The RPG Scrollbars - A Farewell Dip Into The Archives

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The last edition of the RPG Scrollbars takes a look back into RPG history:

The RPG Scrollbars: A Farewell Dip Into The Archives
It is said that the greatest test is that of time. Actually, I'm not sure if anyone's said that, except me just then. But that's fine. I'm sure everyone will remember. Anyway, in the final edition of The RPG Scrollbars, let's take a look back to see what the people of the past said about what was the present but is now, by the laws of causality, in fact that past. With some help from the magazine archives at archive.org, natch.

Let's start by seeing what was going on back at the launch of cheery RPS fanzine PC Gamer, and long-time distinguished competitors PC Zone. PC Zone started at by far the better time, in April 1993, just in time for Ultima Underworld 2. PC Gamer meanwhile had to make do with the largely forgotten Shadowcaster, one of a long series of Raven's patented 'take an engine and make a fantasy game out of it' games. In this case the engine was Wolfenstein 3D, and it was really more of an action game than an RPG. It did however have a truly fantastic gimmick - unlocking the ability to take the form of assorted monsters. Weirdly, shape-shifting remains a fairly underutilised mechanic.

"The first thing you think when you see Shadowcaster is 'Uh-oh, looks like Origin had better watch out. You see, this is a game that gives its own Ultima Underworld games a serious run for their money. In fact, this is a game that knocks back 12 pints of lager and a curry, then pounds its own chest and sings "Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough," at the entire RPG fraternity."​

I'm reminded of the time PC Format reviewed Descent using the three words 'Better. Than. Doom.' But the point of this isn't to go back and mock old reviews for being wrong or overly-enthusiastic. Maybe that PC Format one. But in general, the curse of reviewing is that you have to hit a game hard and fast and write while the iron is hot, making it easy to both be more critical than some games deserve, or get over-excited. And Shadowcaster was exciting, especially compared to the likes of fellow reviewer Dark Sun: Shattered Alliance, which prompts a bit of a snooze just for the streamline 'SSI and TSR team up once more to bring us another of their computerised AD&D games'. (Flicking through this issue though, I think my favourite little detail is that Street Fighter 2 of all games gets a third of a page next to a slightly mean review of Privateer, while the most 90s titled game of all time, Yo! Joe! gets a half-pager.)

But what of Underworld 2?

"Tankard of ale or bonk, sire?" was all you used to get from women in Role Playing Games. That and "Help! Help! I'm crap. I'm wearing a white dress and I need to be rescued!" Of course, that was the old days, when men were men and women were buxom serving wenches with low-cut dresses."​

Indeed. How far we've come since... uh... 1993. And how modern those complaints are, at least to anyone who doesn't remember things like Unreal creator Tim Sweeney's 1992 Jill of the Jungle's third part, the satirical but pointed "Jill Saves The Prince".

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