Okay, here’s the scoop. In the 90s, a husband-and-wife team formed Spiderweb Studios, a tiny little company that was into RPGs. They released a trilogy called Exile - a lightweight, accessible RPG with a unique setting and inoffensive writing.

Remember though, this is the 90s, and distribution was primitive. How best to reach people? Spiderweb decided to make Exile shareware, and so a lot of people who got into it did so because someone in their office building gave them a copy. This unusual distribution method generated some die-hard fans, many of whom remain fans today.

To cater to them, Spiderweb Studios is now in the remake business, and that’s what Avernum: Escape from the Pit is. A 2011 remake of the 1994 Exile, with expanded graphics and ‘updated’ mechanics. Sadly, it’s better as a historical talking point than it is to play.

The simple fact is that this is too shallow by modern standards. Things like character customization, skill trees, and combat have taken huge strides in the decades since Exile, and it just doesn't hold up well compared to the many, MANY alternative RPGs available. The once-celebrated writing feels tired and linear, and while the graphical style is idiosyncratic, it’s not very appealing.

This is a game best left to the past, unless you’re chasing a nostalgia hit. It was amusing to tour, but after the first major quest, I’d had enough.

I may be bias. I played the demo game of Exile: Into the Pit when I was a child and loved it. Always wanted to play the full game - and here we are. Thank you to the developers for staying true to the original game in so many ways. Excellent Game.

great old school fun