The legend of the talisman is an ancient story that has been passed down through generations. It tells of a powerful object, a talisman, that holds great mystical and magical powers. This talisman is said to have been created by a wise and ancient civilization who possessed knowledge of the arcane arts. According to the legend, the talisman was forged from a rare and precious stone, which was infused with the essence of the elements. It is said that the talisman has the ability to grant the bearer incredible powers, such as the ability to control the elements, heal the sick, and even bring back the dead. However, the legend also warns that the talisman is not to be used lightly.
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For 2 years now, we have dedicated ourselves with lots of passion to this project, giving the bottom of our heart and savings to the cause, without hesitation, to be able to transmit joy to the nostalgic people that like us want to relive the same emotions. The Legend Of The Sacred Talisman is an ARPG game created as a tribute to the classic Nintendo 90 s action-adventure games, with a focus on The Legend of Zelda that has enchanted audiences for generations, along with us.
However, the legend also warns that the talisman is not to be used lightly. It is believed that only those who are pure of heart and have the best intentions can wield its powers without consequence. Others who seek to use it for selfish gain or evil purposes will be consumed by the talisman's dark powers, ultimately leading to their own destruction.
App Review – Talisman: Origins – The Legend of Pandora’s Box
Fresh off of my review of Talisman: Origins, the solo Talisman game for Steam and mobile devices, let’s talk about the latest expansion for it (discussion of the previous expansion, Beyond the Veil, will be coming later).
As with the base game, Talisman: Origins – The Legend of Pandora’s Box is a story-based solo version of Talisman developed by Nomad Games. In the game, you are basically playing solo Talisman, but using story-based “quests” that tell tales from the Talisman universe.
For those of you who don’t know (and for some reason didn’t read my original review), Talisman is a roll-and-move adventure where you are moving your character around the board based on dice rolls, drawing and resolving adventure cards, all in pursuit of some goal. In the original, you are trying to get to the Crown of Command, but in Talisman: Origins, you are trying to do whatever the quest is.
The Legend of Pandora’s Box tells the story of a Dwarf and his Leprechaun friend as they are trying to stop an influx of creatures from the Nether Realms.
You begin as a Dwarf tasked with tracking down these Nether creatures and dealing with them, reaching the Crown of Command to find out where they are coming from.
Subsequent quests have the Dwarf’s friend, the Leprechaun, trying to help out when the Dwarf disappears. Thus, you get a whole adventure with two different base game characters.
After completing four of the quests, the final one is supposed to be the toughest of all, where you have to carefully manage everything in a final showdown that will leave you with chills and foreboding, maybe nightmares for the next few days!
Or, you know, it could be kind of anti-climactic.
If you’ve read my Talisman: Origins review (and if not, why don’t you do it now? I’ve even linked it here again), you know how it works so lets just get into this expansion and whether it’s worth your time or not.
First, one thing I forgot to mention in that original review, which is a major part of all of the quests, is achievements that are opened up once you’ve completed the quest. This does add some replayability, as it doesn’t matter if you did them the first time. You have to complete the quest to open them up.
Some of them are basic (“Heal yourself with the Physician 5 times”) while others are almost impossible (“Complete this quest in 25 rounds”).
That is a nice touch, and once I’ve gone through everything, maybe I will go back and do these again.
So how is The Legend of Pandora’s Box?
It’s pretty good. Certainly a lot harder than the stories that I played through in the base game. It’s not uncommon to fail a couple of times at least (Editor – Or that could be just because Dave’s lame). Especially when you misread the goal of the Demon Baby scenario as having to defeat all of the monsters that swarm to the baby’s crying rather than just having to survive three attacks (Editor – I rest my case)
That being said, these quests seemed even more swingy than Talisman typically is.
It can be incredibly difficult on one playthrough and then the next one, the cards line up to make it way too easy.
One of the quests has the Leprechaun have to get through an encroaching fire in the Forest. I died three times.
Then, the next time I played, I happened to draw a spell that would solve the quest without even having to go through the fire at all. As soon as the subsequent part of the quest happened and the fire started, I was able to win immediately. (I’m trying not to spoil too much)
Another problem with the expansion is that the final quest is almost an afterthought in some ways. The Leprechaun has to make it to the Crown of Command as he’s constantly beset by Nether monster attacks and other events. Thankfully he starts with a Physician that will heal one life for one gold at the beginning of each turn.
“But Dave,” you might say, “what if you run out of gold?”
Thankfully the Leprechaun gets 3 gold every time he lands in a Woods space! Woo!
Thus, you’re wandering around the board, trying to get your Craft and Strength up so that you can make it to the Crown, getting attacked a lot by these creatures.
