Archon II: Adept

Archon II: Adept is a 1984 action-strategy video game developed by Free Fall Associates' Jon Freeman, Paul Reiche III and Anne Westfall, and published by Electronic Arts for various platforms.[1] Adept is a hybrid of a tactical board game and action. Although it does not have the chess motif of the original Archon: The Light and the Dark, it retains the central concepts of good vs. evil, one-on-one combat, magic, and power points.

Archon II: Adept
Developer(s)Free Fall Associates
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
Designer(s)Jon Freeman
Paul Reiche III
Anne Westfall
Platform(s)Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Release1984
Genre(s)Turn-based strategy/action
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Like its predecessor, Archon: The Light and the Dark, Adept is a struggle between two opposing sides (led by the followers of the Master of Order and of the Mistress of Chaos) that takes place on a game board, complete with playing pieces, but instead of capturing, pieces enter a battle screen and duel to the death. The board is a rectangle with four roughly concentric bands, corresponding to the four elements of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. Two non-elemental squares along the vertical center are "Void." Two decorative citadel squares pad the horizontal center. Each player starts with four wizards called "Adepts" that can cast spells, in particular a summoning spell used to bring the other pieces into play.

Game board (C64)

"Order" (yellow) and "Chaos" (blue) alternate turns. On a turn, a player must either move a piece or use an Adept to cast a spell. Summoned pieces can move any distance in their element, or move one square out of their element. Adepts teleport anywhere. Pieces may not enter occupied squares except as an attempt to eliminate an opponent's piece. Battles are resolved immediately, and the defeated piece is removed from the board. The turn then ends.

The game's sole resource is magical energy, used for spellcasting, paying a per-turn upkeep cost for each summoned piece, and the Adepts' teleportation. It's gained by having friendly pieces occupying squares with power points. Four power points are on the outer edges of one element at a time, moving inwards after every pair of turns. Two power points with lower income rates are on the Void squares. The starting side can be chosen or randomized. The side that goes second receives more magical energy. Spellcasting costs magic points in varying amounts, depending on the spell (e.g., summoning a demon requires more magic than summoning an elemental).

Reception

II Computing stated that the Apple II version of Archon II "is even more challenging than its predecessor, and features exciting innovations", and concluded "it's good to see a sequel to a successful game that is not as good as the first but extends the boundaries of the game's system".[2] Reviewing the Amiga version, Computer Gaming World "recommend both Archon and Adept" for those interested in challenging strategy games.[3]

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See also

References
  1. "Archon II: Adept". IGN.
  2. Shapiro, Neil (October–November 1985). "Of Jewels and Ghouls and Butterflies and Strategies of War". II Computing. pp. 24–26. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  3. Wagner, Roy (November 1986). "Amiga Preferences" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 32. p. 38. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
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