Digital Eclipse’s full 3D remaster of original Wizardry game comes to consoles & PC on May 23
In 1981, SirTech released the first game in what would soon become a legendary RPG series — Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord for the Apple II. As the very first party-based dungeon crawler, it was one of the key games that launched the role-playing genre, directly inspiring enduring series like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Demon’s Souls.
Now Digital Eclipse, a studio dedicated to the historical preservation of video games, is treating RPG fans worldwide to a full 3D remaster of this genre-defining game.
Following last year’s Early Access release on Steam and GOG, Digital Eclipse’s Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord remaster will be released on May 23 in its fully completed form for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
A LEGEND REBORN
Digital Eclipse’s Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord revival is built directly on top of the original Apple II game’s code, preserving the appeal of the classic while also incorporating modern graphics and improved party management, navigation, spellcasting, and combat.
While the remake may look, sound, and feel completely new, the original Apple II game is under the hood — you can even view the original interface while you’re playing.
Craft your own party of adventurers and head into the labyrinth at the behest of the mad overlord Trebor, in search of the amulet stolen by the evil wizard Werdna. Battle challenging monsters, avoid hidden traps, and find your way through the dungeon for the ultimate showdown with Werdna himself.
AN EARLY ACCESS SUCCESS
The PC version of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord has been available via Early Access since September 2023, where it currently has a “Very Positive” review score on Steam and 4/5 stars on GOG. Enthusiastic player feedback contributed to numerous improvements in the final game, including:
- Beautiful new graphics & animations for a game that, by necessity, only offered rudimentary visuals, now with the power of Unreal Engine.
- User-selectable options that allow players to tailor the gameplay to their liking, including popular options from the console editions of the game. Players can also choose no new options at all to experience the original, more challenging gameplay.
- An in-game Bestiary that records key information on enemies as they’re encountered and offers strategic advice on their strengths and weaknesses.
- A lush musical soundtrack from composer Winifred Philips, including some fan-favorite themes from Wizardry history.
- A controller-friendly interface, with a one-button shortcut for fast combat choices.
- Fully localized into English, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, and German.
ABOUT WIZARDRY
Created in 1981, Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord was the first game to a recreate pen-and-paper, Dungeons & Dragons-style role-playing game for home computers. Seven sequels followed over the next two decades, all published by SirTech.
Digital Eclipse has now licensed the registered Wizardry trademark from Drecom and the copyrights to Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord from SirTech, in order to develop a new version built directly on top of the original Apple II code base.
ABOUT SIRTECH
SirTech is committed to acquiring and licensing iconic IP with the mission of bringing them to current day audiences. SirTech has entered into a remastering agreement for Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord with Digital Eclipse, and retains the exclusive license for the first five Wizardry games.
ABOUT DIGITAL ECLIPSE
Digital Eclipse is a game development studio originally founded in 1992, focused on the digital restoration of classic video games. With every new project, we strive to set the gold standard for classic game re-releases. We treat them with care and respect, preserving gaming history for future generations. Learn more at: http://digitaleclipse.com
ABOUT DRECOM
Drecom Co., Ltd. is an entertainment company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. With over 10 years of experience as a mobile game developer, Drecom has worked on many IP-based game titles, attracting a large fan base. Under the mission of “with entertainment — surpassing one’s expectations,” we are developing new business areas based on IPs, such as web3 and publishing, in addition to our game business and B2B business utilizing our expertise in game development and operation. For more information about Drecom Co., Ltd., please visit: https://drecom.co.jp/en/
In 2020, Drecom acquired the copyrights to Wizardry 6, Wizardry 7, Wizardry 8, and Wizardry Gold, as well as the domestic and international registered trademarks to the series title Wizardry.
About the Author
Adrian Gunning Adrian lives in Melbourne Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology and pop culture. He recently finished his a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When not writing and playing video games, Adrian can be found in Comics 'R' Us debating the pros of the DC Universe and cons of the Marvel Universe.
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