This is from the Great Wizard quest, but the Cloak of Shadows is the object I’m talking about
Thankfully you find a Cloak of Shadows that will let you evade enemies at night!
It all becomes a bit rote after a while.
The only difficulty is when you hit an Event that either makes you discard all of your Followers or all of your Objects.
Even then, you often get the Physician back fairly quickly, followed by the Cloak.
That’s all fine and dandy, and it can be fun wandering the Talisman universe and fighting stuff, but then you get to some of the Nether monsters that are my other main problem with the expansion’s final quest.
A few of the monsters have a power that basically says “if you roll lower than this monster for your attack roll, you die.”
That never happened to me, but the fact that it could happen kind of irks me a bit. You spend 20-30 minutes playing the quest, and then you are arbitrarily killed because your 19-strength Leprechaun rolls a 1 and the 7-strength Nether Dragon (I’m going by memory, so don’t quote me on that) rolls a 2.
BOOM! You’re dead. You have to start over.
Maybe the game won’t let you roll lower than one of these monsters? If that’s the case, what’s the point? Arbitrary tension?
Either way, it’s not a good feeling.
Some might say: “Dave, that’s just Talisman. That can happen to you in the main game (like when a Basilisk rolls doubles)!”
That is true. However, in the regular game, you just start a new character and you’re still adventuring. The same thing could happen to the other players as well. Who knows? (That could another reason why people hate Talisman, since that could really drag after a while).
In a quest-based format like this, it just rubs me the wrong way. I realize that could just be me, though (and Talisman’s many other detractors).
All of that being said, overall I really enjoyed The Legend of Pandora’s Box.
The quests themselves are interesting in a way that the base game quests seemed kind of pedestrian. There are new and interesting approaches to the Talisman universe that are just fun.
All of the good things and bad things from the base game are still there.
It’s still Talisman, for example. However, the UI is so much better than the multiplayer game. Everything I say in the original review is true of The Legend of Pandora’s Box.
If you’re a fan of Talisman: Origins, then this is a strong expansion to pick up, despite my problems with the final quest.
If the original game does nothing for you, then this won’t change your mind.
The Legend of Pandora’s Box is available on Steam ($4.65 CDN, not sure how much in US), iOS ($1.99), and Android ($1.99)
Thanks to Nomad Games for providing the Steam code for this expansion
The Legend of Pandora’s Box tells the story of a Dwarf and his Leprechaun friend as they are trying to stop an influx of creatures from the Nether Realms.
The legend of the talisman has sparked many quests and adventures throughout history. Heroes and villains alike have sought after the talisman, hoping to harness its incredible powers for their own purposes. Some stories tell of epic battles fought over the talisman, with kingdoms rising and falling in the pursuit of its power. As the legend goes, the talisman eventually became lost to time, hidden away for the safety of the world. It is said to be waiting for the time when a true hero will rise and be worthy of its power. Whether the legend of the talisman is merely a story or based on some truth is unknown. However, its allure and mystical qualities continue to captivate the imagination of those who hear it. It serves as a reminder of the power and responsibility that comes with great abilities and the importance of using them for the greater good..
Reviews for "Talismans in Literature: From Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings"
1. John - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "What is the legend of the talisman". The book started off promising, but quickly veered into a convoluted and confusing plot. I found it hard to connect with the characters as their motivations and actions seemed erratic and lacking depth. The pacing was also a major issue, it felt slow in some parts and rushed in others, making it hard to fully immerse myself in the story. Overall, I don't think I would recommend this book to others.
2. Emily - 1/5 - "What is the legend of the talisman" was a complete letdown. The writing style was bland and lacked any sort of descriptive language that could transport me into the story. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to believe in the interactions between the characters. Furthermore, the plot was predictable and lacked any real surprises or twists. I was hoping for a captivating fantasy novel, but all I got was a dull and uninspired read. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on this book.
3. Sarah - 2.5/5 - I had high hopes for "What is the legend of the talisman" but unfortunately, it fell short. While the concept of the story was intriguing, the execution left much to be desired. The pacing was inconsistent, with long stretches of monotonous storytelling followed by sudden and rushed climaxes. The characters were also underdeveloped, making it hard to feel invested in their journey. Additionally, the description and world-building were lacking, leaving me confused at times. Overall, I felt that the book had potential but failed to deliver on its promises.
4. David - 2/5 - I found "What is the legend of the talisman" to be a tedious read. The storyline was repetitive and felt like a rehashing of other fantasy novels I've read before. The plot twists and revelations were predictable, leaving no sense of surprise or excitement. The writing style was also lackluster, with a lack of captivating prose or vivid descriptions. It felt like a chore to finish this book, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a gripping fantasy tale.