Doriath

Doriath appeared on the Commodore 64 in 1985, and its main claim to interest is chronological. It does precisely what we now associate with Metroid or Castlevania — one continuous underground maze seen from the side, where progress depends on items and abilities found elsewhere — except a year before either of those games existed.

You play the wizard Elidaan, descending into the depths of Doriath after the coronet of Arien. It was made long ago by Atelan, lord of time, who flung it into the deeps after a rejection. Before you can find it, though, you must gather eight pieces of a torn scroll, which is what actually records where it lies.

The most interesting twist is that the measure of progress is neither lives nor score but wisdom. The wisdom meter fills through everything you do down there: uncovering hidden objects, learning spells from amulets, brewing potions from gathered ingredients, unlocking doors and defeating the dragons guarding key locations. Until the meter is full, there is no ending. Movement is on the joystick, the fire button casts, and items are selected and used with function keys, which takes a while to become second nature.

Contemporary reviewers disagreed, and had reason to. Some praised Doriath as an excellent budget title with a well-judged mix of action and exploration; another savaged it for both its graphics and its incomprehensible instructions. Both are right. The visuals are legible but drab, and the game tells you virtually nothing — what to do in any given room is discovered by experiment and by mapping.

Anyone fond of old labyrinths who does not mind groping around will find a surprisingly large game with ideas of its own, one that is spoken of more warmly now than it was then. Anyone wanting clear direction will give up quickly. Doriath runs straight in the browser on oldgame.cz.