Warrior of Ras, Volume Two: Kaiv is the sequel to Randall D. Masteller’s Dunzhin. It is the second of what ultimately became a four game series; all of which were published by Screenplay.
Kaiv allows you to actually import your character from Dunzhin even if that character is Level 11 and higher. I elected to go the hard route and started the game with a new character instead.
The manual is well done and the game’s instructions are delivered through the character of Grimsweord; having just survived his ordeal within the Kaiv complex.
This sequel builds upon the previous game by allowing for inventory management now. You begin the game with 2000 gold and in a market just outside of the cave complex.
The market is now an integral part of the game and you will find yourself returning to the market several times to replenish supplies. Your sword can break during combat so it is essential that you have one to two backups and even these will not be enough to see you through to the end of the game. Your armor can also be destroyed over time as it succumbs to multiple hits during combat. Torches, food, and water all depreciate in this game which is a huge change and improvement over the last game. I found that I had to travel back to the market place three different times to purchase more of said items.
The other items in the market place have their own important functions in the game as well. The flint & steel are needed in order to light a new torch. Rope and pick are needed as you traverse the Kaiv complex as cave-ins are a frequent hazard. The mirror and cross can be used against certain enemies as there is a much greater flexibility in combat now compared to the previous game. You will find that not only can you use items in combat but you can also use potions and magic items which you find during your exploration of the Kaiv complex.
The implementation of having to consume food and water to survive and having to maintain and manage your weapons and armor is a marked improvement in complexity compared to the first game in the series. The combat complexity which made the first game so interesting has not changed much in this new offering. If anything the combat is even more flexible with the addition of now being able to use potions, magic items, and equipment purchased from the market.
Some of the creatures that you encounter are very hard to beat such as lords, vampires, and wyverns. Special items can aid you as well as the potions and magic items that you find. I found some of the higher level encounters in this game to be much harder than they were in the previous installment.
The KAIV does not contain levels like in a dungeon however the complex grows or scrolls from left to right. When you explore from left to right; as you reach the right most edge you suddenly find yourself in an entirely new screen to be explored. The game uses a fog of war like it’s predecessor and in this way each “new screen” to the right acts much like a new and more difficult dungeon level. There are six total screens which make up the KAIV complex from left to right.
The more that you move from left to right the higher the difficulty factor becomes. The frequency with which your torch goes out and your need for food and water seems to increase. Your chance of a wandering encounter with creatures increases. Your chances of a cave-in also increases. If you are caught in a cave-in you will need your pick to get out of it and even then you might suffer more damage. The creatures which you encounter also become tougher. You’ll find that you’re more likely to encounter a lord or a vampire or a wyvern in the 5th or 6th screen to the right or other high level encounters.
The ultimate goal in KAIV is to survive to find the hidden treasure located in the last level of the KAIV. For me the hidden treasure ended up being 7000 gold pieces. A bit anti-climatic maybe for some but I greatly enjoyed the entire experience.
I liked the first game in the series and this second offering doesn’t disappoint. The inclusion of inventory management, food & water for survival and adding magical items that can be used in combat checks off more RPG boxes for me.
It took me roughly six hours to build my character up enough to be able to reach and find the hidden treasure. I played Warrior of Ras, Volume Two: Kaiv on an Apple emulator. I liked the first game in the series and I liked this one even better. I look forward to 1983’s checklist of RPG games so that I can play the third and fourth games in the series. I find Randall D. Masteller’s work to be very impressive so far.