Wizards & Warriors

 PC
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 23
  3. Negative: 1 out of 23
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  1. Adrenaline Vault
    70
    The longevity of this title is nearly unmatched by any other RPG save the online crowd, and players from the old-school crowd of role-playing will feel immediately at home.
  2. All Game Guide
    70
    The incredible diversity possible in putting character parties together makes the gameplay nearly unlimited.
  3. Antagonist
    72
    There's a pretty decent and engaging game underneath all of the problems, but it's a fair chore to make your way down to it.
    All this publication's reviews
  5. Armchair Empire
    75
    The visuals are just too dated and will be tough for some to swallow and the unintuitive controls can be a real pain.
  6. CNET Gamecenter
    70
    Despite its graphical and play control shortcomings, Wizards & Warriors is a good dungeon romp that stands shoulder to shoulder with those RPG classics of yore.
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Computer Games Magazine
    50
    An extremely mixed bag. The game mechanics are full of holes, the interface is clunky and unintuitive, the puzzles can be mind-numbingly obscure, and the technology driving the whole thing is unimpressive. Still, the game's focus on character progression and dungeon crawls adds depth and interest.
  8. Da Gameboyz
    55
    Probably the most aggravating part of Wizards & Warriors was the exploration, which should be full of excitement, tension, and fun, but is just plain dull.
    All this publication's reviews
  9. Daily Radar
    75
    Its lack of originality only adds to its charm.
    All this publication's reviews
  10. Electric Playground
    45
    Despite nice effects like the lighting on the torches in dungeons and the water effects that let you see the fishies swimming along, the whole game grows rather old rather fast. This happens because the game is indeed old.
  11. Game Over Online
    59
    Run from this game like you've never run before. It will taunt you with happy memories of the past and then it will break your heart. It certainly broke mine.
  12. Game Revolution
    50
    May have a fine pedigree, but it's the runt of the litter. As Bonk once might have shouted, "Game not very good! Get C! Probably. Not Sure!!"
  13. GamePro
    70
    RPG fans looking for a change of pace from "Baldur's Gate II" and who are willing to overlook a few flaws may want to give Wizards & Warriors a chance.
  14. Gamer's Pulse
    78
    It's a good idea for a story but it has been overdone to death.
  15. Games Radar
    50
    The lack of ambition to break new ground will prove unpalatable to most gamers; most RPG fans, even.
  16. GameSpot
    72
    It looks and sounds unimpressive, and at first, its poorly designed interface may seem like more trouble than it's worth to master and will likely continue to seem cumbersome even after you've gotten used to it.
  17. GameSpy
    68
    Two thumbs way down... The graphics left a lot to be desired, the interface was painful and the storyline pretty weak.
  18. Gamezilla!
    78
    The extra time it took to get it to market makes it look and feel outdated. It also suffers from technical problems with its 3D graphics support.
  19. GameZone
    75
    The gamer interface is awkward and does not allow for, initially, a quick grasp of the program.
  20. Happy Puppy
    80
    It's an addictive game that'll have you hacking away at brigands, toad men, evil priests, and even the occasional minor gaming bug.
  21. IGN
    84
    Comes about as close to tabletop RPGing as any computer RPG we've ever played.
  22. PC Gamer
    74
    A bit clunky, but it provides a good RPG experience over the long run. [Dec 2000, p.144]
    All this publication's reviews
  23. PC Gameworld
    81
    The game does revolutionize the genre by bringing it into 3D successfully. It also offers over 150 hours of alternate reality, to help you escape the doldrums of everyday life. In that, the game is a winner.
  24. Quandary
    60
    I've had lots of fun, especially puzzling my way through the dungeons. It's a game that's rich in detail but unfortunately some of the detail just didn't get enough attention.

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Best PC Game of 2000
88
#88 Most Discussed PC Game of 2000

User Reviews

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User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 18
  3. Negative: 2 out of 18
  1. AnonymousMC
    Aug 22, 2008
    2
    Even for its time, Wizards & Warriors was horribly sub-par in virtually every respect. Problems during development were never ironed out, evenEven for its time, Wizards & Warriors was horribly sub-par in virtually every respect. Problems during development were never ironed out, even over the 4 years it took for the game to finally see a release.

    The first thing of note is the very old graphics and graphic style of the game. You might be thinking, well, that's what games looked like in 2000. You'd be wrong and the lackluster visual aspect of the game was a major complaint by most even at the time of release. The game had taken so long to develop, and had such a poor and archaic visual style even from the beginning, that it simply never was revised and updated to become competitive in a market with RPG's such as Baulder's Gate. Not even close.

    The game play, combined with an equally archaic interface, was and is tedious right from the start. The game lingered between wanting real-time and turn-based game play, even offering the option for to the player to choose as they like; unfortunately, they failed to successfully deliver on either format, causing combat to be convoluted and as uninteresting as the mechanics that went with it.

    Once released, many were literally shocked at the horrible game that DW Bradley had directed from the doors of Heuristic Park. In hindsight, with the later example Dungeon Lords to further cement both Bradley and HR as incapable of producing a quality game, it isn't quite as surprising as it was back in the day. That it received the marks that it did from the press is a testament to the media's willingness to be lenient to Bradley, at least in 2000.

    In all, there is really nothing to lend a positive note about regarding Wizards & Warriors. Despite some reviewers waxing how "close to tabletop" this game is supposed to be, it even failed miserably in that respect, paled by competitors and the designers own failures alike. Now, as then, the game is best avoided (especially as its horrible graphic issues are only compounded on modern machines and operating systems). There are worse games, but not many.    … Full Review »
  2. darxiv
    Aug 11, 2023
    7
    Playing this in 2023 is just for the nostalgia. Anyone saying this game is one of the worst is greatly exaggerating. It's not great, but itPlaying this in 2023 is just for the nostalgia. Anyone saying this game is one of the worst is greatly exaggerating. It's not great, but it does do some interesting things for RPGs like allowing a bit of freedom in customizing a class. It is a bit generic in its story and never gets more than average in most aspects. But I still enjoy it for what it is.… Full Review »
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