Magic Candle, The (Japan)

The Magic Candle is a classic role-playing game (RPG) renowned for its freedom and complexity in gameplay. Players embark on their adventure with a single character and gradually recruit additional members into their party, up to a maximum of six. The primary objective is to prevent the demon lord Xarphus from escaping a magical candle before it burns out. This candle acts as a ticking clock, creating significant time pressure for the player.

Gameplay in The Magic Candle focuses on exploration, resource management, and quest resolution. The game world is vast and open, allowing players to freely travel between towns, dungeons, and wilderness areas. Each town offers services such as shops to purchase equipment, weapons, and items, as well as inns for resting and recovery. Players must carefully manage their money and supplies, especially food, as characters will become hungry and weakened if not properly fed.

The combat system in The Magic Candle is turn-based. When encountering enemies, the screen transitions to a combat mode where players can issue commands to each party member. Actions include physical attacks, casting spells (if applicable), defending, or attempting to flee. Character classes like warriors, mages, rogues, and clerics have different skills and roles in battle. Tactics are crucial, especially when facing powerful foes.

A unique aspect of The Magic Candle is the "work" system for characters. Instead of just adventuring, players can send party members to perform various jobs in towns to earn money or train skills. For example, one character might work as a blacksmith, another might go hunting, or learn new spells. This adds a deep layer of management to the game, allowing players to optimize their party's development and prepare for upcoming challenges.

Puzzle-solving and interaction with NPCs (non-player characters) also play vital roles. Players need to converse with the game's inhabitants to gather information, receive side quests, or uncover clues on how to stop Xarphus. Puzzles often involve finding specific items, activating mechanisms, or discovering hidden secrets.

In summary, The Magic Candle offers a deep RPG experience with an open world, complex party management, tactical turn-based combat, and engaging puzzle elements. The game demands patience and strategic thinking to complete the main quest within the imposed time limit.