The Wheel of Time (the game)
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
This Entry refers to the game The Wheel of Time produced by Legend.
Wheel of Time is a first-person strategy game based on the books by Robert Jordan. It is set some time before the books begin, and concerns a totally different set of characters. It has both single- and multiplayer modes.
In singleplayer mode, the player takes on the role of Elayna Sedai, Keeper of the Chronicles at the White Tower in Tar Valon, a position second only to the Amyrlin Seat in the hierarchy of the Aes Sedai, the organisation of women who can channel the One Power. Curiously, Elayna is unable to channel more than a trickle, yet she has risen to an exalted position which the books make clear is usually only open to the strongest Aes Sedai. A reason for this is revealed as the game progresses, but I won't tell you what it is so as not to spoil the surprise. But I cannot deny that it would be fun to channel saidar.
Still, you do get to mess around with the One Power despite not being able to channel. In the books, Jordan introduced ter'angreal, objects which use the One Power for a specific purpose. Some do not require the user to be able to channel, and it is these which you have to use to get through the game. The ter'angreal are your weapons and defence, and often the way through puzzles, past traps and so forth. There are forty, so I'll only outline some of the most common so you have some idea of what to expect.
Air PulseYou always have this ter'angreal. It generates a small burst of air for a short distance in front of you, so is effectively the same as punching something. It has infinite charges (the game manual falsely claims that it replenishes its power continually from the One Source - if they'd read even one book they'd know it's called the True Source) so you'll never lose it. As well as killing less dangerous enemies (ie Trollocs), it's great for breaking open wooden crates to see what's inside.FireballAbsolutely essential in any game of this sort, fireball does exactly what it says. Fireballs explode when they hit something, leaving a faint heat glow on the walls and floor which fades quickly. They don't cause all that much damage unless what you're trying to kill is especially vulnerable to fire. They will fire very fast though. Unfortunately they don't work underwater.HealDoes what it says. Restores ten of your maximum 100 health points. These are too rare when you really need them (of course).SeekerLocks onto a target, hunts it down and explodes. Good for killing the Minions in Shadar Logoth (where it's dark).Personal ShieldProvides some protection against physical attacks. Use in conjunction with elemental shields, Reflect and Fork to provide protection against attacks.Chain LightningThis is very common in the White Tower for some reason. Any enemy you touch while activating this ter'angreal receives a nasty electric shock which continues until you stop it, you get hurt or the ter'angreal runs out of charges. You can touch multiple targets at once. This one's good for killing Myrddraal.And of course there are many, many more.
Wheel of Time has fantastic graphics, provided your system can stand up to them1. If you have a Riva TNT or Voodoo3 you're going to be laughing all the way to Shayol Ghul as you enjoy the spectacular effects at high resolution, and if you've got a GeForce or a Voodoo4/5 then you won't be able to look away from the screen as the beautifully-drawn environments flow past you. I originally ran the game in software rendering, because my Riva 128 card wasn't good enough. This was pretty good, but very, very low res due to my puny little K6-2 333. Now I have a Voodoo4 (same processor) and the difference it makes is amazing. 3D acceleration is not required, but it's better if you have it than if you don't, believe me.
The Verdict
Has to be an overall 9/10. Wonderfully executed, wonderful graphics, but it would have been nice to see more emphasis on singleplayer, as I find it hard to believe people will spend the same amount of time on multiplayer. It'd be nice to see a sequel where you can channel the One Power. Magic galore!
The Future
There are, as far as I know, three projects to make expansions for the Wheel of Time. Shadowed Destiny is probably the best-known and nearest to completion. Redemption and Prophecies of the Spear are also in the works, although none of these mods are official - they are entirely made by the players.
