Pool of Radiance Overview
Pool of Radiance is a computer role-playing game based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons system. It is set in the Forgotten Realms, where the city of Phlan on the Moonsea has been largely overrun by monsters, leaving only a small human-controlled area. Authorities lure adventurers with tales of hidden wealth to reclaim the city.
Players manage a party of up to six characters, created from a selection of races and classes with customizable attributes and moral alignments. The game world is explored from a first-person view, with combat occurring on separate isometric screens where turns are taken. Defeating enemies grants experience, leading to level advancement and new abilities like spells or combat techniques.
A separate version for the NES altered the original design considerably. It featured redesigned graphics and controls, omitted certain mechanics like complex currency, and scaled down the scope of battles. Some elements present in the computer release, such as a randomly generated dungeon, were not included in this port.
