Zyll

This is a game that has made me nostalgic over and over through the years. Though it had no graphics (it was too early for any good graphics), my memory of playing it is full of images, and graphics would only have taken away from the game. The text really makes your imagination run wild!
You begin the game by choosing a character from among three adventurers, a warrior, a wizard, and a rogue. There is always a way to work through puzzles with each character, which shows the scope of the game.

Your purpose is to recapture the Black Orb from the evil wizard Zyll. This Orb is one heavy ball, too. You can collect many items throughout the adventure, but the Black Orb seems to draw all of your might to carry it, so dropping other items is a necessary risk. I did get killed after capturing the Orb so you still have to be wary while returning it.
The real-time aspect of the game gives you a sense of urgency to complete the quest, something I never experienced before in a game at that time. Eventually I played a game called The Hobbit, with a similar text based gameplay, but the still pictures that accompanied the story limited what I imagined of the world. Zyll was well balanced in journeying and describing the world and encounters. I think there could have been maybe a few more encounters, but hey, that's what a sequel is for! I never saw that a sequel was made, but I looked for one for several years before totally submitting to the games with graphics. I'm still wondering just to whom that stone tower in the jungle where you are teleported belongs. Is it Zylls hidden library, in his pocket dimension?
And I can remember the anxiety I had when the text read (in real time) that I heard heavy footsteps approaching. I didn't have that fireball spell ready yet!! I'm waiting for someone to remake this game. It would be just as fascinating today as it was then!