Reviews

1986 Hewson Consultants Ltd (UK)
by Stephen Crow

If you thought Sabre Wulf couldn't get any better, Firelord showed you wrong.

Simply , one of the best video-games I have ever played in my whole life !!

Firelord is a classic with many things to offer and with all the charm and magic of the middle ages in it .

A true wonder of a game !! Faultless !!

Incredible sound & music , incredible and soft movements , incredible layout !!! JUST INCREDIBLE !!

Miracolous game with no fault in it ... MAGIC !!


I just wonder how there are no legions of devoted fans supporting this MASTER PIECE .

Probably , the ultimate Spectrum game .


5 / 5 .

Sabre Wulf done right.

A stunning game by Stephen Crow. It was her first work for Hewson after coding succesful hits like Starquake or Wizard's Lair.

Torot, a cursed kingdom by the Evil Queen, waits the arrival of Sir Galaheart to be released by recovering the sacred Firestone.

A giant labyrinthine map (too giant, maybe) made of hundreds of screens forms the game. The excellent graphics, sounds and frenetic action reminds us of Ultimate works like Atic Atac or Sabre Wulf.

Torot has a lot of inhabitants to meet and trade with, to get various services like spells, food, weapons, ... what makes the game more than a shooter, a true classic Spectrum adventure.

Games as well done as this are not very abundant. It is an adventure genre reminiscent of role-playing games. There are original facets like getting some merchandise; You can also try to steal them without getting caught. (When they don't look).

The technical aspect is flawless. Although the printing of the graphics is done with a technique that erases the old ones by overwriting with the same before the new graphic (XOR), it is to give a fast pace to the game and because it is not necessary something more techie because of how well structured the screens are. Excellent art and very varied colors. The synchronization between all these elements is fabulous. And the final result exceeds the individual sum of its elements.
There really is nothing left behind. And the playability and ease of use an example set in stone. One of the immortal superclassics of the Spectrum

Excellent game!
I remember it being a very desired and respected game.
"Being caught stealing", what a crazy feature. The trade/steal system really works and it's original and fun. The map is big and very well done.

I agree that it's a special and innovative game.

Of all the games where exploration is paramount, this is one of the most impressive and demanding. The sheer number of screens makes it easy for you to get lost. You need to make a map, as in good exploration games.
You also have to learn to trade and steal.
Good reflections so as not to come across the numerous passers-by that swarm through the town. And persistence, because this is a long game.

In any case, the quality and balance in all the elements that you are going to find will never be an obstacle.
The technical section is almost perfect and in general it is one of the best-finished software of the golden age.

Firelord is wonderful.
They not only achieved a large challenge but also knew how to give it an equally large map but with no danger to be too tired to navigate across it.
It's the perfect fit for any game, same for the varied colours.


But let me confess a secret: collision control does not happen on a logical level but takes place directly on the screen. That is, depending on what is on the screen there will or will not be a collision. You can traverse the areas that have certain graphics. And others not, but depending on what is printed on the screen at that time. Simple demonstration: in the emulators you can load a * .scr file that fills only the screen memory . Aany screen you load will alter the collision zones according to its content.

Maybe one of the last great classics that I was missing

Today we are flooded and saturated with relatively similar games. I'm talking about RPGs.
However Firelord is adorable. And it had a great impact and we have to admit that.
Wandering around with no clue was funnier than today ' s.