Blue Milk Special

I’ve mentioned some of my comedy influences before. Monty Python, films like Airplane, Clue and This is Spinal Tap. But one I often miss crediting is an obscure and tragically under-appreciated adventure game…

If you remember Quest For Glory, the Sierra Adventure Roleplaying game from the 1990s, then great news! Check out Hero-U – Rogue to Redemption and join me in supporting the spiritual successor. When I was a kid, Quest for Glory (or Hero Quest: So You Want to be a Hero?) was one of two games that I sunk most of my teenage years into. I had a CGA (4 color) Accer computer, and the game took 10 5¼-inch floppy disks which you had to insert to load various sections of the map and different rooms. While I envied my friends who had the 5 disk (3½-inch disk) EGA (16 color) version, I didn’t complain. I knew how lucky our little family was to have a computer at all.

Unlike games of today, Quest for Glory truly made you work to win and in-game death was humorous and fun. Most games today play it safe with the formula of hack / slash / cutscene and rarely risk breaking the mold. Quest for Glory blended to genres of PC game: adventure and roleplaying — and it did it in a way that nothing else has really come close to. It wasn’t necessarily any one aspect that surpassed other games from those genres, it was the combination in a single game, couple with a LOT of fun.

The adventure was immersive and you had to really think outside the box. However, unlike other adventure games like Kings Quest, Police Quest, Space Quest, etc. you could fight monsters if you wanted. The game gave you so many choices as to how you wanted to become a hero, be it guile, magic, or muscle. Best of all, unlike most roleplaying games, you weren’t totally confined to behave as was expected of your class. You could, if you wanted, use magic, thievery or your sword as it suited you. Essentially, I was multi-classing, a term I would not comprehend until many years later. But this ability to alter my path to complete the game made it feel more of a personal achievement than if it was a completely linear story. This was thanks to the flexibility in the programming, and this freedom remained a constant through the series.

The original games were text input. You’d have to construct your sentences with your commands and questions in a manner that the computer understood. The deliberate humor in the game’s responses was common to most Sierra games, but Quest for Glory had something extra. And it all comes down to Corey and Lori Cole, the creators of the series. They have gone largely unsung over the years, which is why it is so great that the power of fandom has helped spark their return to video games, and an indirect revival of Quest for Glory.

Even if Quest for Glory wasn’t a part of your childhood, I urge you to check out a game that is different, witty, about relationships, adventure, fantasy, comedy, swashbuckling, and most importantly, about being a hero. Corny, I know, but this game was a huge piece of my life. Re-playing the Quest for Glory series earlier this year, I was delighted that it had lost none of its charm. I really want this Kickstarter to succeed, so I hope we can spread the word and get enough new blood willing to take the plunge into Gloriana. Watch the Kickstarter video below, and check out their website: Hero-U.com