One of the earliest pioneers in the RPG genre (the first entry Dunjonquest, was released in 1982!), Epyx' Temples of Apshai Trilogy are semi-fun dungeon hack RPGs with an almost nonexistent plot but high playability quotient.
Best described as the graphical version of Rogue, you play a lone adventurer who is exploring the ruins of the temples of Apshai, looking for treasures and ways to build up your stats. The game is played from a top-down perspective, with more than adequate graphics. Although the game is a spiritual descendant of Rogue, there aren't nearly as many weapons to wield and monsters to kill, and the dungeons look very much the same after a while.
Recommended only for anyone who's interested in the history of RPGs, although the (older, and more primitive-looking) Rogue is ten times more fun and replayable.
Review By HOTUD
Comments and reviews
A shame this is not available either here or on other services. I keep hearing on Steam, which has only the DOS version, is much inferior to the others.
One of my first RPGs and I still love it. That feeling of killing everything in the dungeon, grabbing everything and making it back to the inn alive... such a great feeling.
A trick I use is if a treasure chest is in the open, approach it from behind (the back). Most traps are in the front, so it will give you the best chance. Once you have opened the chest, go back the way you approached.
I just love how, because the shitty broken DOS version is available on Steam, that means the functional versions people might actually WANT to play can't be distributed.
the steam version is broken (as in unplayable) and is a complete waste of money. I understand trying to keep things legal but listing the steam version is harmful to consumers. So, at the least it should just be unavailable
This game is available for sale on STEAM. It should probably have a referral to it.
I have played the game and have found that there is no experience points collected or increase in your stats even after playing for two hours.
Hell yeah make some apshai games! I loved these back in the day.
I'm actually making a game inspired by this one. A mock of sorts but with tweaks and such. Check out my first devlog of the game on my YouTube channel. Search "Imma ghost temple of apshai" should be dev log 0.
Is it just me or did the vic 20 version actually have the best graphic out of all the ports?
I had this game in 1983... played it on my Vic-20.... had a blast.... was 18 years old and in my first semester of my Engineering Degree. Brings back memories... ;-)
Sunk untold hours into the Commodore 64 original one, where I was just a stick figure. Great great memories of this game. A friend owned it and we only played it together when I was over, but we'd play for 4+ hours at a time!
This game shows what programmers can do when they know the machine better. I bought the first temple of apshai (not trilogy) when the graphics were stick figures with limited animation, if any. When the trilogy came out, the difference in artwork was amazing! And it was on exactly the same C64 machine.
didn't work using dosbox
I played this game until my Apple IIe like there was no tomorrow.
I found it a nice change of pace from the strictly text type of adventures.
it reminds me of 'The Dungeon of Fargoal!'.
No comment nor review for this game at the moment.