my sheer joy and gratitude to GOG for being able to play this game again the way it was meant to be played. No more struggle and trial and error to get the game to run. No more frequent freezes or crashes. Now I can just play without fighting the program.

I'm having a wonderful time! Naturally I still get killed -- a lot! And I can't remember what some of the items are for, but that's part of the suspense!

I hope others will try this game with an objective point of view. It may be old, but it was then and is now a lot of fun!

I love this game! I played it many times. It was one of my first RPGs, also. I remember thinking the graphics were so cool! I thought it was very hard the first time I played it, but it seems easy now. I may be ready for another go soon. It's a wonderful game. I've just discovered GOG & I'm playing the old Quest for Glory and Might & Magic games. I've been able to play my original LOL with Patrick Stewart for the past 20 years, first with Windows 98, then XP.

I don't know what my problem with it was. I may be confusing it with other games that gave me problems. Anyway, I'm glad to have it back and I am making great progress. I have acquired the ruby of truth and am on my way to find Dawn. Not sure if I need to go out thru Opinwood or Upper Opinwood. I'm going to try Upper Opinwood and see how that works. Almost forgot to get my ingredient from the swamp!

You're really coming along fast, Sharon! It's tempting to think about playing it again.

I learned something new about LoL! If you run the setup file from within the DosBox/Lol files you can change the music to midi and the sound effects, etc to SBPro. Wow! I didn't know the game could sound this good. Learned this from the GOG forums. They also tell you how to improve the graphics, but it's a little complicated for me. Don't want to mess up the game at this point. Maybe I'll try it when I'm done the game.

I have very fond memories of this game; now, reading all of this makes me want to play it again.

Yes Marian! Maybe we should ALL play it!

Yes, we should.

I've got a slight problem. I've finished Upper Opinwood and will head back for Dawn, but I need another bottle for an ingredient. I've only come across one so far and I have access to two ingredients.

Aren't they just supposed to show up randomly? Anyway, I'll just have to assume that another will show up somewhere.

See you in the Lands!

Have you seen Dawn in her wagon yet? She gives you one or two empty jars at that time. I think more will show up randomly.

I'll start the game tomorrow probably. Hope some more will join us!

Nope, haven't got back to Dawn yet since getting the Ruby of Truth. I think I will go thru the Urbish Mines first as I have discovered there's something there I need for Scottia's gate.

There are really annoying Gimlets in the Urbish Mines and I can't wait to give them a poke with my trident!

I got started on the game, but I don't think I'll move along as fast as you have. I'm just now in the Southland with Timothy. I always get lost in the mines and the Draracle Cave! Have fun!

Sounds like ya'll are having fun

I have a lot of trouble in the mines as well. Have forgotten so much of the game, but remember the mines gave me the "heebie jeebies"

For the most part, I just cover the map in other areas, but with the mines I need a good walk-thru to get me thru it. They were enough to drive you I remember those Gimlets though. They were constantly stabbing me and laughing. I'm out for some good old fashioned revenge!

Yeah, those guys are irritating! But fun to kill! I'll never forget the first time I played this game - we didn't have internet,& there wasn't a hint book available yet, so I just explored wverywhere I could, and eventually figured out what to do. The mines and the draracle cave were particularly tough. I thought the sounds in the caves were really creepy.

Did you get enough bottles?

We're having a blast, Looney! Have you played this game?

Not yet Barb....right now I'm having fun slaying Demons in D3

Don't have my bottles yet. I'm pretty sure Dawn gives me one or two and it won't be a problem going back to the swamp. Am making my way down thru the Urbish Mines. Still opening up the upper level. Have not come across the Gimlets yet. Have a little worry about getting into supposedly inaccessible areas. I'll work it out.

I think the mines are the most confusing part of the game. Right now I'm trying to find my way through the draracle cave. It's pretty confusing, too.

Is D3 Diablo 3, Looney? Is it good? I tried the first one, but I wasn't into fighting at that time so I never played it.

Hi ya Barb, yep that is it. I never played the original either. Son is a huge Diablo 2 fan, but this is the first time hubby and I have tried it. I find the combat much less complicated than World of Warcraft. Loads of fun though on the higher levels it can be crazy.

When was Lands of Lore published, do you know?

It first came out in 1993. We got our first computer that year, so LOL was one of the first games I played. It was the first 1st person game I ever played, & I thought it was hard! You ought to try it - the graphics aren't bad for that old a game.

You should be fine getting bottles now Sharon. Once you have the Ruby, the driver will let you talk to Dawn.

Ah, Lands of Lore. I remember playing the demo and absolutely loving it. This was, of course, before the internet and I relied on shareware to get my fill of games. I wanted to get the full game but never got around to it. I'm sure I will some day.

No better time than now, Wincey! Go for it!

For some reason the game seems much easier now. I have better equipment than I remember getting this early from my previous playthru's.

I wish GOG would get Lands of Lore 3. I tend to confuse these 2 games. It is Lands of Lore 3 which I could no longer get to operate properly due to the required 3d acceleration. Still, I am happy to be back in the Lands.

My favorite RPG game to date though is hands-down Elder Scrolls 3 - Morrowind. What a beautiful game (with a few mod improvements). That was a difficult and looong game. But it was always interesting and there was so much you could do. You didn't even have to do the quests. There was so much exploration, collecting things, decorating, etc. But I digress.

I look forward to completing this game. But I have a long way to go and a lot of fighting to do.

Have not had a chance to get back to the game yet. Hopefully in the next day or two I can spend some time there.