The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight

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| above = The Bard's Tale II:
The Destiny Knight

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| label2 = DeveloperTemplate:Pluralize from text | data2 = Interplay Productions
Krome Studios (remaster)

| label3 = PublisherTemplate:Pluralize from text | data3 = Electronic Arts
Pony Canyon, Inc. (NES, PC-98)
inXile Entertainment (remaster)

| label4 = DirectorTemplate:Pluralize from text | data4 = Template:If first display both

| label5 = ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data5 = Joe Ybarra

| label6 = DesignerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data6 = Michael Cranford

| label7 = ProgrammerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data7 = Template:If first display both

| label8 = ArtistTemplate:Pluralize from text | data8 = Todd J. Camasta

| label9 = WriterTemplate:Pluralize from text | data9 = Template:If first display both

| label10 = ComposerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data10 = David Warhol

| label11 = Series | data11 = The Bard's Tale

| label12 = Engine | data12 =

| label13 = PlatformTemplate:Pluralize from text | data13 = Amiga, Apple II, Apple IIGS, Commodore 64, Commodore 128, MS-DOS, Famicom/NES, PC-98

| label14 = Release | data14 = 1986: C64
1987: Apple II
1988: Amiga, IIGS, MS-DOS
1991: PC-98
1992: NES

| label15 = GenreTemplate:Pluralize from text | data15 = Role-playing

| label16 = ModeTemplate:Pluralize from text | data16 = Single-player

| label17 = Arcade system | data17 = Template:If first display both

| data30 =

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The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight (or The Bard's Tale 2) is a fantasy role-playing video game created by Interplay Productions in 1986. It is the first sequel to The Bard's Tale, and the last game of the series that was designed and programmed by Michael Cranford.

The game features Dungeons & Dragons-style characters and follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, The Bard's Tale, also created by Michael Cranford. The Bard's Tale II takes place on a larger scale with an explorable wilderness, six cities, and multiple dungeons that give this game its dungeon crawl character. The game has new features such as casinos and banks, and introduces a new magic user called an Archmage, among other changes from the first game in the series.

Although it received mixed reviews upon release, The Bard's Tale II won the Origins Award for Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Computer Game of 1986.<ref name="originsawards">Gamemasters Association 1986.</ref> In 2018, Krome Studios published a "remastered edition" as part of The Bard's Tale Remastered Trilogy.

Plot

In The Bard's Tale II, players lead a band of adventurers searching for seven pieces of the broken Destiny Wand in The Realm. Mercenaries roaming the land stand in the way. Players achieve victory after finding the pieces, defeating the Archmage Lagoth Zanta, and reforging the Wand.<ref name="bagnall87-1"/> The character who successfully reforges the Wand becomes the immortal Destiny Knight.<ref name=Scorpia22>Scorpia 1987. p. 22.</ref>

After the optional "starter dungeon" in Tangramayne—available to develop fledgling characters—players pursue the segments of the Destiny Wand.<ref name=Scorpia22/> Parties progress through dungeons, to include The Tombs, Fanskar's Fortress, Dargoth's Castle, the Maze of Dread, Oscon's Fortress, the Grey Crypt, and the Destiny Stone. Players can obtain segments in a Snare in each dungeon. After acquiring the seventh segment, players are ready to assemble the Destiny Wand and face their final battle with Lagoth Zanta.<ref name=Scorpia23>Scorpia 1987. p. 23.</ref>

Setting and characters

The Bard's Tale II is set in "The Realm", which has been peaceful for 700 years. Peace was maintained by the Destiny Wand, forged by the Archmage Turin, until it was stolen and broken.<ref name=Lesser80>Lesser 1987. p. 80.</ref> The game features a large wilderness area and six cities—Colosse, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Tangramayne, and Thessalonica.<ref name=Lesser80/> Each city comprises similar features such as taverns and banks.<ref name="Scorpia22-23">Scorpia 1987. pp. 22–23.</ref> Cities also contain dungeon entrances.<ref name=Scorpia22/>

