I've been playing Wizardry IV, my second attempt after getting frustrated by losing to the "pyramid" boss. He's the last boss before climbing the ladder and finishing the first floor. The game is a lot of fun, especially with the learning curve, where even on the first level you need to discover three things in a row. Firstly, that you can save anywhere with 8 slots, that you can kill off all the named enemies and they stay dead. Secondly, that they only stay dead as long as you are fighting them in the same playing session, so reloading saves brings them all back to life and can make progressing impossible. Thirdly, that the coins are by far the best monster summon on level 1. First room ended up being a breeze.
The fixed level-progression works well for mapping out the floors, since then you can just focus on drawing maps and writing hints without worrying about experience-points or your items. Since you don't lose as much, aside from equipable items.
(Floor 9)
The game also has more charming things in it than the previous games, like that there are little dogs that are much stronger than all the serious enemies, and are even an optional fight (as far as I know). So far is rough sailing, and I'm sure the game will turn into hell on earth very soon though, looking at all the people who either dropped or avoided it after hearing spoilers (which I have avoided).
(Floor 6)
Played up to Floor 6 now, I really love this game. I got stuck at the ziggurat level because I forgot that you need to recast the light spell, but while stuck I found four stones and could get a powerful sword from the temple God. This game really scratches my blobber itch well, while Bard's Tale was annoying me by the weird way you turn and view the world, as well as that the game makes you go through an annoying rigmarole just to find the inn. You will die a lot, but if you keep at it, the level will be slowly mapped out. The map design is a lot better than the last blobber I played, Etrian Odyssey. The monster lineup has finally reached the point where they are all cool and strong, like werewolves and ninjas, although I'm sure whatever one casts offensive spells will be most useful.
(Floor 4)
Reached as high as Floor 4, and Werdna reached level 7. To my disappointment, you can't just Malor to teleport to the end of the game, or anywhere. Now it's at the point where mapping is exceedingly difficult, because the walls can shift after you rest. West Wind Sword kicks ass, and let me kill that boss at the end of Floor 6 that casts an instakill on his first turn, as well as random enemies. I love that there's a monster summon now of the Black Riders from LotR. It definitely is a very tough game, and filled to the brim with trial and error, but I personally find pre-Lucas Arts adventure games to be worse overall. It's ironic because they seem lamer because they don't involve fighting, and the modern successors are made to be as easy as possible.
(Floor 3)
On Cosmic Cube now, feeling the tension before starting. I got stuck on Floor 4, but managed to get around it by marking every floor I hadn't entered with a diagonal line, so I knew exactly what I covered and didn't. Figured out the first puzzle at least.
