Gemstone Warrior
Gemstone Warrior is an action game with adventure elements. Players work
their way through an underground catacomb, doing three things at once. First
they need to find five pieces of a gemstone, spread throughout the maze.
Second they need to avoid getting killed by the guardians of the catacomb.
Finally they need to map the game, because the place is so large that it is
easy to get lost. Once the Gemstone Warrior has collected the five gemstone
pieces, he needs to move back to the point where he began the game.
The hero has to go underground because of demons. They stole the gemstone from
humans, because they were jealous of the good magic it brought to humankind.
They broke it up and spread it throughout their dungeon, to hide it.
This game is not just a “shoot-em-up”; it has many of the features of that
style of game, but also gives players time to think. It includes a pause which
helps one map and also to freeze a room, to see what is running toward the
Gemstone Warrior. The game also has a save feature, which is useful just
before entering a new room: if the Gemstone Warrior is ambushed, players can
give him another chance.
After killing opponents, the Gemstone Warrior has the opportunity to search
the bodies for treasure. Monsters carry arrows, and also “magic bolts.” The
latter are interesting, as they destroy treasure too, as well as the Gemstone
Warrior, should he be too close to the explosion. Magic items abound, and help
the warrior make it through the caverns. Some magic items are traps too; there
is a healing potion bottle that is similar to a poison bottle. Other magic
items include effects to freeze opponents, turn the warrior invisible, hide
him among monsters with an illusion, annihilate all opponents in the current
cavern, and cure disease.