Betrayal in Antara Review

by admin 1 January 2000

Betrayal in Antara Release Date: Winter ’97
Article by: Hadi Ghandour

All my life, I always dreamt of living in the Medieval times, fighting with swords, going into Inns, Taverns, Temples, and having that bit of magic by my side. Betrayal at Krondor, one of the most successful role-playing adventure games gave me that sensation a long while ago, and ever since I have been craving for more. Waiting anxiously for years, I finally got my hands on Betrayal in Antara, and ventured on an adventure unlike any other.

Betrayal in Antara isn’t exactly a sequel to Betrayal at Krondor, although does have the same mood and feel. The story starts off with Aren, a young man who discovers that he has magical powers. William, a soon to be good friend of Aren, tells him that his magical powers can be dangerous if he doesn’t know how to control them, and therefore starts a quest to take him to a village where a man can help him control his magic.

The world of Antara is tremendously huge. Trees, houses, Inns, caves, and shops fill the Antaran world with life. I spent hours not seriously playing the game, just roaming around villages and towns, engaging in entertaining discussions with people, and had the same amount of fun! What I like about a role-playing game is its story and plot. BIA certainly did fulfill my desire, and unveiled a beautiful story-line which is totally engrossing. You control three people in the game, and various characters change. You can control Aren, William, a lady called Kaelyn, and a character called Raal. That makes the game more interesting due to the fact that you control different people. However, Aren is your main concern, and you should try your hardest not to have him die. After all, if the man going on a quest dies, the quest dies with him!

The Treasure Chests in BAK have now been replaced by Bead Chests, which contain various items in them that are useful for your journey. These are pretty challenging and difficult at points to open, however are entertaining. Many of the elements that made BAK such as success are present in this game. You still acquire skills such as lock picking, have the “rest” option, and have that helpful map!

The graphics in BIA aren’t anything special and are in fact a little dated. The characters are hand drawn, however not having a 3D look. There is barely any full animation , which does decrease the realism and visual appeal. The sound in the game, also, isn’t revolutionary, however, is quit entertaining to listen to at various locations. For example, the music in the Inn are beautifully done, making you feel actually in that time. The background sounds weren’t that great, making no great advancement form BAK.

The combat in the game has changed a good deal. First of all, your character move on a hex grid in combat mode, and clicking on the screen moves the character just like BAK. You have several options, such as attack, defend, auto combat, rest, and spell casting. A beautiful aspect in BIA is the way you develop your magic skills. The only way you can acquire a new magic spell is by research and experience. For example, if someone utilizes a magic spell on you, you can research that spell and have it for your own.

Betrayal in Antara is a very entertaining game with a beautiful story, good combat, and a pleasant interface which throws you into the enchanting medieval times. The sound and graphics may not be all that great, but overall, this is sure to please Krondor fans as well as any gamer looking for a very good role-playing adventure.