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With Lego done and dusted I was all set to start on Batman: Arkham Origins but for some reason I decided to play this instead. I’ve been eyeing up the icon on the Wii U home screen for a while, thinking about finishing the other game in the Chronicles of Mystara package (I completed what turned out to be the second one a while back). So I did.

It’s not as polished as Shadow of Mystara, but then it is several years older. The graphics aren’t as good, the game is shorter with fewer branching paths, and I don’t think there are as many characters to choose from (I picked “Fighter” this time).

The main gameplay difference is how much more simple it is to select secondary weapons (like bows and magic) compared to the other game. This is probably down to having fewer options, but it means it’s a lot less fiddly. Having said that, they’re all pretty useless – aside from the oil “grenades” which you need to finish off trolls. Apparently they don’t actually die unless you burn them.

Oh, and here’s a little hint for you: when you get asked if you want to take the long, easy route round a mountain, or the short route through the mountain BUT THERE’S A MASSIVE DRAGON WHO KILLS YOU IN ONE HIT, take the long route. Because I said “Pff, dragons schmagons”, and was asked if I was sure. “I can slay a feeble dragon!”. I was asked again if I was sure. “Yes! Let me at him!”. I was asked if I realised it was certain suicide. This went on for a while, but finally, I was allowed to fight the dragon.

Some 20 credits later, one dead dragon.

The end of game boss was a complete walkover in comparison. In fact, the whole of the rest of the game, including the Shadow Elf (who was pretty difficult, both times you fight him). Be warned.