| Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood | |
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| Developer(s) | Strategy First Spellbound Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Mindscape Freeverse Software Wanadoo |
| Released | 2002 |
| Genre | Strategy game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Ratings | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Linux |
| Media | 1 × CD-ROM |
| System requirements | Windows 98/Me/2000/XP. Pentium II 233 MHz. 64 MB RAM. Graphics card with 4MB RAM. 900 MB hard disk space. 4x CD-ROM drive. DirectX 8.1 or higher, DirectX compatible sound card. Mac OS X 10.2+, G3/G4 300 Mhz, 128 MB RAM, 8MB Graphic Card. |
Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood is a 2002 stealth-based real-time strategy computer game developed by Spellbound Studios. It is similar to games such as Desperados and Commandos. In the game, the player controls up to five characters in a setting based on the stories of the main protagonist, Robin Hood. The player can also control Robin Hood's Merry Men, including Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, and Maid Marian. Robin and his crew must evade the cruel Sheriff of Nottingham and his henchmen and stop the machinations of the vile usurper to England's throne, Prince John. However, Robin must avoid using deadly force too often or else he will not be able to recruit new Merry Men.
Contents |
Plot
The game starts with Robin Hood, arriving in Lincoln from the Crusades, and finding out that all his inheritance has been stolen by the notorious Sheriff of Nottingham. After the player finishes the first and second missions, meets with Maid Marian in the Nottingham cathedral, and subsequently tries to meet with the Prince, it is understood that King Richard has been kidnapped by Leopold of Austria for a ransom, and that the Regent Prince John is unlawfully usurping the rightful king. The responsibility of getting the ransom and saving the king falls onto the player's hands, and then, he should loot and find as much money as he can before the ransom (£100,000) can be paid. At the final mission, the Sheriff has to be defeated by Robin, thereby defeating the Prince.
Characters under player control
Robin Hood
Becomes a player controlled character from the beginning to the end. Decisive battles with key enemies (such as the Sheriff) must be fought with him. Has ability to shoot arrows, punch enemies, and throw gold purses at greedy enemy soldiers.
Will Stutely
Is saved by Robin from execution in Nottingham (in the second mission). Has ability to throw nets at enemy soldiers, throw apples, and imitate a beggar, to trick enemy soldiers.
Will Scarlet
Is saved by Robin in Leicester, after his imprisonment by the Sheriff. Has ability to strangle enemy soldiers, hit them with catapulted stones, and shield allied merry men from the arrows of enemy soldiers. Is the nephew of Robin.
Little John
Is saved by Robin, in a mini-mission where soldiers plunder a village. Has ability to whistle, give leg-ups to merry men (providing they are stable to leg-ups), and punch.
Maid Marian
Is met by Robin at the Nottingham cathedral. Although player controlled, she doesn't join Robin in Sherwood Forest until after she gets saved from the Guy of Guisbourne in York. Has abiity to shoot arrows, heal injured players with herbs, and to spy with her ear.
Friar Tuck
Is saved by Robin from the clutches of Lord Scathlock, in Derby. Has ability to throw wasps' nests at enemies, catch the greed of them with ale, and eat legs of meat when injured.
Miscellaneous characters
They have various abilities of main characters, but can store only fewer resources than main ones.
Characters not under player control
Enemies
Prince John, Sheriff of Nottingham, Guy of Guisbourne, Guillame de Longchamps, Lord Scathock of Derby, and miscellaneous soldiers.
Allies
Sir Godwin of Lincoln, Lord Ranulph of Leicester, and allied miscellaneous soldiers.
Locations
Lincoln
Is the birthplace of Robin, where he learnt all his skills. In the game, he visits this place only twice, once, at the very first mission of the game, and once, when he goes to save Sir Godwin from the clutches of the Guy of Guisbourne.
Derby
Is where the ruthless Sir Scathlock resides. Robin comes here to meet Prince John with Maid Marian, and to free Friar Tuck from the clutches of Scathlock.
York
Is where Robin goes to save Maid Marian from being married to the Guy of Guisbourne in the cathedral over there. According to its structure, it is the largest town in the game.
Nottingham
Is the place where Robin comes to save Will Stutely from execution at the second mission, and where he comes to meet Maid Marian for the first time, in the cathedral over there. Is the residence of the noctorious Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin comes here at the final mission to defeat him and the Prince.
Leicester
Where another of Robin's allies reside (Lord Ranulph). Robin saves Will Scarlet from imprisonment by the Sheriff here, and comes here to convince Ranulph to fight against the Prince's forces. Houses green-uniformed soldiers, who are allied with the Merry Men.
Sherwood Forest
Is basically where Robin and his merry men reside, and collect resources for later use. Missiona and mini-missions are chosen by the player, from a map at the high-right corner of the screen, in the Foorest.
Musical themes
There are different uniformed musical themes for each of the towns above. However, if you are seen by an enemy, and suspicions are aroused, the theme changes to a climax, and if fighting starts, it changes to a bigger climax.
Gameplay
While the merry men can kill or wound enemy soldiers, their resources are limited to a certain extent, with main characters having more than minor miscellaneous ones. In addition, in every town, you get beggars, who, when given coins and purses, help you by providing hints and tips. Common folk sometimes offer help as well (although this happens very rarely). On the other hand, there are two types of folk, who flee at the sight of a merry man, and alert nearby enemy soldiers. One is a woman, who wears a red apron; the other, a man, who wears a red-and-blue shirt. The greed of enemy soldiers is also limited, with money purses not affecting sergeants, while ale do affecting them. Sometimes, money can be found in knights, cavalry units, sergeants, and more rarely, normal soldiers.
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