Players can assemble a party of up to seven active characters at the Adventurer's Guild in each city.<ref name=Simerly7/> Characters can be imported or created. They can be imported from The Bard's Tale, Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (on Apple II versions),<ref>Simerly 1986. p. 3.</ref> or Ultima III: Exodus.<ref name="Bagnall 1988. p. 30"/> Characters can be created as a human, elf, dwarf, hobbit, half-elf, half-orc, or gnome.<ref name=Simerly7>Simerly 1986. p. 7.</ref> Players can also include monsters indefinitely in the party—only a temporary feature in The Bard's Tale.<ref name=Trunzo32>Trunzo 1987. p. 32.</ref>

Character classes available at the start are the warrior, paladin, rogue, bard, hunter, monk, conjurer, and magician. The sorcerer, wizard, and archmage classes are not available at the start.<ref>Simerly 1986. p. 7–8.</ref> Archmages are a new class.<ref name=Trunzo31/> Creating an archmage requires at least three levels in the four other magic-user classes.<ref name="bagnall87-1"/> Character attributes (strength, intelligence, dexterity, constitution, and luck) are generated randomly during character creation (with values from 1–18) and affect gameplay.<ref>Simerly 1986. p. 9–10.</ref> Empty character slots can also be filled with players or creatures through random encounters, spells, or the use of figurines. The game's namesake, the Bard, retains magical singing abilities. The seven available songs assist the party while exploring or fighting.<ref name="Guerra18"/>

Gameplay

File:Bard's Tale II screenshot during gameplay.jpg

Gameplay screenshot (Apple II)

The Destiny Knight shares a similar interface with the first game.<ref name="Bagnall 1988. p. 30">Bagnall 1988. p. 30.</ref> Besides the character list, there is a visual interface on the left with interactive text on the right.<ref name="bagnall87-9"/> Graphics are similar, with some updates such as animated character images.<ref name="bagnall87-9"/> Sounds such as Bard songs also have more depth.<ref name="bagnall87-9"/>Template:Efn Gameplay has similar aspects to Dungeons & Dragons.<ref name="Guerra18"/> It appeals to players who enjoy dungeon crawling and mapping.<ref name="bagnall87-9">Bagnall 1987. p. 9.</ref>

Combat has more depth than Bard's Tale I.<ref name=Trunzo31/> Range extends to 90 feet.<ref name="Scorpia24">Scorpia 1987. pp. 24.</ref> Handheld weapons are useful at close range.<ref name="Guerra18"/> Extended ranges involve ranged weapons like bow and arrows and spells which change effects over distance.<ref name=Trunzo31>Trunzo 1987. p. 31.</ref>Template:Efn In the early stages of the game, the party's fighters are important in combat, while spellcasters are dominant later due to monster strength.<ref name=Trunzo31/> Some powerful monsters have over 1,000 hit points.<ref name=Scorpia2325>Scorpia 1987. pp. 23, 25.</ref>

Magic is part of gameplay. The game features 79 spells.<ref name="bagnall87-1"/> These include battle magic as well as other spells such as teleport, the reliable "Scry Site" spell (providing the party's location), light spells, and summoning monsters as allies.<ref name="Scorpia23-25">Scorpia 1987. pp. 23–25.</ref><ref name="Guerra18"/> The party's spellcasters typically occupy the bottom character slots, allowing them to use magic with the fighters in front.<ref name=Scorpia25/>Template:Efn Besides magic users, some items also cast spells.<ref name=Scorpia25>Scorpia 1987. p. 25.</ref> Parties must develop an archmage to achieve game success.<ref name="bagnall87-1"/>

Parties can explore the wilderness, cities, and dungeons. The wilderness contains monsters not seen in The Bard's Tale.<ref name="Guerra24">Guerra 1987. p. 24.</ref> Players can also discover non-player characters such as the Sage who provides useful advice, for a price.<ref name=Lesser80/><ref name="Scorpia24"/> Players can avoid wilderness movement by teleporting between cities with a spell.<ref name="bagnall87-9"/>

