Here you will find the latest news in the world of Raymond E. Feist. It maybe the title of the next book, a new release or even a new project, but it could also be an update on an existing project. What ever it is though, we hope to present it to you as soon as we are aware of it. If you know something we don't, that relates to Raymond E. Feist, and believe it should be here, then please contact us.
Tue Feb 23rd, 1999
New Return to Krondor Review
GamesMania has posted its review of RtK, following the trend of mediocre reviews. It rated the game 6.5 out of 10. Here's the skinny:
They say the real fun is the journey, not the destination. This is very true of Return to Krondor. You will probably enjoy it as you play, but be stunned as that ending comes out of almost nowhere, leaving you with an inventory of wondrous goodies that don't seem to count. Up until this ending it is a good game, though weak in comparison to fare such as Baldur's Gate (which owes a little inspiration to Betrayal at Krondor) or even Sierra's own King's Quest: Mask of Eternity.
It is better than the annoying wannabe Betrayal in Antara, but not up to the new standards of Baldur's Gate. Perhaps my expectations were just a little too high. After all, we did wait for it for a long time. Or perhaps this is yet another title rushed out before its full potential was realized.
Tue Feb 23rd, 1999
Feist Interview
I was sent this note by Raechel Henderson:
[I] thought I'd let you know that a new interview with Raymond Feist is in The Goblin Market. He talks about the DandD influence in his books and the nature of his characters. A snippet of it is online at <http://www.eggplant-productions.com/goblin/>
Sun Feb 21st, 1999
Poll Results
The results of the poll are in. 62% of you thought the Riftwar Saga had the best characters, 22% preferred the Serpentwar Saga's, and 16% thought Mara and company were the most interesting. The new poll is 'Which Feist game is better?'
Sun Feb 21st, 1999
System Requirements for Next Game
Ray posted this bit about the next PC game:
As for the valatility of the console market vs. PC's, the problem stems from PC's being a 'fixed' platform. We already know what the likely minimum for the next Krondor game are going to be: 266 Mhtz PII or Celeron _with_ hardware acceleration. By the time the game ships, people at the top of the curve will be using 450-500 mhtz machines with 64 or 128 bit acclerators, etc. But it's going to be Windows, and the development tools are well known.
Tue Feb 16th, 1999
The Year in RPG's
Warzone has posted an article titled The Year in Role Playing, which examines the major RPG releases of the past year, including Return to Krondor.
Sun Feb 14th, 1999
The Next Book
Ray posted these two messages about the status of Krondor: The Assassins, the next book in the Riftwar Legacy:
No flames. I don't know. It was supposed to be handed in this month, but it's going to be late. I'd say look for it in the fall.
The next book is 'Krondor: The Assasins,' as 'Murder in Krondor' was likely to get the book racked in murder mysteries, among the less well informed vendors.
Sun Feb 14th, 1999
Vault Network Review
This is a bit late, but the Vault Network has posted a very comprehensive review of Return to Krondor. Here's the skinny:
Although the game was shorter than I was expecting, the story was engaging and well-written. Due in large part to the talents of Feist and the chapter structure of the game, the plot moved along quickly and kept me interested the whole time. The ending will certainly come as a bit of a surprise (although one could debate whether this was the original one envisioned for the game…), and sets things up nicely for a possible sequel.
Overall, it appears to me that Return to Krondor did not benefit from its long development cycle, and that the end product is not the ambitious game the team set out to make three years ago. I suspect that when Sierra bought the license back, their primary interest was to finish it as soon as possible and to get the team working on a new Krondor game. Rushing to get the game out the door might help explain the uneven pacing in the second half of the game.
Return to Krondor is not the game I think most fans were looking forward to. It seems more a polished 'work in progress' than anything else. However, I know the team that created the game is capable of bigger and better things. Here's hoping that the next Krondor game, due out in late 2000, with live up to the high standards fans expect.
