1992

Treasures of the Savage Frontier
Published: 1992
Publisher: SSI

Released in 1992, Treasures of the Savage Frontier was the last of the traditional AD&D gold box computer role-playing games. The sequel to Gateway to the Savage Frontier, Treasures picked up where its predecessor left off. Amanitas, your wizard ally from the previous game, summons your characters and enlists them to aid the dwarves of the town of Llorkh in their battle against the evil forces of Zhentil Keep. The stakes became considerably higher later on in the game when your party learns of a fabled dragon treasure hoard in Ice Peak; the party then finds itself in a race for the treasure against the Zhentrim forces, which have unfortunately gotten there first.

Treasures of the Savage Frontier distinguished itself with only a few minor additions. The first was the effect of weather on battle; characters doing battle in the grassy fields near town would do so normally, though when fighting on a snowy mountain pass would encounter additional encumbrance and movement penalties. The second addition was combat reinforcements; both enemy and allied forces could and would automatically summon additional troops if the fight was going poorly (most allied troops could in fact be controlled by the player).

Lamentably, Treasures of the Savage Frontier didn't go much further in the way of gameplay innovation, choosing instead to take the basic structure of Gateway and add the ability to advance to twelfth level (for thieves and fighters; all other characters could advance to eleventh). The time of the gold box series had passed.

Read CGW's review of Treasures of the Savage Frontier (80k graphic).

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