
	Platform PC (Sega CD, Amiga) Genre Adventure Developer Dynamix Publisher Sierra Year Released 1990
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Rise of the Dragon

When I first played Rise of the Dragon (RotD) I was almost positive that it would set the trend for PC adventure games. In retrospect, maybe I was dabbling in hyperbole but, to this day, it’s still a good game.

Back in the early ‘90s RotD was released on various platforms. It presented a Blade Runner-like environment and story. You assume the role of ex-cop William “Blade” Hunter, contracted to root out the source of a deadly new drug, MTZ, that ships in patch form and has a tendency to turn users into lizard creatures before killing them. (The mayor’s daughter has fallen victim to this drug, which is why Blade gets the call.) Rooting out the source of MTZ eventually leads Blade to a bizarre cult but it’s what between start and finish that makes RotD so good.

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Forget forgiving dialogue trees. Annoy a character and you can forget getting information from him. The moto “Save Early, Save Often” rings true thoughout RotD because one misstep can mean hitting a brick wall in your investigation (or death). You can keep playing but you’ll go nowhere. Fortunately, the puzzles are so integrated and (mostly) logical that the only real care and attention has to be paid to character exchanges – or whether you have your gun drawn. (That’s not to say

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the puzzles themselves don’t offer challenge, it’s just that you’ll more often be stymied by a wrong dialogue choice.) But Blade can fail and still continue. Near the end of the game, his girlfriend is strapped to a contraption that’s ready to inject a fatal dose of MTZ. Succeed or fail at this one, Blade can still continue, albeit with different endings.

There are a couple of arcade sequences but they are forgiving since they can be skipped if you die enough times. One right at the end of the game truly breaks the momentum of an otherwise solid conclusion. Although there’s a “real world” clock, it’s hardly a race of dexterity so these sequences seem out of place. This may be an example of an idea out-stripping technology since games like Shenmue I and II easily manage to integrate genres.

I always liked the presentation – viewing a mostly static world with subtle animated touches. It definitely has the feel of a graphic novel. Navigation and interaction is all point and click, and a breeze to handle. Dynamix always seemed to rock with its icon-less interaction – it strips it down to its essentials without dumbing down the game.

The music goes the minimalist route as well – it’s just enough to add to the overall experience without being overbearing. That being said, I remember showing off my shiny new Sound Blaster with RotD.

Rise of the Dragon is the kind of adventure game that I hope Sierra will release on a massive compilation CD of all their forgotten adventure games. I may be pining for the “good ol’ days” but I know a few people that would buy it up just for RotD (and Heart of China, another Dynamix game). In short, it’s definitely worth taking your mothballed 486 out and booting up RotD.

- Omni

(January 15, 2002)