Ring Cycle

_Ring Cycle_ is based on Richard Wagner’s (1813-1883) “Der Ring des
Nibelungen”, a cycle of four operas incorporating German and Scandinavian
mythological elements, including the titular “Ring of the Nibelung”. Taking
the role of Siegmund, son of Volsung, the player is instructed to look for ten
quest objects in three-dimensional landscape both under and above ground, and
question Wagnerian characters such as Alberich the Dwarf and Br unnhilde the
Valkyrie for their whereabouts. Siegmund can also collect fireball ammunition
and flagons of mead and other bonus items along the way, and engage with
enemies in fireball duels.

The game uses a modified engine from Mike Singleton’s previous effort Lords of
Midnight III: The Citadel. Although the Lords of Midnight series were all
hybrid games with elements of strategy and role-playing in them, _Ring Cycle_
plays as a straight action/adventure. The player can choose between first and
third-person camera modes, and has to manage Siegmund’s health and dispose of
enemies efficiently to prevent being resurrected and placed back in the centre
of the gameworld, losing most of the inventory items in the process; quest
items, however, stay once obtained. The soundtrack consists of approximately
25 minutes of instrumental extracts from Wagner’s Ring, arranged and produced
specifically for the game.