Dungeon Master

Dungeon Master (1987)

by FTL Games, JVC Musical Industries, Psygnosis, Victor Musical Industries
Genres:Role-playing (RPG)
Themes:Action, Fantasy
Game modes:Single player
Story:Dungeon Master established several new standards for role playing and computer games in general. Dungeon Master was a realtime game instead of the traditional turn-based approach that was prevalent until then. Instead of using text-based commands to interact with the environment, players directly manipulated objects and the environment by clicking the mouse in the enlarged first-person view. Abstract Dungeons and Dragons style experience points and levels were eschewed in favor of a system where the characters' skills were improved directly via using them. It also introduced some novel control methods including the spell casting system, which involved learning sequences of runes which represented the form and function of a spell's effect. For example, a fireball spell was created by mixing the fire symbol with the wing symbol. This kind of attention to detail and focus on the user interface was typical of the game and helped create an often captivating sense of craft and ingenuity. Other factors in immersiveness were the then-revolutionary use of sound effects to indicate when a creature was nearby, and (primitive) dynamic lighting.Show more
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Stories about this game (13)
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This was the game that caused me to trade in my semi new Amiga 1000 for the Amiga 500 because it had 1meg of ram that was required to run Dungeon Master. Eye of the Beholder came out years later, as well as Black Crypt, but for the original real time RPG fantasy time battles Dungeon Master and Chaos Strikes back is the one everyone should get!
user avatar@Dr.Bouser avatar@Dr.Bo
January 30, 2025
Dungeon Master war das erste Dungeon Crawler Rollenspiel das ich auf dem Amiga gespielt habe. Super Atmosphäre auch wenn es völlig ohne Soundtrack auskam. Knackige Kampfpassagen und Rätsel haben mich Wochenlang beschäftigt. Ein sehr gut durchdachtes Abenteuer in einer Fantasiewelt voller Geheimnisse und Monster. Das System der Zaubersprüche ist einzigartig, man musste Runen in einer bestimmten Reihenfolge "aufsagen" um den entsprechenden Zauberspruch zu wirken. Das Spiel hat einem nicht an die Hand genommen und das war auch gut so, denn so entstand auch eine Entdeckerlust und man war hochmotiviert wenn man ein Rätsel gelöst oder ein Geheimnis entdeckt hat. Es gab nur wenige Spiele die später mit diesem einzigartigen Klassiker mithalten konnten und das war Chaos Strikes Back der zweite Teil von Dungeon Master und die Eye of the Beholder Reihe. Dungeon Master ist für mich der Urvater aller Echtzeit Dungeon Crawler Spiele und ein MUSS auf GOG!
user avatar@RegionFreeuser avatar@RegionFree
February 10, 2025
Does not get enough recognition for how much it influenced 3D dungeon crawlers that came after it. A good difficulty curve, challenging puzzles and capable of some real surprises. The opening level is almost the genre's version of World 1-1 in Super Mario Bros as it gives you a taste for the game's mechanics as you assemble your party. When showing this off to friends on my Atari ST, the moment they killed a mummy using cheese as a projectile quickly won them over. 🤣
user avatar@zairisuser avatar@zairis
January 30, 2025
This was the first game my parents ever bough for me, and I remember loving the box art. I was amazed at the in game graphics too, however, I also remember being too scared of the monsters to actuall complete it back then xD. I did like picking my party, juggling their eqipment though, and having our neigbours older son explain to me what I should be doing, as I knew almost zero English back then.
user avatar@Apophis69user avatar@Apophis69
February 01, 2025
I have played this original Amiga and PC, DMjava, Return to chaos and Legend of Grimrocks Back to the Dungeon -mod. I remember training my characters to masters because Chaos strikes back was so difficult.
user avatar@jammie85user avatar@jammie85
February 06, 2025
This game, and its sequel, is one that's always meant a lot to me. It came out the same year as I was born, but I discovered it when I was young, and was obsessed ever since. It is a genuinely impressive piece of passionate artistry and risk that you just don't see triple A companies putting out anymore. It's a dark, but sympathetic look . (Making it far more than just a run-of-the-mill 'dark and edgy' fairy tale-there is genuine love and hope in this game). The art direction are absolutely beautiful and creatively unhinged, and the gameplay still manages to hold up decently well. I love this game with all my heart, and have always wanted to see it become more accessible to everyone else so that they can love it too.
user avatar@Trarothuser avatar@Traroth
January 31, 2025
J'ai acheté ce jeu à sa sortie sur Atari ST. Je me rappelle les longues heures passées à arpenter les couloirs du donjon, en craignant un monstre à chaque coin. On était une bande de copains rassemblés autour de l'ordinateur, et chacun jouait à son tour, c'était vraiment de bons moments.
user avatar@Oldgrizzuser avatar@Oldgrizz
February 16, 2025
When I first played Dungeon Master it was on a Commodore Amiga. The graphics were outstanding, not like the PC graphics. On my first play through I walked around a corner and ran into a mummy. The mummy said boo and I almost jumped out of my chair. The dungeon was very well laid out, lots of challenging puzzle's. Hidden buttons in the walls, timed pits to jump over. This was my first memorable RPG game I played. I started playing Dungeon Master 2 but never finished it, shame. I think these DM games set the standard that all the other need to live up to.
user avatar@Sabre7741user avatar@Sabre7741
February 17, 2025
wow this was one from the past and chaos strikes back wow its a dungeon crawly at its finest and id truly love to see it again. this time with out all the floppy's lol and it was a beloved piece of art from the past.
This was the game that got me into RPGs, it looked great and the sound effects were excellent (I bet everyone jumped when a mummy would appear behind you and scream!). The combat was fun and sometimes hectic and I still have a copy of my spells list hidden somewhere!
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