Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Masterpiece Collection brings together six classic AD&D titles, each offering its own unique approach to turn-based and real-time role-playing. From the tactical grid-based encounters of Dark Sun: Shattered Lands and Wake of the Ravager to the action-RPG elements of Al-Qadim: The Genie’s Curse, players can experience a sweeping variety of combat styles. Character creation and party dynamics remain at the heart of each adventure, leveraging the detailed AD&D 2nd Edition rule set that rewards strategic planning and thoughtful character builds.

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Inter-party interactions and NPC dialogues are strong points in titles like Menzoberranzan and Ravenloft: Strahd’s Possession, with branching conversation trees that can influence quest outcomes and character relationships. The collection’s interface unifies these experiences under a single launcher, allowing seamless switching between games without juggling multiple executables. While there are no major modern quality-of-life enhancements, the inclusion of built-in save-state functionality ensures you can tackle even the toughest boss fights at your own pace.

Puzzles and exploration play a significant role throughout the collection, especially in Ravenloft: Stone Prophet and Menzoberranzan. You’ll find yourself deciphering ancient traps, uncovering hidden passages, and piecing together lore through journal entries and environmental clues. These adventure elements help break up the combat routine and give each title a distinct flavor, whether you’re navigating the sun-scorched wastes of Athas or the shadowy corridors of the Underdark.

Overall, the gameplay across the Masterpiece Collection balances the old-school difficulty curve with rewarding progression. Fans of classic tabletop mechanics will appreciate the depth of party customization, while newcomers may find the learning curve steeper—but ultimately satisfying once you master the nuances of spells, feats, and tactical positioning.

Graphics

Visually, the Masterpiece Collection is a time capsule of early to mid-’90s pixel art. Each title retains its original resolution and hand-painted backgrounds, offering a nostalgic charm for veterans and a retro aesthetic for modern players. The color palettes vary dramatically between games: the sandy ochres of Dark Sun’s desert vistas contrast sharply with the moody blues and grays of Ravenloft’s gothic landscapes.

Character and monster sprites are richly detailed, given the technological limitations of the era. In Al-Qadim: The Genie’s Curse, genies, sandworms, and djinn are depicted with fluid animations that bring Zakhara’s exotic setting to life. Meanwhile, the skeletal horrors and undead guardians in Strahd’s Possession boast a haunting presence that still manages to be unsettling, even by today’s standards.

The collection does not introduce high-resolution reworks or widescreen support, so you’ll be playing at the original aspect ratios. However, the DOSBox integration smooths out performance hiccups that might have plagued the original releases. Occasional frame-rate dips may occur in the most sprite-dense encounters, but these are minor when weighed against the overall stability of the package.

For players with a taste for retro visuals, the pixel art and pre-rendered backgrounds hold up remarkably well. If you prefer contemporary graphics, the lack of modern filters or dynamic lighting may be a drawback—but the artistic craftsmanship on display remains a central highlight of the collection.

Story

One of the Masterpiece Collection’s greatest strengths is its narrative diversity. Al-Qadim: The Genie’s Curse weaves a tale of betrayal and magic set in the Arabian-inspired land of Zakhara, featuring memorable NPCs and multiple romantic subplots. Dark Sun: Shattered Lands and Wake of the Ravager delve into the post-apocalyptic realm of Athas, where survival is paramount and alliances can shift as quickly as the desert sands.

In Menzoberranzan, you descend into the treacherous city of the drow, navigating a web of political intrigue among rival noble houses. The game’s branching questlines and moral dilemmas challenge you to choose between ambition, loyalty, and survival. This level of player agency and the ever-present threat of betrayal make Menzoberranzan a standout chapter in the anthology.

The Ravenloft entries—Stone Prophet and Strahd’s Possession—offer gothic horror stories steeped in dread and suspense. Whether you’re confronting dark priests in an Egyptian-themed stretch of the Demiplane or facing Count Strahd von Zarovich himself, these titles deliver chilling atmospheres and memorable set-pieces. The collection preserves every bit of dialogue and ambient sound that helps build tension and immerse you in Ravenloft’s cursed lands.

Although each game is self-contained, recurring AD&D lore threads provide a sense of cohesion. References to deities, races, and classic monsters bind the anthology together, making it a unified celebration of 2nd Edition storytelling. For lore enthusiasts, this compilation is a treasure trove of sealed memories and forgotten tales.

Overall Experience

The Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Masterpiece Collection stands as a comprehensive retrospective of AD&D’s golden era on PC. With six diverse titles spanning sword-and-sorcery epics, desert odysseys, drow intrigues, and gothic horrors, it delivers impressive bang for your buck. The pack’s unified launcher and DOSBox support simplify installation and ensure compatibility with modern systems.

Players seeking a deep, turn-based RPG experience will find themselves fully absorbed by the strategic complexity and narrative richness across these titles. The learning curve may feel steep for newcomers to classic RPG interfaces, but the sense of accomplishment after conquering a challenging dungeon or unraveling a twisting plotline is immensely rewarding.

While the lack of graphical upgrades and modern conveniences may deter some, the collection’s strengths—in gameplay depth, storytelling variety, and nostalgic charm—far outweigh its shortcomings. These games capture the spirit of tabletop AD&D in digital form and offer hours of exploration, combat, and role-playing across six unique worlds.

Whether you’re a longtime fan revisiting these classics or a curious adventurer eager to explore AD&D’s rich heritage, the Masterpiece Collection is an essential compilation. It not only preserves some of the most memorable PC role-playing adventures of the ’90s but also introduces a new generation to the timeless allure of Dungeons & Dragons.

Retro Replay Score

7.7/10