Crusaders of Might and Magic PlayStation

The PlayStation welcomes the debut of the Might and Magic brand in the form of a single-player 3D action-oriented RPG, a first of its kind for the series. Over four million units of the brand have been sold worldwide and translated for 12 languages. Crusaders of Might and Magic is the first to expand on the success of this series and is also available for the PC, with only slight differences. The real-time third-person adventure delves into the realm of the Might and Magic universe with familiar spells, monsters and story.

You take on the role of Drake, a lone fighter who lost his family to the ~Legion of the Fallen when he was just a boy. Otherwise known as the prophesized "Scarred One" from the ~Book of Ages, for years Drake has become toughened by this hardship and must now join the ~High Guard on a crusade of justice and vengeance. You'll be traveling across five distinct lands, from the ancient castles of the ~Stronghold and floating ~Citadel, to the lush forests of ~Duskwood and the dimly-lit mines of ~Corantha. Seek out dwarves, insect-like creatures (~Dashers) and even giant ogres and skeleton warriors as you make your way to the one evil behind all of the wreckage – Necros, the Dark Lord of the undead.

Necros was believed to be invincible after learning black magic and necromancy from the ~Dark Gods in exchange for his very soul. Upon mastering the ~Dark Wizard's ~Tome of Evil, Necros recruited the ~Legion of the Fallen, a ghastly rotting group of nefarious undead warriors. You'll face the ~Yeti, Ironpicks, Grubs, Shamblers, the Twice Born, Black Guards and Dark Hosts. As well, some of the leaders of these monsters are headed by Ironpick Zealots, Tamris and the Warren Queen.

You'll also run into friendly folk such as the ~Dwarf Legionnaires and their leader, King Aiden Stoneheart and his successor, Prince Dain Stoneheart. There are other characters you can converse with such as townsfolk, knights and others who play more important roles in aiding your quest. But what does Drake actually do? He can strike barrels to uncover hidden items; open doors; crawl and roll to avoid attacks; and even do a few flips in the air. Other functions allow you to jump, run, climb, duck, and slash enemies with a multitude of weapons. Some of these include: Battle Axe, Mace, ~Longsword, ~Warhammer, Hatchet and Exploding Gem. In addition to offensive moves, Drake also can defend himself with shields, restore his health and ~Mana with potions, enhance gameplay with invincibility (~Vanishing Dust), and increase running speed for short periods (~Dasher Nut).

But what RPG would it be without casting spells? There are plenty of spells in the game that one can utilize, of which some are based on the story and others for use in battle. From the wide range of the ~Firestorm to the bee-like ~Deadly Swarm spell, Drake has little to fear. Be careful however, since some monsters can also cast deadly spells such as Lightning and ~Regeneration. As well, a few others you run into may even backfire on you

The non-linear game design allows you to venture between levels at any time and progressive character structure lets Drake increase in magic, strength, speed, skill and other advanced special abilities over time. Cut-scenes between important stages throughout the game will clue you in as the story unfolds. A HUD display shows the status of your character's health and ~Mana points, as well as the current spell on hand. The game features special effects such as "mood" lighting and other visual and animated effects.

With support for the ~Dual Shock Analog Controller and memory card capability, help Drake fight off the horde of evil undead by continuing in the tradition of Might and Magic with Crusaders of Might and Magic for the PlayStation. Behold Necros ~ Cal Nguyen, All Game Guide