The birth of Might and Magic is a significant moment in the history of computer role-playing games (CRPGs). Developed by Jon Van Caneghem and published by New World Computing in 1986, Might and Magic introduced a new level of depth and complexity to the genre. The game was inspired by classic tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons and sought to bring that same immersive experience to the computer screen. Might and Magic was innovative in several ways. Firstly, it introduced a large, open-world environment for players to explore. The game featured a vast and interconnected world, complete with towns, dungeons, and various points of interest.
The game featured a vast and interconnected world, complete with towns, dungeons, and various points of interest. This open-ended approach allowed players to have a true sense of adventure and discovery, as they could go wherever they pleased and tackle quests in any order they desired. Another noteworthy aspect of Might and Magic was its character creation and customization system.
Uncle from Another World – Episode 1
What’s it about? Takafumi’s uncle was hit by a truck in the year 2000 and spent 17 years in a coma. Upon awakening, he tells Takafumi he actually spent those 17 years living in the other world of Granbahamal—and he has the magical powers to prove it.
I so want to be on board with what Uncle from Another World is selling me, because “isekai Jumanji” is a very funny concept. Unfortunately, the premiere seems determined to squander its good ideas with a combination of misdirection and persistent inconsistencies.
Kawai Shigeki is taking the head director chair for the first time, and his previous outings as episode director have almost exclusively been on action shows (including infamous JSDF propaganda vehicle GATE). His lack of comedy chops are painfully apparent, weighted down further by a thudding script from Ihara Kenta (Trapped in a Dating Sim, The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter, the unpleasantly sleazed-up-to-eleven Mieruko-chan adaptation). There’s an effective opening where the show leans into the dark possibility that the titular Uncle might just have a persistent delusion (which has its ableist issues as a comedy premise but at least as a piece of bleak satire or parody it’s something), but it lasts all of five minutes before confirming that not only was the other world real, but the Man Named Uncle has kept his magical abilities in our world.
RIP “scene whose joke was suffocated in its sleep”The rest of the episode goes on to recycle about three jokes: Uncle’s life in another world was relentlessly bleak; he’s out of touch with modern technology; and he had no idea that the woman following him around in the other world had feelings for him. These range in execution from “not really a joke but sure” to “I see the joke you abandoned halfway up the road back there” to “pedant mode activated.”
I confess to feeling a blossoming canker of cynicism during that cold open I praised, where the room of haggard-looking, heavily outlined male characters were interrupted by a female nurse who had the face of a pleasant but deeply uncanny robot. Hard to sell me on your “this is the real world” premise when men get to look schlubby but the women are equally airbrushed in fantasyland and modern Tokyo even when doing a decidedly hard and unglamorous job. But to be fair, there’s a dire lack of visual contrast between the real world and Granbahamal overall.
Y’know how you do a full face for your twelve-hour shift cleaning up other people’s fluids?It’s supposed to be a land of magic where everyone is hot, even the rando bandits, but it’s still drawn and lit with heavy lines and dark colors, meaning there’s no shock value when the Uncle reveals the horrible things that happened to him. The punchlines are as if we’re looking at Happy Tree Friends, but all I can do is shrug and say “what did you expect, landing in Berserk?”It makes it dead dull to look at too. Somewhat minimal animation wouldn’t be a problem with more striking boarding and color composition, but this is a series of grey rooms occasionally broken up by a breathtakingly brown forest.
But what really kills me is the lack of care. Obviously, I don’t need this to be meticulously worldbuilt just to tell some “Gen X Man Miss Sega” jokes. But I do expect a show to adhere to its own rules—so why does the cold open rest on the Uncle realizing he needs to use Japanese for his spells to work in Japan…only for him to swap back to activating them with fantasy language later? But what really broke the premise for me was one word: tsundere.
A third of the three jokes rests on the premise that Uncle didn’t recognize that the elf woman following him was being tsundere, and so he took her at her word when she said he was hideous and she hated him (frankly? Fair enough). Takafumi posits that this is because tsundere didn’t become a popular concept until 2004, after his uncle was taken into Truck-kun’s loving embrace. To which I respond: motherfucker, Ranma ½ started airing in 1989.
I spent a few minutes trying to figure out if they only met shortly before he came back or if we’re seeing him in adult-o-vision retroactively before realizing that there were only three minutes to go and I did not care
Even if we argue that tsundere as a term wasn’t in the lexicon until the early 2000s, the archetype was so suffocatingly prominent in the 90s that by 1996 we already had a critical interrogation of it. Uncle was isekai’d with a buffet of tsundere love interests in popular culture, from Kimagure Orange Road to Full Metal Panic! to Love Hina. It’s the kind of detail that wouldn’t matter in a one-off throwaway joke or if there was a one-title exception to a generally true observation, but they’ve chosen to hinge an entire joke around it in a series whose bedrock is about the gulf between 90s otaku entertainment and the landscape circa 2017. And also, I was just so bored by that point.
A quick glance at the wiki indicates that future episodes will introduce Uncle’s childhood friend, who’s apparently been nursing a crush lo these 17 years that he’s naturally oblivious to. [This is a misreading on my part y’all, I’m sorry; it’s Takafumi’s friend who joins the cast. My overall feelings on the show’s weird treatment of women stands though.] I’m not sure I have it in me to slog through more of the show’s weird-feeling treatment of women (Tsundere Elf looks like a teenager, incidentally, while Uncle looks like his 30-something self), especially not when it’s so bad at landing a joke. A more skilled creative team might’ve been able to sell the dark comedy or at least keep the pace clipping along serviceably, but unfortunately the show as delivered has left me in despair.
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Dela stops by to rub some salt in their wounds
Players had the option to create their own party of adventurers, choosing from multiple classes and races. Each character had their own unique abilities and skill sets, allowing for diverse and strategic gameplay. Combat in Might and Magic was turn-based, with players and enemies taking turns to attack and defend. The game also featured a wide range of enemies, from classic fantasy creatures like dragons and goblins to more exotic and powerful foes. Players had to carefully plan their actions and use their characters' abilities effectively to overcome these challenges. As the Might and Magic series expanded over the years, it continued to push the boundaries of CRPGs. Subsequent installments introduced new features and advancements, such as improved graphics, expanded storylines, and more intricate gameplay mechanics. The series garnered a dedicated fan base and remains influential to this day. In conclusion, the birth of Might and Magic marked a milestone in the evolution of CRPGs. Its open-world exploration, character customization, and strategic combat set a new standard for the genre. The game's innovative design paved the way for future RPGs, and its legacy can still be seen in modern titles..
Reviews for "The Legacy of Might and Magic: How it Continues to Shape Gaming Today"
1. John - 1 star
I found "The Birth of Might and Magic" to be extremely disappointing. The writing lacked depth and the characters were flat and uninteresting. The plot was predictable and offered nothing new or exciting. Additionally, I found the pacing to be incredibly slow, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating fantasy read.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "The Birth of Might and Magic", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The world-building was underdeveloped, leaving me feeling disconnected from the setting. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters. The story also lacked a sense of urgency or tension, making it difficult to stay invested. While the concept had potential, the execution fell flat, resulting in a mediocre reading experience.
3. Mike - 2 stars
"The Birth of Might and Magic" had an interesting premise, but failed to deliver a compelling narrative. The writing was overly descriptive and dragged on, slowing down the pace of the story. The characters lacked depth and their motivations were unclear, making it difficult to empathize with them. The plot felt disjointed and lacking a cohesive direction. I was left feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed with this book.