Cities vary only in their internal layout. They feature various establishments, two of which did not appear in The Bard's Tale—banks and casinos.<ref name=Lesser81>Lesser 1987. p. 81.</ref> At Garth's Equipment Shoppe, players can buy, sell, or identify items.<ref name="Simerly 1986. p. 14">Simerly 1986. p. 14.</ref> Parties can withdraw saved money from an account at Bedder's Bank for the Bold and gamble it at a casino.<ref name=Lesser81/> They can lament their gambling losses at a tavern over a drink with bartender advice available, for a price.<ref name="Simerly 1986. p. 14"/> When ready, a party can venture into a dungeon to explore, fight monsters, and gain the experience to advance levels and complete their quest. After returning to town, parties can heal or revive characters at a temple. Roscoe's Energy Emporium allows spell unit restoration at exorbitant fees.<ref name="Simerly 1986. p. 15">Simerly 1986. p. 15.</ref> Characters advance levels and magical ability at the Review Board.<ref name="Simerly 1986. p. 14"/> There are also "unmarked buildings", most with little but a possible monster encounter.<ref>Simerly 1986. p. 13.</ref>

The game has 25 dungeon levels.<ref name="bagnall87-1"/> Dungeon exploration identifies clues which are important to solving the game's puzzles.<ref name=Morris/> Dungeons feature hazards such as spinners, teleports, and areas that drain the party and prevent magic use, among others.<ref name="Scorpia24"/> Lack of light and other hazards in later dungeons make mapping challenging, although there is an automap feature in the game's remastered version.<ref name=Hermit/>

Central to gameplay are Snares of Death, which did not appear in The Bard's Tale.<ref name="bagnall87-1">Bagnall 1987. p. 1.</ref> In-game research and preparation are required for successful completion.<ref name="bagnall87-1"/> There are seven of these challenging snares, appearing in the various dungeons.<ref name=Trunzo31/><ref name=Scorpia23/> Once entered, parties cannot leave until they are solved.<ref name="Scorpia24"/> These real-time puzzles have a time limit.<ref name=Trunzo3132>Trunzo 1987. pp. 31–32.</ref> Little light works in these magic-free zones.<ref name="Scorpia24"/> Solving one of these puzzles provides the party with a segment of the Destiny Wand, while failure results in their demise.<ref name=Lesser80/> Only an archmage can assemble the Destiny Wand.<ref name="Scorpia24"/>

Development

1980s release

The initial The Bard's Tale II release was part of a series of evolving 1980s fantasy role-playing video games.<ref name=Ryan55>Ryan 1989. p. 55.</ref> Drawing from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons' roots in the 1970s, these included the Wizardry and Ultima series.<ref name=Ryan55/> The game followed the Bard's Tale I's 1985 release.<ref name=Ryan56/> Work began as soon as The Bard's Tale was complete.<ref name=Cranford18>Cranford 2018.</ref> Additional disks allowed for a game larger in scope.<ref name=Cranford18/> According to reviewer John Ryan in 1989, "By the time Bard's Tale II: Destiny Knight ... appeared in 1986, it found an active gaming public with a voracious appetite for more of the saga."<ref name=Ryan56>Ryan 1989. p. 56.</ref> Improving on the graphics and plotline of its predecessor, the game quickly found commercial success after release.<ref name=Ryan56/>

Interplay Productions produced The Destiny Knight as the next installment in The Bard's Tale series.<ref name=Lesser79>Lesser 1987. p. 79.</ref> Michael Cranford designed the game.<ref>Poverella 2004.</ref> Development drew from themes in The Lord of the Rings.<ref name=Cranford18/> Electronic Arts first published the game on the Commodore 64.<ref name=Lesser80/> The game later expanded to the Apple II system and the Atari ST.<ref name="bagnall87-9"/> Initial release was December 1986.<ref name=Moby2023c>Moby Games 2023.</ref> It was also published on the Amiga.<ref name=Lesser79/>Template:Efn It was followed by The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate, published in March 1988.<ref name=Ryan56/><ref name=Moby2023b>Moby Games 2023.</ref>

Reception

The Bard's Tale II won the Origins Award for Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Computer Game of 1986.<ref name="originsawards"/>

