Challenge of the Five Realms

Challenge of the Five Realms: Spellbound in the World of Nhagardia is a role-playing video game created by MicroProse for MS-DOS and published in 1992.

Tommo purchased the rights to this game and digitally publishes it through its Retroism brand in 2015.

Plot
Challenge of the Five Realms is a game in which the Prince of Castle Ballytogue awakens from being hit on the head to find out that his father, King Clesodor of Alonia, has been killed by the evil sorcerer Grimnoth. As the prince seeks to avenge his father and defeat Grimnoth, he must explore the five realms and their numerous cities, and visit many people within only 100 game days.

Reception
The game was reviewed in 1993 in Dragon #196 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 3 out of 5 stars. Computer Gaming World stated that "though, at times, Challenge rates highly on the esteemed fun-o-meter, there are still several elements of game design where Challenge is lacking", criticizing the apparent lack of "an adequate beta testing program—there are simply too many oversights with a certain awkwardness to gameplay that shouldn't exist in a final version".

Reviews

 * PC Player (Germany) - May, 1993