The Lords of Midnight

The Lords of Midnight was ranked among the best games of the 1980s and is truly an outstanding video game that has aged very well. Developed in 1984 by the legendary Mike Singleton under the banner of Beyond Software, it’s no surprise that recent conversions have been made for iOS and Android. Despite the completely absent sound, the graphics were not bad for the time, but the game's strength lay in the story (though somewhat borrowed from The Lord of the Rings), the atmosphere, and the freedom it gave players to manage the plot and all the characters within a game world made up of around 4,000 locations. 

The game map with all its 4000 locations

Reviewed in the first issue of Zzap!64 in May 1985, it scored 91%, though given the success it achieved and the role it played in the evolution of strategic wargames and adventure games, it could have deserved a bit more. 

The plot centers on stopping the powerful dark wizard and warlord, Doomdark, from conquering the Land of Midnight, that is in perpetual winter. To achieve this, the player starts with four characters: Luxor the Moonprince, Rorthron the Wise, Corleth the Fey, and Morkin, Luxor's son. The player can then recruit up to twenty-eight additional characters, and thanks to the special power of Luxor’s Moon Ring, the player can see what the recruited characters see and command their movements across the land.

Farflame the Dragonlord in front of Morkin near the Citadel of Gloom.
Thanks to Luxor's Moon Ring we can see what he sees and command his movements.

One of the game’s strengths is the possibility of finishing it in a stealthy way, referred to as Adventure Mode, by sneaking the Moon King’s son, Morkin, into the Tower of Doom, stealing the Ice Crown—the source of Doomdark's power—and then finding one of several ways to destroy it. In this mode, the game takes on an adventure focus, allowing players to ignore the large battles between armies, making it the easiest and quickest way to complete the game.
Alternatively, players can engage in a long and challenging campaign against Doomdark’s vast army, defending their citadels and capital while counterattacking until they conquer Ushgarak, Doomdark’s stronghold. This mode is known as Campaign Mode.

The battle summary screen. It will make a summary
for each Lord present in the battle and also for enemies.
I would say that Lord Xajorkith and his allies did a very good job.

Of course, both approaches can be pursued simultaneously, finishing the game in what is referred to as Epic Mode—a daunting task, but one that certainly enhances the game's longevity.
When Lords of Midnight first came out in 1984, I was not yet adult enough to fully appreciate it, nor knowledgeable enough about the world of video games to know that a piece of video game history had just been released. At the time, I still didn't read industry magazines like Zzap!64 and played on my ZX Spectrum what I could find at the nearby computer shop. It was only as an adult that I came across this gem, which completely captivated me. The depth of the gameplay and the great freedom of action immediately drew me in, and I found myself spending many evenings trying to complete it in all the ways the game could be finished, revealing all its facets. 
The game was originally released for the ZX Spectrum in 1984. Following its success, it was subsequently ported to the Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC in 1985. Later, it was made available on other platforms like the BBC Micro and MSX, expanding its reach across popular home computers of the 1980s. More recently, modern ports have been released for iOS and Android, introducing the classic game to a new generation of players.

We have recruited a few lords—very well…

Destroying the Ice Crown

Ending the game in Adventure Mode by simply destroying the Ice Crown is nonetheless satisfying and remotely reminiscent of the journey of the Fellowship of the Ring of Tolkienian memory. Personally, I used Farflame the Dragonlord because I believe he is among the most powerful characters, with his movement speed, although he is not indestructible and can be easily annihilated by an army of Doomdark's.

Method 1: Farflame the Dragonlord

To use Farflame the Dragonlord in the destruction of the Ice Crown:

• 1. Send Morkin and Rorthron north-northwest through the Forest of Shadows and the Plains of Orgrim.
• 2. Recruit Farflame at the Ruin of Coroth in the Mountains of Dodrak (by about day four or five).
• 3. Continue Morkin’s journey north to Weird Henge, pick up the Cup of Dreams for extra travel, and then head east to the Plains of the Lost and the Mountains of Death.
• 4. At the Tower of Doom, Morkin retrieves the Ice Crown. If Farflame is in the same location at the end of the turn, the Ice Crown is destroyed, ending the game.

Method 2: Fawkrin the Skulkrin

• 1. Instead of Farflame, recruit Fawkrin the Skulkrin at Moon Henge and follow a similar path to the Tower of Doom.
• 2. With Fawkrin on the same field as Morkin, the Ice Crown will be destroyed.

Method 3: Lake Mirrow

• 1. After retrieving the Ice Crown, take it southwest to Lake Mirrow and cast it into the lake to destroy it.

Method 4: Lorgrim the Wise

• 1. After retrieving the Ice Crown, head east to the Frozen Wastes and find Lorgrim the Wise at the Tower of Lorgrim, where he can destroy the Ice Crown.

Doomdark armies have reached Xajorkith and are
preparing for battle. Fortunately, we are ready...

