Kat Bailey: I find all three of these games interesting because they give lie to the notion that the Japanese only make a certain kind of RPG. Wizardry and Rogue in particular are dark, difficult, and notably devoid of either extensive stories or elaborately coiffed protagonists. Dragon Quest was famously a reaction to Wizardry--an attempt to make it more accessible to the general public. But though the popularity of Yuji Horii's opus has hardly waned over the years, a not-insignificant chunk of the Japanese gaming public still love a good, raw dungeon crawler.
Wizardry was huge in the 1980s, and helped define both Western and Japanese RPGs as we know them.
When I was young, I never understood why it seemed that all the old folks were miserable and/or bitter all the time. Now at 50, I get it. From about 45 on it seems, you watch person after person that meant something to you die. Family, friends, musicians, actors, artists, and yes, game creators.
RIP Andy.
The classic fantasy RPG series Wizardry is apparently getting a blockchain game, which is targeting a late 2022-early 2023 release in the West.
Legendary game designer Brenda Romero reflects on her 30 years of working as a game designer.
