Amberstar

Year 1992, on the desk next to the keyboard lies a printed map on office paper — not because I wanted to, but because without it I'd get lost in Amberstar like in a supermarket without a shopping list. Thalion Software released a game back then that didn't have much competition in German RPG production.

Amberstar is a classic fantasy RPG with a story about saving the world from ancient evil, set in a vast continent full of cities, dungeons, and secrets. The game was intended as the first part of a trilogy — the second part, Ambermoon, was released, but never made it to PC; the third part was never created. Thalion went bankrupt before that. So Amberstar ended up a bit like an unfinished book where the last chapters are missing.

Gameplay combines a top-down perspective when traveling the world map with a switch to pseudo-3D perspective in interiors and dungeons — similar to how Ultima or Eye of the Beholder did it back then, except Thalion mixed it their own way. The combat system is turn-based, building your party of adventurers is solid, inventory is a bit clunky. Mouse and keyboard controls work, though sometimes you get the feeling the interface was designed by someone designing an interface for the first time. The game is truly large — the map is extensive, plenty of locations, content for dozens of hours.

The graphics were nice for their time, drawn, colorful, with character. Today they look like a solid period average — not stunning, but not unpleasant either. The music does its job, holds the atmosphere, even though it repeats a bit after a while. What aged the worst is navigating the game without a manual or period documentation — Amberstar throws you into the world and doesn't care much about you. That was normal back then, today it can be either a challenge or frustration, depending on your mood.

Today Amberstar suits mainly those who like old European RPGs with that specific German emphasis on detail and complexity, or those who don't get enough from just Ultima and Might and Magic and want to explore a less worn corner of the genre. You can play it in your browser via DOSBox Online without installation — I'd recommend keeping a notepad handy and bringing some patience. Those hundred crowns or so that someone invested in it back in the nineties were well spent.