Genre: Role-playing (RPG)
Perspective: Diagonal-down, Side view
Visual: 2D scrolling
Pacing: Real-time
Gameplay: Action RPG
Setting: Sci-fi / futuristic
Published by: Strategic Simulations
Developed by: Ceridus Software
Released: 1994
Platform: DOS
A rather rare and amazingly little-known game, which is a mixture of adventure, RPG and arcade, which, it should be noted, fully justifies its name and has very little resemblance to all other games in this direction.
The plot of Alien Logic is truly epic. In the 22nd century, people have already begun the exploration of the Far Space, in which they discovered the amazing planet Jorune, inhabited by various creatures, including intelligent ones. There were two races on this planet that created large states peacefully disposed towards each other: one was called Shantas, the other - Thriddles; there were other peoples (sometimes quite amazing), but significantly inferior to them in numbers and power. The meeting of the terrestrial expedition with representatives of both races was surprisingly peaceful: since the planet was huge and there were many richest territories on it, but no one owned territories, people were allowed to create their own colony with the only condition - not to violate the boundaries established at the conclusion of the cooperation agreement .
People began the peaceful development of the territory given to them, the construction of cities, the extraction of resources, trade with the Earth-metropolis and the mass immigration of people from Earth to Jorune began. People and local peoples actively exchanged knowledge and experience and learned a lot from each other; despite the fact that people were more technologically advanced, the aborigines possessed very special knowledge, inextricably linked with the world of Jorune itself, which seemed to people to be magic, but which they actively studied and used. This went on for a long time, but one day everything changed.
The people-colonists, who by that time had already created a strong and developed society in all respects, rebelled against the supreme authority of the earthly government in the colony. A devastating war began, which formally ended with the victory of the colonists, however, as punishment, the earthlings cut off all communications with Jorune through hyperspace channels, cutting off the colony from the outside world and depriving it of many important resources that the colony did not have and without which it could not exist. But these resources were on the lands of the natives of Jorune, so soon after the end of one war, another began, this time already human colonists with Shantas and Thriddles united against them. However, the unification did not help the natives - people were stronger. Thousands and thousands of colonists died in this war, but the victory still remained with them. The Shantas resisted much longer and more fiercely than the Thriddles, so the people practically exterminated this people, leaving only a few thousand alive.
The game itself begins 3500 years after these events. Humans are currently the most numerous race on Jorune, controlling almost the entire territory of the giant planet. Both large and all small races still exist and live, although under the rule of people, but in many ways retain internal autonomy and do not rebel against the existing order. All but one - Red Shanta. This irreconcilable fighter against the domination of people with his gang has been waging a guerrilla war against the central government for many years, and they still cannot catch him. Four years ago, he raided a human village that did not have any armed people and captured most of its inhabitants. The player is one of those villagers who managed to escape this fate, and his task is to find and free his friends.
The world of Jorune is a special world that bears little resemblance not only to Earth, but also to all other fantastic and fantasy universes known to game lovers in many ways. Yes, there is science and magic here, but this is by no means steampunk, because they are intertwined here so closely that it is impossible to separate them from each other. The basis of the life of the planet is Isho, but this is not an analogue of air, but a kind of spiritual energy that surrounds it and is everywhere. By absorbing Isho, one can experience Dyshas, what people call magic. What it is is impossible to explain, because there are no clear limits on what it can and cannot be. This energy can be used for both peace and war, but this requires a long path of knowledge and experienced mentors, as well as high abilities and long training. Even if you learn to do one thing with the help of Dyshas, another will have to learn in the same way. Over the long years of peaceful coexistence, people have learned to know Dyshas, so it is also available to you.
Actually, the role-playing part of the game largely lies in this - it is necessary to master new opportunities (not all of which are associated exclusively with battles), which can only be done with teachers of a particular art, who must first be found and who teach the skill not at all for free, and require special crystals in return. In addition, there is another local “currency” here - gemlinks, which can be used to purchase various mechanical devices (magic is good, of course, but you shouldn’t forget about science), which are also extremely important and necessary. And money in this world must be earned, there are many ways to which.
What else is there? Lots of everything. There are quite full-fledged and branched dialogues with various local inhabitants, there are quests. There is also a combat part, albeit reminiscent of the classic old arcades in many ways: side view, jumps, spectacular real-time battles with the use of magic ... And there are also Warps - also an integral part of this world. With their help, you can not only travel thousands of kilometers, but also get into the amazing Warpworld, where only a few people have been ... And among your interlocutors there can be not only representatives of local races, but also seemingly unintelligent animals and monsters! In what other game can you chat about life with a bear in the forest, fight with a giant beetle monster, or accept a task from a dog drinking in a bar? ..
Graphically, the game is made no less unusual than in terms of plot and gameplay, and the graphics here are wonderful, but it is almost impossible to describe it. The battles are made in 2D with a side view, but the quality of drawing and the size of the image can positively surprise you. In addition, the game will have a lot of meetings and dialogues, and each interlocutor is accompanied by his huge portrait, which is the most that neither is a work of art; perhaps, in no other RPG, especially the old one, this has not been given so much attention.
The final verdict makes no sense. This game cannot be judged in terms of any traditional criteria, because it really is "alien", very (and perhaps even too) very different from what most RPG and quest players are used to. Perhaps this explains the fact that now it is almost forgotten, and similar games have never been made again. But this does not mean that the game does not deserve attention - quite the contrary.