Heroine's Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok Review

Posted by Mark Goninon on
Hey there's a little heorine walking on the wall! No... wait... that's just the mouse pointer...

  • Review by: Mark Goninon
  • Developer: Crystal Shard
  • Publisher: Screen 7
  • Release Date: 20 March 2014
  • Time played: 14 hours (INCOMPLETE)

This review of Heroine's Quest is going to be another review that will read very similar to its First Impressions article, thanks to reasons I've specified already in my Running with Rifles review that I posted yesterday. In fact, it's going to be so similar (since my opinion hasn't really changed after publishing the First Impressions post) that anyone who has read the First Impressions post, really doesn't need to read this review, unless you want to know the score.

So the full title of Heroine's Quest is Heroine's Quest: The Herald of Ragnarok and it's described as "a retro styled adventure/RPG hybrid with atmosphere and spirit reminiscent of the classics." They are 100% correct in this regard as it's basically like the classic Sierra adventure/RPG hybrid Quest for Glory 1 (aka Hero's Quest), except with a Nordic theme... and it's the VGA version... oh and the protagonist is female.

Considering I was a huge fan of the Quest for Glory series, I just had to try this game out, especially considering it's free. However, is it as good as Quest for Glory and even if it is, does it measure up to the huge competition you have nowadays with respect to indie games?

What I like


For the Quest for Glory fans

This is a game by Quest for Glory fans, for Quest for Glory fans. There are just so many references to the series with respect to the gameplay, the plot and the setting. There are even several Easter Eggs related to Quest for Glory (and Sierra games in general). If you played point 'n' click adventures in the 80s and 90s, you'll love this game.

Expands on Quest for Glory

But wait, there's more! Not content to just make a clone of Quest for Glory, there have been some enhancements, such as the fact villagers actually go about their lives throughout the day (a bit like Skyrim). You also have two towns to explore instead of just one like you did in the original Quest for Glory. I've probably missed a few things but those are a couple of improvements.

Price

You can't complain about the price since it's absolutely free. Crystal Shard also have many other free games on their website but understandably, this seems to be one of their most polished ones.

What I dislike


Unforgiving at times

While the game is easier and more user friendly than old Sierra point 'n' click adventures (e.g. map with objectives, even hints if you talk with townsfolk) you're still able to get stuck on occasion and there won't be any indication you're going about things the wrong way (e.g. I spent several hours trying to solve a puzzle but found out after reading a walkthrough that I didn't need to solve the puzzle completely in order for it to work - it would've been handy if there was some notification after moving the tiles in place that I was on the right track). Also you can sometimes give away crucial items and never get them back. Nothing new to Sierra fans but it's weird that on one hand the game is more forgiving yet on the other, it's as if you're playing a game from 20 years ago.

Poor voice acting

Some of the voice acting seems a bit off or monotone but hey that's to be expected from an indie development house I guess. A certain thief in the game however has a particularly annoying accent and I'm not sure if it was exactly intentional or not.

Score – 7/10 (Good)

If you're a die-hard Sierra adventure game fan or Quest for Glory fan, this game is a must-try especially considering its price of $0. I'd also recommend this game for any who are curious about what the Quest for Glory games were all about and don't want to fork out the $13.19 to get the collection off GOG (although I personally think that's fantastic value). For everyone else though? Mileage may vary.

If you like this game, you might like…

[ LINK: Official Heroine's Quest Website ]

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