Previous Next

Every now and again, a game appears which contains so much variety that it takes the software universe completely off guard. Iron Lord is such a game. The idea isn't staggeringly original. You are the son of a great lord, and your country has been overtaken by an invading force. Lead the countryfolk to rebellion and win back the state that is rightfully yours.

First of all, however, you have to find a peasant army to lead. Search the towns and villages of the nation, talk to everyone you meet, participate in competitions to build a reputation for yourself and finally lead everybody back to the ruins of your father's castle, from where you can launch the attack. Do all that, and you've finished the first part, which is then followed by a wargame, your odds in which have been decided by how well you did in the first section. Finally, you go on a multi-scrolling arcade adventure, coming to a climatic finish with a fight with the evil Lord.

In the first part you probably have got the most to do. To begin with, you have to choose a place to visit. You are shown a very attractive-looking bit of scenery, with lots of little towns and villages dotted about. Click the pointer on one of them and you're treated to a splendidly animated sprite of a horse, racing along the relevant stretch of road. Then, just to make the game that little more interesting, you are shown a painting of the place you're visiting, with yourself on horseback racing toward it.

Once you've arrived, the view changes to an overhead scrolling map, with you represented as a dot. By pressing fire, you are told what you can see around you at that particular location. Stand in a doorway, and you'll enter. Chances are you'll enter right into one of the subgames.

Probably the first will be the archery. You are shown where the target is, how strong the wind is and in which direction it's blowing. You have to use three balances to determine direction, elevation at launch, and strength. You are given four attempts at each target, and the better your aim, the more money you get, and the more money you get, the more you will have to bribe the people into joining you and to buy all manner of weapons with.

Other subgames include the arm wrestle (a real joystick thrasher this one) and dice throwing, in which you and the computer throw die, and the one with the highest number wins.

The final subgame, and one which comes up randomly throughout the game, is one-to-one combat with another knight. It's possibly the gameworld's first person perspective swordfight. All you can see is the body and head of your opponent through your visor. The idea is to move your sword in such a way as to block your opponents while getting stuck in yourself. This is very difficult. Needless to say, I haven't managed to do it myself.

The graphics for the entire game are nothing short of stunning. All of the backdrops and pictures are exquisitely drawn and coloured, and the animation proves that there's still life in the old dog yet.

The sound is brilliant too. There are loads of really atmospheric musical compositions (it would be unfair to call them tunes) and quite a few well-placed spot FX put the game well up to the Maniacs Of Noise's already high standard.

There's a lot to Iron Lord, and far too much to lay down on this page. It's not a game of incredible depth; but, then again, it's surely one which will keep you occupied for weeks on end.