Wizardry 8
| Wizardry 8 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Developer(s) | Sir-Tech Canada |
| Publisher(s) |
Sir-Tech Night Dive Studios (digital) |
| Designer(s) |
Brenda Brathwaite Linda Currie Alex Meduna Charles Miles |
| Composer(s) | Kevin Manthei |
| Series | Wizardry |
| Engine | SurRender 3D |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows Mac |
| Release date(s) |
Windows Mac OS
|
| Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Aggregate score | |
|---|---|
| Aggregator | Score |
| Metacritic | 85/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| AllGame |   |
| CGW | |
| GameSpot | 9.1/10 |
| GameSpy | 88% |
| GameZone | 8.5/10 |
| IGN | 7.5/10 |
| PC Gamer (US) | 89% |
| X-Play |  |
| The Cincinnati Enquirer | |
Wizardry 8 is the eighth and final title in the Wizardry series of role-playing video games by Sir-Tech Canada. It is the third in the Dark Savant trilogy, which includes Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge and Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant. It was published in 2001 by Sir-Tech, and re-released by Night Dive Studios on GOG.com and Steam in 2013.
Wizardry 8 was published nine years after the previous title, Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant in 1992, and five years after the completion of Wizardry VII's Windows 95 version, titled Wizardry Gold in 1996.
David W. Bradley had been the chief designer of Wizardry VI and VII, but he was not involved in the design of this game. After Bradley's departure, Sir-Tech outsourced the development of what-would-be Wizardry 8: Stones of Arnhem to DirectSoft, their distributor in Australia. However this attempt failed and they relaunched the project entirely with Sir-Tech Canada. Linda Currie is credited as producer of Wizardry 8. Brenda Brathwaite was the game's lead designer.
In spite of a 'final save' after the final battle, Sir-Tech announced that they had no plans to make a sequel. The company later went out of business in 2003.
The ultimate aim of the game is to collect three artifacts and to place each on its pedestal in the final zone. This allows ascension to the Cosmic Circle, where the player becomes a god. There are four main paths to proceed through the game: Allying with either the T'Rang or Umpani, allying with both, or else being enemies with both. In addition, players can also choose to gain friendship with the Rattkin or the Trynnie, and players can choose whether or not to ally with the Rapax, Rattkin Razuka or Mook (though none of these choices affect the ending of the game).
As with the first two installments of the Dark Savant trilogy, Wizardry 8 has multiple beginnings that continue from the previous games' multiple endings. There are five beginnings in all. Characters imported from Wizardry VII start in the Umpani stronghold or in the T'Rang stronghold, depending on the player's alliance. If the imported characters failed their mission in Wizardry VII, resulting in their banishment into space, they are given a message that they are "still floating in endless darkness" and are not allowed to start their adventure in Wizardry 8. New characters or unallied characters imported from the previous game start in the Higardi monastery.
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Wikipedia