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Dungeon Master cover art

Dungeon Master

Released

  • Apple IIGS
  • Sharp X68000
  • Super Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Atari ST/STE
  • DOS
  • FM Towns
  • Amiga
  • Super Famicom

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About

Dungeon Master established several new standards for role playing and computer games in general. Dungeon Master was a realtime game instead of the traditional turn-based approach that was prevalent until then. Instead of using text-based commands to interact with the environment, players directly manipulated objects and the environment by clicking the mouse in the enlarged first-person view. Abstract Dungeons and Dragons style experience points and levels were eschewed in favor of a system where the characters' skills were improved directly via using them. It also introduced some novel control methods including the spell casting system, which involved learning sequences of runes which represented the form and function of a spell's effect. For example, a fireball spell was created by mixing the fire symbol with the wing symbol. This kind of attention to detail and focus on the user interface was typical of the game and helped create an often captivating sense of craft and ingenuity. Other factors in immersiveness were the then-revolutionary use of sound effects to indicate when a creature was nearby, and (primitive) dynamic lighting.

Developer
FTL Games
Publisher
Psygnosis, JVC Musical Industries, FTL Games, Victor Musical Industries
Genres
Role-playing (RPG)
Themes
Action, Fantasy
Modes
Single player
Perspective
First person
Time to beat
40 h rushed · 20 h normally
IGDB rating
86 / 100 (27 ratings)
Also known as
DM

Release dates

PlatformRelease
Amiga · North America · Europe
Apple IIGS
Atari ST/STE · North America · Europe
DOS
FM Towns
Sharp X68000
Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System · Europe · North America

Screenshots

  • Dungeon Master screenshot 1
  • Dungeon Master screenshot 2
  • Dungeon Master screenshot 3
  • Dungeon Master screenshot 4

Game data and images from IGDB. Names and artwork belong to their respective owners.