续作《青色枷的诅咒(Curse of the Azure Bonds, 1989)》是一个更加注重剧情的冒险游戏。你的队伍遭到伏击,醒来后不仅装备与财产全部不翼而飞(方便的游戏平衡技巧),身上还多了一些奇怪的青色魔法纹身。在接下来不久你就发现自己被某个神秘组织下了诅咒,被利用于暗杀一些重要人物的勾当中。于是本作的主线自然围绕着解除诅咒和追寻真相展开。正如 TSR 出版的小说《青色枷》中所讲述的那样。
游戏扩展了金盒引擎,引入了圣骑士和游骑兵职业,并添加了一个“修复”命令,以促进营地菜单中的治疗过程。大地图现在包括了小型公用事业城镇,这些城镇只提供菜单上的寺庙、酒馆和商店服务。还包括供玩家探索的迷你地牢,作为与主要故事情节松散联系的奖励内容。
系列的第三部是《银色匕首之谜(Secret of the Silver Blades, 1990)》,英雄们来到一个完全不同的地区——新威尔第的矿业小镇,虽然没有了大地图,整个游戏时间几乎都是地城环节,但是却增加了不少剧情图片。该作极大的强化了战斗的频率,应接不暇的遇敌能满足各种喜爱“踢门”的玩家。
The sequel, Curse of the Azure Bonds (1989), was a more story-focused adventure, the party awakening to find their equipment stolen (a cheap balance trick) and their arms branded with mystic blue sigils, which rob them of their free will. The characters would then follow the footsteps of Alias and Finder Wyvernspur, as told in the TSR-published novel Azure Bonds.
The game expanded upon the Gold Box engine, introducing the Paladin and Ranger classes and adding a “fix” command to facilitate the healing process in the camp menu. The overland map now included small utility towns, which offered temple, tavern and shop services from only a menu. Also included were mini-dungeons for the party to explore, as a bonus content loosely tied to the main storyline.
The third title of the saga, Secret of the Silver Blades (1990), sends the party to an entirely different region, the mining town of New Verdigris – although events still tie in to a wider tapestry being weaved. Gone was the overland map portion of adventure, replaced by confinement around the mysterious Well of Knowledge, using teleporters to access areas.
不幸的是,《银色匕首之谜》不仅可能被认为是该系列中最弱的,而且可能是所有金盒游戏中最弱的。它的情节简单而线性,很少有角色扮演的机会,有太多的随机遭遇,这可能会让人厌烦。
最终,在 1991 年,SSI 发布了最终的续作《黑暗之池(Pools of Darkness)》,本作的故事再次将舞台搬回了月海地区,在英雄们离开这十年间,“菲兰”不仅越发的繁荣,邪恶势力的爪牙也完全渗透进了这座城市。玩家需要击破邪神祭师的阴谋,成为这座城市最后的防线。
大地图又回来了——但成倍的增加了,从而使玩家进入不同的维度。最令人难忘的是发生在玛丽亚・卡利斯蒂斯(Marlist Kalistes)蜘蛛王国的那部分,应该与玩过“恶魔之王”(Queen of the Demon Web Pits)的每个《龙与地下城》粉丝都能产生共鸣。还有一个由戴夫・谢利(Dave Shelley)设计的高水平的游戏地牢。
《光芒之池》系列取得了巨大的商业成功以及评论界的好评。不仅为计算机带来了真实的《龙与地下城》体验,而且还使玩家能够在四个精心制作的游戏中锻造一个英雄故事,这是非凡的成就。
Unfortunately, Secret of the Silver Blade might be considered not only the weakest of the series, but perhaps of all the Gold Box games. Its plot is simple and linear, with few role-playing opportunities and far too many random encounters, which can get tiresome.
Finally, in 1991, SSI released the culminating title Pools of Darkness, delivering an epic conclusion in the truest sense of the word. The characters would level up to dizzy heights advancing to forty, and be thrown against the very pawns of a vengeful god.
The overland map was back – but multiplied –, taking the party to different dimensions. Supremely memorable was the section taking place in the spider realm of the Marilith Kalistes, which should strike a chord with any AD&D fan who played the Queen of the Demon Web Pits module. And there was still a high-level post-game dungeon, designed by Dave Shelley.
A massive commercial and critical success, the Pool of Radiance games were remarkable not only for bringing an authentic Dungeons & Dragons experience to computers, but also for allowing players to forge a heroic story across four expertly crafted titles.