Times of Lore (NES) Playthrough
249A playthrough of Toho's 1991 action-adventure game for the NES, Times of Lore.
Played as the knight.
King Valwyn of Albareth disappeared twenty years ago, and the kingdom has since descended into a state of lawlessness. It's up to you to find out what happened, restore order, and "to select your role in these Times of Lore."
Times of Lore, a 1988 open-world adventure game released on various PC platforms, was one of the first titles that Chris Roberts (Wing Commander, Star Citizen) helmed during his tenure at Origin Systems. Its console port was one of just two NES games developed in-house by Origin. (The less said about their second effort, • Ultima: Warriors of Destiny (NES) Playthrough , the better.)
The game plays out like a simplified, non-RPG take on Warriors of Destiny. There are no character stats or magic spells to deal with, combat plays out in real-time, and the entire world is open to you from the outset. Your job is to follow the trail of clues, investigate leads, and dish out justice whenever necessary. Albareth is presented as a huge sandbox in which everything is represented at scale, and it's full of NPCs whose behaviors are driven by the day/night cycle.
The NES version's graphics are scaled back from what was seen on the PC and C64, but the game offers several welcome improvements elsewhere. Item management is less cumbersome (you no longer have to retrieve your throwing weapons!), the action pauses as you're digging through menus, navigating the world is easier since your view isn't restricted to a small window, and music now plays throughout the entire game.
Times of Lore is the closest thing to a "walking simulator" as you'll find on the NES. There's not much action, the hints are plentiful, and the game is at its best when you allow yourself to be taken in by the atmosphere. It's simple but effective, though it'll probably prove a bit too bland for anyone looking for an Ultima-like experience.
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