Amberstar
| Amberstar | |
|---|---|
 Amiga cover art for Amberstar | |
| Developer(s) | Thalion Software |
| Publisher(s) | Thalion Software |
| Composer(s) | Jochen Hippel |
| Series |
Amber Trilogy  |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS |
| Release | 1992 |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Amberstar was the first installment in Thalion Software's never-finished Amber Trilogy, a role-playing video game franchise.[1] Although considerably more advanced, the game had many similarities to Thalion's earlier game DragonFlight, and was by many fans thought to be a "sequel" to this game. However, as with most of Thalion's other releases, the public interest was somewhat limited.
Story
The game is set in the fictional world of Lyramion and begins with the player situated at the graves of his parents. As the player sets out for adventure, it becomes apparent that an evil entity named Lord Tarbos, who was imprisoned a thousand years earlier, is about to be released again to wreak havoc upon Lyramion. The player - helped by the various adventurers who join the party along the way - must recover the thirteen missing pieces of the Amberstar, the talisman that banished Lord Tarbos initially, to defeat the demon once again.
Soundtrack
The game featured a musical score by Thalion's Jochen Hippel.
Sequel
While planned as first part in a trilogy, Amberstar was succeeded by only one sequel called Ambermoon. Unlike Amberstar, Ambermoon was released only on Amiga. Disappointing sales of both Amberstar and Ambermoon lead Thalion Software to close after the sequel's German release . An unreleased English version is available on an unofficial basis on the internet, however, it suffers from several bugs.
Reception
Amberstar received mixed to positive reviews in Germany and the UK. Many critics praised the deep storyline while feeling that the graphics were a bit outdated in comparison to other current RPGs such as Ultima Underworld or Might and Magic: Clouds of Xeen.
| Magazine | Date | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Amiga Action | Oct 1992 | 91% |
| Amiga Format | Jan 1993 | 81% |
| CU Amiga | Dec 1992 | 65% |
| The One | Dec 1992 | 78% |
| DatorMagazin | Jan 1993 | 64% |
| Amiga Joker | Mar 1992 | 82% |
| ST Action | Sep 1992 | 92% |
| ST Format | Dec 1992 | 73% |
| ST User | Oct 1992 | 82% |
| ST Review | Jan 1993 | 83% |
| Power Play | Mar 1992 | 85% |
| ASM | Mar 1992 | 67% |
| PlayTime | May 1992 | 87% |
| PC Joker | Jan 1993 | 76% |
External links
- Amberstar at the Thalion Webshrine
- Amberstar at Hall of Light (HOL)
- Amberworld an unfinished effort of interpreter for the Amiga classic Ambermoon and games with a similar engine like Dragonflight, Amberstar and Albion
- Amberstar at MobyGames