Sorcerer (video game)

Infobox VG| title = Sorcerer


developer = Infocom
publisher = Infocom
designer = Steve Meretzky
engine = ZIL
released = Release 4: January 31, 1984
Release 6: May 8, 1984
Release 13: October 21, 1985
Release 15: November 8, 1985
Release 18: September 4, 1986
genre = Text adventure
modes = Single player
ratings =
platforms = Amiga, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS
media = 3½" or 5¼" disk
requirements = No special requirements
input = Keyboard

"Sorcerer" is an interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky and released by Infocom in 1984. It is the second game in the magic-themed "Enchanter trilogy", preceded by "Enchanter" and followed by "Spellbreaker". It is Infocom's eleventh game.

Plot

Following the unlikely defeat of Krill in "Enchanter", the player's character has progressed from an Apprentice Enchanter to earning a coveted seat in the Circle of Enchanters. Belboz the Necromancer, the leader of the Circle, has become not only a mentor but a close friend as well. Lately, though, Belboz has seemed different. He's always distracted, even talking to himself at length. Whatever he's dealing with, Belboz doesn't see fit to confide in anyone. "Surely" he knows what he's doing.

But then, Belboz suddenly disappears. If he is under the influence of some evil power, the results could be disastrous — Belboz is one of the most powerful Enchanters in the land. Someone must uncover what has happened to him, and naturally that task falls to the player's character.

"Sorcerer" features several memorable puzzles, including an invisible but deadly glass maze and a toxic coal mine where the player must engage in short-term time travel. In addition to the spell-casting system introduced in "Enchanter", there are also several magic potions to be found. Potions, naturally, are used by drinking them and each can only be used once.

Feelies

"Sorcerer" continued the wildly popular tradition of including, in each game box, extra items related to the game. These so-called feelies were:
*A copy of the fictitious magazine "Popular Enchanting" featuring a profile of Belboz
*An "Infotater", a paper wheel that provided a group of codes disguised as information of creatures in the game(Note: the Infotater was found in the original package only. When the game was later re-released in the "gray stripe" box format, the Infotater was replaced by a "Field Guide to the Creatures of Frobozz" brochure containing the same information. Consequently, original Infotaters are highly sought-after by collectors.)

Notes

The "vezza" spell (view the future) was named for Al Vezza, who was Chief Financial Officer of Infocom at the time of "Sorcerer"'s release.

"Sorcerer" was ranked as "Advanced" difficulty, making it the "middle" game in the trilogy in more ways than one. ("Enchanter" was labeled "Standard" and "Spellbreaker" was considered "Expert".)

Writer Steve Meretzky would later go on to use a similar magic spell system in his "Spellcasting" text adventure trilogy for Legend Entertainment.

Taglines

"A new evil threatens the kingdom, and the most powerful of all enchanters has vanished..."

"Rescue a magician lost in a doomed kingdom!"

External links

* [http://www.adventureclassicgaming.com/index.php/site/reviews/85/ Sorcerer - Adventure Classic Gaming] Game Information & Screenshots
* [http://hometown.aol.com/graemecree/infobugs/sorcerer.htm The Infocom Bugs List entry for "Sorcerer"]
* [http://gallery.guetech.org/sorcerer/sorcerer.html Scans of feelies included in Sorcerer]