Elysion

About

Elysion is a 8-bit RPG from 1986 that borrows mechanics from multiple genre staples. Play as one of four race-based heroes, a warrior, mage, rogue, or magic warrior, and follow a king’s directive to explore a dungeon beneath his castle. The game mixes real-time action without screen transitions, similar to Hydlide, with turn-based strategy elements where enemies react only when you move, akin to roguelikes. After collecting key items in the initial dungeon, you become the “Hero of God” and hunt the demon Baal across a continent, gathering scrolls and gear to weaken him. Combat stays fluid but requires careful positioning, as each character class has distinct strengths and weaknesses. The game’s charm lies in its patchwork design. It mirrors Dragon Quest’s simple visuals, Final Fantasy’s class-based party selection, and early strategy RPG pacing. Players on retro forums often note its punishing difficulty and tight resource management, with some calling it a “forgotten template” for later JRPG experiments. Though buried by bigger titles, its real-time dungeon crawls and class-specific challenges feel oddly modern for its era.

Storyline

The great evil Baal rises again. In response, King Elysion VI summons four champions - each from a different race - to send them on a quest to defeat him. Each champion is their own class. The Minos champion is a warrior, the Aylex champion is a Mage, the Dionea champion is a rogue, the Viskam champion is a magic warrior. At the start of the game, you select to play as one of these champions.