Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor

Did You Know?

• Eye of the Beholder III was not developed by Westwood, the developer of the first two games, but in-house by publisher SSI.
• The game uses the AESOP engine, later used in Dungeon Hack, and both games share the same enemy sprites, graphics, and sound effects.
• The game includes an 'All Attack' feature and the ability for characters to wield polearms while in the second rank.

Plot

The player characters begin by telling a patron in a tavern how they defeated Dran Draggore and saved the town. He tells them the Lich has an ancient artifact called the Codex needed to save Myth Drannor, then teleports them to just outside the city after they agree. Explorable areas include the surrounding forest, the mausoleum, and the city ruins containing a mage guild and a temple.

Reception

SSI sold 50,664 copies of Eye of the Beholder III. By 1996, the entire Eye of the Beholder series had sold over 350,000 copies worldwide. GameSpy described the game as a clear case of a company rushing out a quick follow-up to a solid title without putting in the necessary effort. Computer Gaming World's Scorpia noted that as the final chapter of the EOB series, it should have been impressive, but it fell short. She criticized the graphics as worse than those of earlier games, called the audio a nightmare, and said the final battle was a letdown. She concluded that Assault on Myth Drannor was disappointing, ending the promising series on a mediocre note. She later described the game as dreary with a disappointing ending, suitable only for dedicated EOB fans. In contrast, James Trunzo of White Wolf #37 praised the game for its new weapons, monsters, and locales, claiming it surpassed its predecessors, though he wished it included an auto-mapper.