Hmm, that’s a good question actually.

As you’re surely aware, this week at Riddlethos.com we are honoring all that has to do with Swords and Sorcery. Granted, I know that’s a pretty generalized statement. So, in the interest of establishing a sharper focus, let’s tackle the question: what comes to mind when the phrase “Swords and Sorcery” is uttered?

I can’t speak for anyone else, of course, but for me, the first thing that jumps to mind (perhaps unsurprisingly) is J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. My first exposure to true fantasy was, by my memory, The Hobbit, which my dad read to me and my siblings way back in the day. Bilbo’s epic quest for gold was what started my ongoing love affair with all things magical.

As much as I’d like to discuss the rich mythology of Middle Earth, from the books all the way up to Peter Jackson’s epic film trilogy, Riddlethos happens to be a gaming-centric site. That being the case, let’s list off a few games that, in my opinion, evoke the classic fantasy vibe that this week is all about.

The Legend of Zelda

Well, this is a no-brainer. It’s fairly common knowledge that The Legend of Zelda is my favorite series of all time. Why? Because despite how simplistic the plotlines are, no other game evokes the feel of an epic quest so beautifully. Every time I step into Ocarina of Time’s Hyrule Field, I’m instantly awash with the feeling that it’s up to me, Link, to save the world. And, of course, the princess. Simplistic, but oh, so epic.

Fire Emblem

I know this series is a bit of an acquired taste, but I happen to have a great deal of affection for it. Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones for the GBA was my introduction to the series, and I’ve been a fan ever since. And for what it’s worth, I maintain the opinion that Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is the best Wii game to date. Each and every Fire Emblem puts you in the shoes of a commander, leading a gigantic army against… another gigantic army. Kings, knights, mages, dragons… it just doesn’t get much more epic than that. It’s fantasy in its purest form.

The Lord of the Rings – GBA

Okay, this is a weird one, I know. Is there ANYONE out there who played EA’s two Lord of the Rings games for the Game Boy Advance? I’m not talking about the console iterations, (although those are decent as well) but specifically the GBA versions of The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Yes, I know they’re movie spin-offs, and most of you probably rejected them based on that criteria alone. But damned if these Diablo knock-offs aren’t a hell of a lot of fun to play. When I say “knock-off,” it’s really more of a compliment than anything else. Take Diablo’s hack ‘n slash/lootfarming gameplay, put it against the backdrop of Middle Earth, throw in some heavily digitized Howard Shore compositions, and what do you have? Pure fantasy awesomeness in the palm of your hand. Don’t judge me until you try ‘em for yourself.

Diablo

Frankly, I don’t have a whole lot of experience with Blizzard’s classic Diablo series, but I decided to throw it up here for a few reasons. First and foremost, it certainly fits the Swords and Sorcery bill. I’ve yet to play Diablo II, and I only made it through six levels of the original game, but nonetheless, there’s something amazingly endearing – to say nothing of addicting – about the experience. The game is Swords and Sorcery – you explore a dark dungeon filled with nasties, killing them one by one with, you guessed it, either swords or sorcery. There’s not much plot to speak of, but there’s a hell of a lot of charm. The town of Tristram is a place that will probably be stuck in my memory forever, and I say that in a good way.

Well, there you go. The question now, of course, is this: which of these games will I deem worthy of my time during Swords and Sorcery Week? All of them? One of them? A few? As I mentioned earlier, I never did get around to trying out Diablo II. Perhaps I’ll give that one a shot. (Though I understand it’s a bitch to install and run on Vista.) Also, it’s been a good while since I tried my hand at a Zelda game, so perhaps a return to Hyrule is in order.

What do you think? And, more importantly, what games do YOU think of when you hear the words Swords and Sorcery?