Dungeon Hack
| Dungeon Hack | |
|---|---|
 DOS cover art | |
| Developer(s) | DreamForge Intertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Strategic Simulations Inc |
| Platform(s) | DOS, NEC PC-9801 |
| Release | 1993 |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Dungeon Hack is a role-playing video game developed by DreamForge Intertainment and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) for the PC DOS and NEC PC-9801 in 1993. The game is based in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons world of Forgotten Realms.
Gameplay
Dungeon Hack features a three-dimensional, randomly generated dungeon;[1] SSI claimed that "over 4 billion" different dungeons were possible.[2] The game features a pseudo-3D game screen based on Eye of the Beholder series. Like Rogue, dungeons are randomly generated whenever a new game is started. As a result, virtually no two dungeons generated by the game are identical. That said, players can play identical dungeons by sharing "dungeon seed" codes that are generated by the game.
Dungeon Hack uses the rules mechanics of AD&D 2nd Edition. Most notable about this game is the option to have "real character death", unlike other such graphical AD&D games (such as Pool of Radiance). When this option is turned on, restored saves are erased upon character death, just as with traditional roguelike games.
Plot
An adventurer (the player's character of choice) is sent by an evil[3] sorceress on a mission to find and retrieve a mysterious magical orb located within an ancient dungeon.
Reception
Dungeon Hack won Computer Game Review's "Most Replay Value of 1994" award.[citation needed] The game got 3 out of 5 stars in Dragon.[4] According to GameSpy's Allen Rausch, if "random creatures and meaningless hallways are your thing, you'll love Dungeon Hack -- the rest of us like at least a little story to justify our monster butchery."[5]
Ian Williams of Paste rated the game #9 on his list of "The 10 Greatest Dungeons and Dragons Videogames" in 2015.[6]
References
- ^ Tresca, Michael J. (2010), The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games, McFarland, p. 144, ISBN 078645895X
- ^ "Dungeon Hack". Computer Gaming World (advertisement). December 1993. p. 43. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ^ PC Player issue 3 (February 1994), page 57.
- ^ Petersen, Sandy (May 1994). "Eye of the Monitor". Dragon (205): 59–62.
- ^ Rausch, Allen (2004-08-17). "A History of D&D Video Games - Part III". Game Spy. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
- ^ https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/04/the-10-greatest-dungeons-and-dragons-videogames.html