Al-Qadim puts you in the curly shoes of a corsair finishing his training. Note that you are not a corsair in the ordinary meaning – on the contrary, you are a law-upholding hero, part of a respected family, that adheres to a strict code of honour and is always helpful to anyone in distress. That's what I liked about the game, it moves away from statistics and numbers to what I find really important: character and storytelling. It's true, you don't have much choice in how to play the game, and the story tries to keep you very strictly on rails, but in exchange it gives you the opportunity to really create a connection with your character.

As you return home, you are joyously welcomed by your family. That time is, however, cut short due to a tragic event – your family's genie has attacked the ship of the Caliph. With your parents now in prison, it's your task is to find who is responsible for this. For that you'll battle foes with a very simplified real-time combat and overcome many puzzles, usually based on switches and maze navigation. When you are not fighting or getting lost, you'll be testing your wits during conversations with NPCs.

The Al-Qadim setting is heavily influenced by the Arabian Nights stories, so during your travels you'll seek advice from a sorceress, solve riddles from djinns, sail the seas on a magical ship, ride on flying carpets and other fantastical adventures. The game has beautifully drawn graphics, with vivid details, that give it a fairy-tale feeling. This atmosphere is further enhanced by its rich Arab-inspired MIDI music.

Al-Qadim is worth trying for various reasons. If you love good storytelling and you would like to relive your childhood, when the fairy tales were full of true heroes with pure heart, then it is definitely a game for you. Just don't come in expecting the complex, stat-heavy RPG experience of other SSI titles.