Critical reception was mixed. In Computer Gaming World, Scorpia noted several improvements over the original, such as an easier start and more easily recognizable buildings. However, she thought the snares excessively tedious, interactions with the Sage challenging, and the gameplay skewed heavily in favor of mages. Her verdict was "recommended, with reservations".<ref>Scorpia 1987. pp. 22–25, 54.</ref> In a 1991 review, Scorpia called the game "without a doubt, the worst of the series".<ref name="scorpia199110">Scorpia 1991. p. 16.</ref><ref name="scorpia199310">Scorpia 1993. pp. 34–50.</ref> Reviewer James Trunzo echoed Scorpia's comments about excessive repetition in snares and frustrating interaction with the Sage, requiring precise wording of questions.<ref name=Trunzo31/>

Charles Ardai called it "a fine sequel to Bard's Tale".<ref name="ardai198705">Ardai 1987. p. 28.</ref> RUN magazine reviewer Bob Guerra praised the game's new enemies and their corresponding animations and stated the game "offers an irresistible challenge to all fans of role-playing fantasies."<ref>Guerra 1987. p. 24.</ref> James Trunzo stated in Compute! that Bard's Tale II "lives up to its predecessor's excellent reputation". The magazine described the game as one "for the true adventure gamer. It is a very difficult and challenging game, and it requires great intestinal fortitude", and suggested that beginning adventurers avoid it.<ref name=Trunzo31/><ref name="katz198811">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Ahoy!'s AmigaUser said "Bard's Tale II is a completely worthy successor to the 1986 award-winner. It is at least as good as the first title in the series, except where it is even better".<ref name="katzworley198811">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Hartley and Patricia Lesser reviewed the game in a 1987 issue of Dragon magazine. They indicated that fans of The Bard's Tale would like this sequel much better.<ref name=Lesser80/> They stated that its "scope is mammoth in nature, and this is another highly recommended offering for all fantasy role-players".<ref>Lesser 1987. P. 81</ref> Michael Bagnall also stated in 1987 that due to the number of new features, "It is its own game, whose design is familiar enough that veterans can leap right in, yet with so many unique elements that it will challenge and enthrall them even more than the original."<ref name="bagnall87-9"/>

Legacy

During the 2015 Kickstarter campaign for The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep, inXile partnered with Rebecca Heineman and her company Olde Sküül to remaster the original trilogy for modern personal computers running Mac OS and Microsoft Windows (verus inXile's emulated versions).<ref>Sarkar 2015.</ref> After reaching an impasse in development, Olde Sküül and inXile agreed to transfer the project to Krome Studios.<ref>Mazagalli 2018.</ref>

On October 23, 2018, Krome Studios released a remastered version of The Destiny Knight as part of a series remake.<ref name=maria18>Maria 2018.</ref> This updated the graphics and added an automap feature, among other updates.<ref name=maria18/> A legacy mode version of the game was later added.<ref name=maria18/>

The remastered edition of the original trilogy was released for Xbox One on August 13, 2019. This followed the acquisition of inXile Entertainment by Microsoft. The collection supports Xbox Play Anywhere.<ref>Madan 2019.</ref> The game was also published for the PC-98 in September 1991 and the Nintendo Entertainment System platform in January 1992.<ref name=Moby2023c/>

Reception

In 2018, Alex Santa Maria stated that The Destiny Knight was part of "One of the most classic franchises in PC gaming".<ref name=maria18/> An Old Game Hermit reviewer in 2020 rated the game at 55 of 100, noting repetition as a drawback.<ref name=Hermit/> He placed the game at "extreme" difficulty while noting that "the feeling of accomplishment you receive from finally conquering a game like this is unmatched".<ref name=Hermit/> In 2023, Scott Orgera listed the Bard's Tale trilogy, including The Destiny Knight, as one of the "10 Best Offline RPGs to Play in 2023" as the "Best Old-School RPG".<ref>Orgera 2023.</ref>

See also

• Silversword

Bibliography

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External links

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|CitationClass=web }} Game information with libraries of spells, detailed item information, and interactive game maps.

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|CitationClass=web }} Game information for the Commodore 64 system.

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|CitationClass=web }} Game information with libraries of items, maps, and a walkthrough.

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|CitationClass=web }} Template:Bard's Tale series