Der Nerdery

Legend of Kyrandia

Nerd Rating: 10/10
Number of Players: 1P
Genre: Point and Click Fantasy Adventure
Game System: Mac | PC | DOS

This game ranks Westwood a very highly on my awesome game company list. NOT only is this game a fantastically original fantasy game. But it has great music, fantastic humor and awesome characters as well. If you suck at games you won’t suck at this. Since it is a point and click game you only have to use common sense and be able to click a mouse button.

The ex court jester, Malcolm, that happened to murder the last king and queen is on the lose and wreaking havoc on the land of Kyrandia. The game starts out with an old man, Kallik, writing a letter to the priestess, Brynn, explaining that Malcolm is coming for him. It just so happens that Malcolm is actually stalking him from outside his tree house window. Malcolm confronts Kallik and casts a magic spell to turn him into stone. Shortly after the main character, Brandon, visits Kallik’s (His Grandfather’s) tree house only to find him turned into stone by the jester Malcolm. The Wall of the tree house then grows a face and starts to talk to you. It explains what is happening and how the lands powers are weakening. He also tells you that you need to go talk to the local priestess, Brynn. Before you leave you can point and click around the room to find objects to be used in the adventure. In this first screen you can find Kallik’s saw, an apple and rocks.

Once you leave the tree house you will notice that this beginning area is pretty small because there is a broken bridge in a cave that needs to be fixed before you can cross. Once find Brynn and you start talking, she puts you on a couple of pointless quests to get her some lavender roses and such then she disappears mysteriously. If you go to the cave with the broken suspension bridge your hillbilly friend Herman should be there. Luckily for you he is a bit of a handyman and was supposed to fix the bridge a while back. If he only had a saw he could fix it… Even though it is probably some sort of family heirloom you need to give the saw to Herman so he can fix the bridge. If you don’t give his the saw you can try to tightrope across the single remaining rope still strung across the river. If you do try this you will fall to your watery grave…and if Herman is there when you do it, all he says when you die is, “Oh no…now they are going to MAKE me fix the bridge…” Those are two of the best things about the game, the humor… and the many ways you can die. Another example of the humor is when you eat a apple and you inspect the core, Brandon says, “Oh look there is a half of a worm in it.” Anyways once you give Herman the saw he will start to fix the bridge. Go back and finish the rest of the quests in the area and come back to the fixed bridge. If you ask Herman about it he said that he lost it then he leaves to go and find it. The funny thing is you never see him again until the end of the game and his line is classic!

As the game continues you encounter many many original and funny characters, like absent minded wizard with a sarcastic pet dragon with a taste for cats. During the game you will also encounter a sorceress named Zanthia who gives you a crash course on making potions and tells you that you are actually the son of the late king and queen that Malcolm murdered. As such you are the rightful heir to the throne and the right guy to put the smack down on Malcolm. After explaining everything to you she too mysteriously disappears. By using the newly discovered ability to make and mix potions you can go to the castle that is off on a distant island. When you get to the castle you find almost everyone that disappeared earlier in the game, in their own room all turned into stone. With Herman being the only exception…

Spoiler Alert!

At the end of the game you actually have to reflect Malcolm’s magic back at him so that he turns himself into stone and everyone turns back to normal. Peace is once again restored…until Legend of Kyrandia II: the hand of fate. In the second game you get to play Zanthia as the main character.

Best lines from the game…

Brandon: “Brynn always smells so good.”

Brandon: “Uhh, Something sticky is oozing out.”

Brandon: “I hope he doesn’t cut his leg off…”

Brandon: “Hey there little fella…OH NO!”

Brandon: “Watch out Malcolm! I’m coming to get you, and I’ve got a flute now!”

Brandon: “So whats in the couldron? A potion for time travel?”
Zanthia: “No, This is my laundry…”

Herman: Hey Brandon. I found your saw.
Brandon: That’s ok Herman, you can keep it.
Herman: But I sharpened it JUST for you…