Thu Feb 11th, 1999
PC Gameworld Review
PC Gameworld has posted their review of Return to Krondor, giving it a 78% rating:
I've only been hard on this game because I know the story in and out and I expected more. Complaints aside I really liked the game and I would recommend it. The fights are fun, and it has an option that if you don't feel like thinking you can just press the C button and the computer will fight for you (nice.) The graphics are great. Great models, and great lighting make for good fights. The environment graphics are really nice as well. Lots of thought went into detail. There is a good amount of things to see (although much of it is in chapter 3 just like in Btk where you get lost in the sewers.) Above all, if you're a fan of Raymond E. Feist get this game just for the coolness factor.
Wed Feb 10th, 1999
Midkemian Age Timeline Updated
Canaan Machida sent me this note about the Midkemian Age Timeline:
Just an update on my website. I've recently updated my Character Age's page to include Ray's latest book 'Krondor the Betrayal'. I'm also going throught the series again (my 10th time?) To refine my research and the page.
Wed Feb 10th, 1999
PC Gamer Publishes Review
It took 'em a while, but PC Gamer has finally published their review of Return to Krondor. They gave it an 80%. Here's the beef:
Highs: Exciting story line; lots of items, spells, weapons, potions; great combat system.
Lows: Too short; camera angles make it difficult to navigate; inventory management gets tedious.
Bottom Line: If you're looking for a fun, quick, RPG with a good story, this is one to get.
The review is inthe March 1999 issue, which hit newstands last week.
Wed Feb 3rd, 1999
Interface Woes
Computer Games Online has posted a new column by Andy Backer, which mentions several recent RPG's. Here's what he had to say about Return to Krondor:
Return to Krondor is also quite short for a CRPG (it only took me a week to play through) but Feist's story, characters and dialogue gleam with professional polish.
Krondor, however, has an interface that isn't very intuitive. Picking up objects, putting them in inventory, selecting spells, casting them and maneuvering around Krondor by using the map are tasks initially quite confusing to some players.
I called a friend who was just beginning to play Krondor and asked, 'How's it going?'
She sighed, 'I played an hour and quit.'
'Just an hour?'
'I don't like to play games that make me feel stupid.'
Mon Feb 1st, 1999
Adrenaline Vault Weighs In
The Adrenaline Vault has posted its review of RtK, which expresses some disappointment, giving it three of five stars:
I consider Betrayal at Krondor to be one of the ten best CRPGs ever made, and it was with great anticipation that I waited for the Return. In the end the question that remains is: Have gamers been betrayed? Well I guess that depends on how you look at it. In the literal sense my final analysis is a resounding yes; this game is in no way worthy of being called a sequel. And in the fundamental sense, unfortunately there is so little of Betrayal here that if it weren't for a few of the names I'd never have known I was in Krondor.
Mon Feb 1st, 1999
The Next Game
Ray posted this confusing bit about the future RPG's:
About 2 companies ago, that was the idea, but a lot of stuff got lost in the transition to Sierra. So there will not be a 'Book 2,' as originally planned.
Sat Jan 30th, 1999
IGN PC Review
IGN PC has posted their review of Return to Krondor , giving it a 7.4. Note that the critic apparently hated BaK, but was more pleased with its older sibling:
While I don't think I'm going to rush right out and give Betrayal at Krondor another chance, Return to Krondor really delivers. I can forgive its shortcomings-the lack of any practical variety in the magic system or the characters-for the sake of its strengths-a satisfying, intelligent story and a really superb fighting system. Gameplay is frustrating at times but you'll get the hang of the interfaces soon enough. Although the story might not be any fun to read, it's a heck of a lot of fun if you're actually playing it. For those of you who might be turned off because of the poor magic system, I should say that the game offers three playing options that affect the balance between the game's emphasis on combat and magic. I was playing on the balanced level, which supposedly offers an even taste of each. You can always weight the game more or less heavily to the use of magic as you preference dictates.
Sat Jan 30th, 1999
Return to Krondor Strategy Guide
Much to my surprise, WON has posted a very complete walkthrough of RtK, complete with many pictures, that is apparently straight from the official Prima strategy guide.