Finish the Game in Epic Mode

Here’s how to complete Lords of Midnight in Epic Mode:

1. Start at the Tower of the Moon in the Forest of Shadows. Recruit all the lords you can by using Luxor the Moonprince, Rorthron the Wise, and Corleth the Fey. Each of these three characters can only recruit specific lords, so plan their route accordingly based on their influence over the Lords of Midnight. While recruiting, you will pass through many secondary citadels. Take all the men you can find and expand your armies without worrying about leaving them unguarded. You need to recruit at least 25 Lords with their armies.
2. Meanwhile, send Morkin north toward the Citadel of Gloom, located in the far northwest. Along the way, recruit Farflame the Dragonlord. The Dragon is located in the Ruin of Coroth within the Mountains of Dodrak, which can be reached around day four or five. Then, continue north to recruit Fawkrin the Skulkrin at Moon Henge in the Plains of the Moon. Note: recruiting Fawkrin is optional; only the Dragon is truly crucial. After recruiting, lead the group to the Citadel of Gloom, avoiding Doomdark's armies and using Farflame to eliminate weaker enemies.
3. During recruitment, send about 17 of your Lords’ armies to defend Xajorkith, the capital. In my successful Epic Mode run, I defended the capital with Lord Xajorkith, Corleth the fey, Lord of Gard, Lord of Marakith, Lord Shimeril, Lord of Kumar, Lord of Dawn, Lord of Degrim, Lord of Whispers, Lord Brith, Lord Rorath, Lord Trorn, Lord of Morning, Lord Athoril, Lord Blood, Lord of Mitharg and the mighty Utarg of Utarg. Send the remaining forces to Gloom to meet Morkin and his companions. This group will escort Morkin to Ushgarak when the time comes to steal the Ice Crown. Once recruitment is complete, have Corleth head to Xajorkith, and Luxor the Moonprince and Rorthron head to Gloom.
4. Now, let the game do its part. Doomdark’s moving armies are scripted, so wait while defending the capital, letting the waves of attacks crash against Xajorkith and its defenders. Continue passing turns until the waves stop coming. Later waves may take many turns to arrive, so wait patiently before concluding that no more will come. Since there is no time limit in the game, take as much time as needed. Once Doomdark has exhausted his moving armies, only the defenders of Ushgarak and the citadels in the Plains of Despair (like Vorgath, Kor, and Grarg) will remain, in addition to all the conquered citadels.
5. Once the waves are over, go on the offensive. Leave Xajorkith with most of your armies and do the same from the Citadel of Gloom. You will easily overpower any remaining forces and be able to retake all the citadels occupied during your journey to Ushgarak. This will also help you recruit more men and further strengthen your armies.
6. The final step is to steal the Ice Crown with Morkin while simultaneously besieging Ushgarak. In the final turn, escape Ushgarak with Morkin and the Ice Crown, placing him in the same location as Farflame the Dragonlord. Then launch the final assault on Ushgarak. At the end of the turn, you’ll be greeted with the message “Ushgarak has fallen, Victory to the Free.” A modest reward for all this effort...

At last Morkin has reached the Domain of Despair and is
about to enter the Tower of Doom to steal the Ice Crown from Doomdark.

Victory for Doomdark

To win, Doomdark must achieve two main objectives:

• 1. Eliminate Morkin: As long as Morkin is alive, the game continues. Doomdark’s forces will try to hunt him down, and once he is killed, Doomdark takes a significant step towards victory.
• 2. Subdue the Armies of the Free: Doomdark can achieve this by either:
• Killing Luxor the Moonprince, the commander of the Free armies. If Luxor is killed, the player will lose control over all other characters except Morkin (due to the loss of the Moon Ring).
• Conquering the Citadel of Xajorkith, the stronghold of the Free in the land of Corelay. This citadel represents the home of all hope for the Free people. If it falls while Morkin is still alive, Luxor can continue fighting, but Doomdark needs to capture it for a full victory.

If Luxor Dies:

If Luxor dies, you lose control over all other Free characters except for Morkin. However, if Morkin finds the Moon Ring that Luxor wore, he can put it on and regain control over the other Free characters. The drawback is that as soon as Morkin wears the Moon Ring, Doomdark will immediately know his location, making his quest to seize the Ice Crown far more dangerous.

If Xajorkith Falls:

If the Citadel of Xajorkith is captured by Doomdark, Luxor can continue to lead his forces against Doomdark, but the game becomes much harder. For Doomdark to win, he must hold Xajorkith and eliminate Morkin, or both Luxor and Morkin must be dead.

Final Victory for Doomdark:

Doomdark wins if:

• Both Luxor and Morkin are dead.
• Or, Morkin is dead and Xajorkith has fallen.

Another game map.

Corleth the Fey meets Rorthron the Wise:
a long journey awaits them…

The Verdict 
Lords of Midnight is a masterful blend of strategy and adventure, ahead of its time in both depth of gameplay and world-building. Its innovative mechanics offer several ways to end the game and this gives a great feeling of freedom, also increased by the vastness of the game world which is freely explorable. Although the graphics may look dated today, the game's atmosphere, story and replayability remain timeless. A true classic for all fans of vintage games. 

 Pros:

• Brilliant idea, blending strategy and adventure in a time when game complexity was rare.

• The gameplay mechanics offer immense replayability, and the open-ended structure is impressive for its era.

Cons:

• The graphics are quite dated by modern standards, but appropriate for the technology of the time. In any case, I find it wonderful.

Score	Rating
Game ZX Spectrum	99%
Game Commodore 64	99%