Quest of the Hero II by Dmitri Kornilov, Price: $19.95
Reviewed February 2003

Take the 3D graphics out of Heroes of Might and Magic and you’ve got the Quest of the Hero. Developed by Dmitri Kornilov, the Quest of the Hero series has been a popular turn-based RPG game for the Palm PDAs. Quest of the Hero II sports a major facelift in graphics and adds more elements in the game play compared to the first installment of the series.

The story of the game should be a familiar one to avid RPG players. A dark lord stole the peace and freedom of the land you live in, and it’s up to you to defeat the enemy army and free the kingdom again. Scrolled the 2D map and your hero will travel through many types of terrain and meet country folks, visit towns and castles, completing quests along the way. Just like in the Heroes of Might and Magic games, the battle system in Quest of the Hero II is a turn-based chessboard fight. Unlike the Final Fantasy or Grandia battle system where your characters can go freely anywhere, the chessboard turn-based battles allow only certain number of moves depending on the range of each party member. And the outcome of the battles often depends on the attack/defend meters of each group of fighters. You will be given an entry-level army to begin your journey and get upgrades when you win battles. You can also purchase or pick up spell scrolls, which add power to your army. There are also magic items and amulets that will change the attributes of your army when you carry them. Weapons, shields and other treasures are scattered throughout the map you explore and often guarded by strong forces.

You control the game by stylus for both exploration and in battle. It took me a while to realize when the battle begins you must move fast, otherwise you loose the first turn. The AI is mostly on target, although there will be cases where the opponents are much stronger than your army. You have to keep going back to finish them off with new enforcements. One thing that disrupts the game flow in Quest of the Hero II is the lack of a way to make more money. Once you run out of gold, you can’t buy more soldiers and magic to help you win battles that your entry-level army just isn’t cut out for. Your hero, however, does have some of the major attributes of an RPG character and gain levels as he wins battles.

The graphics of Quest of the Hero IIlook quite sharp, and different terrain features unique color and texture on the map. You will discover new monsters and treasure items in each new map. Currently the game comes with 2 maps: "The Revenge" and "The Evil Lords II", and there will be more soon, we’re told. There will also be a map editor that allows 3rd parties to create their own maps and publish them on the Quest II engine.

There is no sound in Quest of the Hero. The game supports Palm OS 3.5 and higher and takes a little less than 2MB to install both maps. For the folks who purchased the original Quest of the Hero, the developer offers Quest II for only $10.

Playing Hint and Tips

Make the first move quickly when the battle begins, or you will loose the turn. Move your combat soldiers together since they can hit not only horizontally but also diagonally. Magic items will help your lower level soldiers to beat tougher opponents. Manage your money wisely; know whom you will fight first then recruit the right army.