Shining in the Darkness (Brazil)

Getting Started

You begin in the town of Thornwood with a blank character sheet. Walk to the castle to speak with the king, who explains that the daughter of a sage has been kidnapped and monsters have flooded the ancient labyrinth beneath the town. Your job is to venture into the dungeon, map its twisting corridors, and defeat the evil that lurks within.

The core loop involves descending floor by floor, fighting enemies in turn-based battles that happen from a first-person view. You recruit two other characters early on: a mage and a rogue. Managing their hit points, spells, and equipment is essential. The game expects you to draw your own map on graph paper - there's no automap feature, so keep a pen handy or use the game's built-in memory of visited spots.

Combat uses a simple menu system: attack, magic, defend, or use items. You can also retreat from battles, but that costs gold. Save points are scattered in safe zones inside the dungeon. The difficulty ramps up steadily, so grind some levels before tackling the later floors. If you get lost, look for hidden doors by examining walls - some are marked by cracks or subtle color changes.