The Wheel of Time: An Unreal Experience (A Friend Recalls)
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A short retrospective review of The Wheel of Time Video Game, which, by a bizzare twist of fate, is one of the most important games Epic Games never made. A full retrospective history and review here.
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This is part of a video series providing retrospective analysis of popular culture (video games, books, comics, movies), trying to understand how our taste in entertainment has changed over the last few decades. In these videos look at topics such as the history behind their creation, the cultural impact they had on the wider world or just celebrate high watermarks - experiences that deserve to be celebrated. In 2018 video gaming became the worlds single most popular form of entertainment however that does not mean other forms are dead or deserve to be forgotten. We have been fortunate enough to reap the benefits of an evolving industry that learns from both it's successes and mistakes - and I've been learning as a consumer. This series is designed to celebrate and share important milestones and significant releases; be they good or bad.
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From Wikipedia:
The Wheel of Time is a first-person shooter video game developed by Legend Entertainment and based on Robert Jordan's fantasy series of the same name. It was released in 1999 by GT Interactive.
The game is based on the Unreal Engine, combining elements of first-person shooter games like Unreal with strategy/role-playing game elements. It can be played either in single-player or multiplayer modes, which determines the course of the game. The single-player gameplay variant is linear and centered on a fictional character named Elayna Sedai, the Keeper of the Chronicles of the White Tower.
In the multiplayer version of the game, however, the player may act as either Elayna Sedai, the Leader of the Children of the Light, one of the Forsaken, or the Hound, an entirely new character type. This multiplayer version contains two modes: Arena and Citadel. Arena is a basic deathmatch, in which the winner is the player or team who kills the most. Citadel is similar to a capture-the-flag style of gameplay, in which each team must capture the "seal" of the other teams. Seals can be protected in the base through a variety of traps and computer-controlled guards. Though the multiplayer game's play volume was never as high as that of many other first-person shooters, it continued to be played by a loyal group of fans long after its release.
Wheel of Time gives the player an assortment of over 40 ter'angreal — magical artifacts which can be used to cast specific weaves (spells). These artifacts range from offensive weapons to shield and healing spells. Others offer more complex spells such as swapping the player's location with the target. The number and variety of spells available allows for combinations of weaves to be used, as well as effective counterattacks from enemy AI or other players.
The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen called it "a more-than-competent effort, which keeps the flavor of its source material while providing a decent challenge." Michael Lafferty of GameZone gave it eight out of ten, saying, "If you have played Unreal, and seek to advance along the path of higher and more dangerous game playing, this program is right up your alley. The manual does not provide a quick reference chart, but the controls are so simple to figure out, that you will be immersed in no time. The game also features on-screen prompts to help guide you - at least initially." According to GameSpy, the game was a commercial failure. It sold 30,085 copies in the U.S. by April 2000. In 2003, the game was rated #10 on GameSpy's list of the most underrated games of all time.
