So how does Might and Magic – Gates to Another World fare compared to Secret of the Inner Sanctum?
One might say more of the same with prettier graphics but… There’s a bit more to it than that.
Gates goes over the top on quite a few things compared to Sanctum. Here is a peak at my miraculously preserved, 35-ish year old side B:
Big Numbers
Items can be enchanted up to 63 times (+63), characters can reach lvl255, hit points can grow beyond a whopping 65000, 255 monsters (with basic animation!)…
While levels in Sanctum can go pretty high (farming the Fabled Building of Gold), you’ll be hard pressed to reach 100, and you do not need more than 20 to finish the game.
Hirelings
You can extend your party to eight characters in CRON (Central Research Observational Nacelle) by hiring people along the way.
Time Travel
It’s there. Not overly useful, but there. I looked for Marty McFly for a while but wisened up eventually.
Skills
Interesting options for meatier character development, but the ones that got you through mountains and impassable forests disappointed me. That’s the thing with complex RPGs though. There are always going to be design choices in the bunch that don’t sit right with you.
Humor
You’ll crack a few laughs grins here and there. Taverns, cuisinarts, a few kooky monsters…