Pools of Darkness
DOS - 1991
Also released on: Mac - Amiga
Description of Pools of Darkness
In the annals of RPG gaming, few series can boast of being "pioneers" of the genre more than SSI with its "Gold Box" series, all based on AD&D mechanics and worlds licensed from TSR.
Of these, four games set in the "Forgotten Realms" world stand out as the best of the bunch. Comprising four games released over four years, Pool of Radiance, Curse of the Azure Bonds, Secret of the Silver Blades, and Pools of Darkness remain a lot of fun even today as some of the most addictive - albeit maddeningly combat-ridden - RPGs ever created.
Pools of Radiance and Pools of Darkness are my most favorite of the series. Pool of Radiance because it was a great beginning to a solid RPG system, and Pools of Darkness because it gives you a chance to meet famous NPCs from AD&D world, marvel at the non-linear storyline, and develop your heroes to very high levels. All four games are must-haves for RPG fans everywhere, although Secret of the Silver Blades is a disappointment compared to the rest.
GameSpot's nice History of AD&D gives a good overview of Pools of Darkness as follows: "The fourth and final installment of the Forgotten Realms gold box series, Pools of Darkness, set the stage for your party's adventure into the lair of an evil god.
New Phlan was magically ripped from its foundations and dragged underground to the city of dark elves. The peaceful residents of Phlan, the Dalelands, and the surrounding areas of the Moonsea were forcibly kidnapped and pressed into slavery in service of Kalistes, the spider-priestess of the god of evil, Bane. It was up to the player to defeat the dark elves and their arachnoid allies, free the slaves, restore Phlan to its natural state, and eventually defeat Bane himself.
Pools of Darkness followed its predecessors closely in terms of structure; players formed a party of six adventurers (with two extra slots for NPCs), that had the ability to advance to the lofty heights of level 20 (with access to spells of tenth level).
However, the scope of the game was decidedly different from its predecessor. Combat in the game, especially later on, differed greatly from the encounters of the previous games. Your characters faced some of the toughest creatures in the AD&D universe, in addition to a number of new and formidable critters created specifically for the game, including the venomous Pets of Kalistes and the terrifying Minions of Bane (which had the magic resistances of demons and the breath weapons of dragons)."
Review By HOTUD
External links
Comments and reviews
D&D Ninja 2018-02-27 0 point DOS version
cant seem to get game started. it asks me for key words from journal which cant be found. someone plz help/
dfortae 2018-01-12 0 point DOS version
I review Pools of Darkness here: http://youtu.be/n-prXkeix04
Dervrak 2017-04-21 2 points DOS version
The "Gold Box" series were my favorites back in my teen years, with Pools of Darkness being the best of the lot. Sadly they don't hold up very well after three decades. By today's standards combat is mind numbingly slow and tedious with some larger battles taking a half-hour or more. I managed to slog through five hours before I decided, like parachute pants and Vanilla Ice, the gold box series is best left in the late 1980's/early 1990's.
lock 2017-02-12 -1 point DOS version
I cant seem to get the game to install what do I type to install on dosbox
Silverookami@yahoo.com 2016-10-09 1 point
This game was both long and hard back in the day. The final fights were epic and as a ten year old I needed to get my parents to buy me the cluebook, which I still own (I just gave a quick look in my old games box and found it!). The really sucky part though is for the final challenge dungeon the cluebook doesn't offer any help! It just basically laughs at the player and taunts them to go ahead and try to beat the final challenge. I honestly can't recall if I ever did, but I remember what the battle was like. This game scared me the most, mainly due to the Pets of Kalistes and the Drider testing grounds. Such a great story though.
Miuna 2015-04-20 2 points DOS version
GJ do the following:
1) Search for the directory path of your SSB savegame folder e.g.: C:\SSB\Save
2) Open up your POD Folder
3) Open the file POOL4.CFG
4) The content looks something like this
1
V
M
C:\POD\SAVE\
C:\SSB\SAVE\
F
0
0
....
Change whatever is under the first directory entry and point it to where the Savegame(s) of SSB are stored. Choose "save under ..." and save. After restarting the game you should be able to import characters from SSB to POD.
The other way if this doesn't work is as follows.
1) Delete the .cfg file
2) In DOSBOX presuming you are using it for playing the game - choose the profile, edit it, point the program file name to POD\START.bat
3) Setup should follow
4) You should be asked where your SSB saves are stored at during the steps following
5) Point to C:\SSB\Saves
6) Finish setup and start game
Doing this you should be able to import characters or savegames from SSB to POD.
GJ 2015-04-17 0 point DOS version
Can anyone guide me threw transfering characters from secret to pools of darkness.Keep getting a SBB directory error..
Aronatia 2013-12-02 0 point DOS version
They did make more... Pool or Radiance, Curse of the Azure Bonds,etc... There were several more games in the same style. I used to play thema lot when I was little, especially PoolRad.
A Wise Old Man 2013-05-02 1 point DOS version
Ask and ye shall receive:
http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/docs.php?id=1256
Brother Humphrey 2013-01-04 0 point DOS version
I could use a link to download the journal, since I never owned it.
Pkpost 2012-05-19 1 point DOS version
Hands down one of the best RPG's ever made, if they made more of these I would buy them for sure.
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Buy Pools of Darkness
Pools of Darkness is available for a small price on the following websites, and is no longer abandonware. GOG.com provides the best release and does not include DRM, please buy from them! You can read our online store guide .
Game Extras and Resources
Some of these file may not be included in the game stores. For Pools of Darkness, we have the following files:
3 MB (DOS)Other Releases
Pools of Darkness was also released on the following systems:
Mac
- Year: 1992
- Publisher: Strategic Simulations, Inc.
- Developer: Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Amiga
- Year: 1992
- Publisher: Strategic Simulations, Inc.
- Developer: Strategic Simulations, Inc.
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