Play Bards Tale II, The - The Destiny Knight | Commodore 64 Online Game (1986)

The Bard's Tale II: The Destiny Knight, designed by Michael Cranford and published by Electronic Arts in 1986 for the Commodore 64, is a classic dungeon-crawling RPG and the second installment in The Bard's Tale series. The game expands on its predecessor by introducing a more intricate narrative, where players must recover the seven pieces of the Destiny Wand to defeat the evil archmage Lagoth Zanta. Players can import their party from the first game or create new characters, choosing from seven classes, including warriors, mages, and bards, each with unique abilities.

The gameplay revolves around grid-based exploration of towns and dungeons, with first-person perspective movement and turn-based combat. Players navigate through a variety of environments, solving puzzles, battling monsters, and collecting loot. The game introduces new spells, items, and enemies, along with a more complex magic system. The bard class remains a standout feature, allowing players to use songs to buff their party or debuff enemies, adding a strategic layer to combat.

The Bard's Tale II is known for its challenging difficulty, requiring careful resource management and strategic planning. The game's world is larger and more interconnected than the first, with multiple towns and dungeons to explore. The Commodore 64 version features detailed graphics for its time, with colorful character portraits and atmospheric dungeon designs, complemented by a memorable soundtrack that enhances the immersive experience.

The game's design emphasizes exploration and discovery, with hidden secrets and non-linear progression. Players must decipher clues, interact with NPCs, and piece together the story to progress. The Destiny Wand quest adds a sense of urgency and purpose, driving the narrative forward. Despite its complexity, the game's interface is streamlined, with intuitive controls and a clear presentation of information, making it accessible to both newcomers and veterans of the genre.