Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity vs The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity continues the saga of the Citadel, pitting you against the resurrected spirit of Shandar and the ancient Black Dragon. Explore a vast world filled with day‑night cycles, animated cut‑scenes, and a unique time‑travel mechanic that lets you alter events across centuries. Featuring over 100 characters with distinct personalities, deep magic and combat systems, auto‑mapping, unlimited saves, and richly detailed graphics, this single‑player adventure offers countless hours of fantasy role‑playing excitement.
After defeating Mangar, heroes receive a dire warning: the Mad God Tarjan has razed Skara Brae. They must rally refugees and embark on a quest across fractured realms to halt his wrath. This third installment expands the Bard’s Tale universe with new classes, time‑warped worlds, and an auto‑mapping system. The game retains its first‑person, pseudo‑3D exploration of towns, dungeons, and wilderness, now enriched with Geomancer and Chronomancer classes, multiple themed realms, and classic turn‑based combat for a nostalgic yet fresh RPG experience.
- Extensive cast of characters with unique personalities
- Innovative time‑travel mechanic
- Rich, animated story sequences
- Unlimited save system for flexible play
- Rich class variety with two new spellcasters
- Innovative time‑warp realms provide diverse settings
- Auto‑mapping eases navigation of complex dungeons
- Classic retro charm appeals to nostalgia
- Outdated graphics by modern standards
- Steep learning curve for combat and magic systems
- Limited to PC platform only
- Dated graphics by modern standards
- Limited user interface compared to contemporary RPGs
- Steep learning curve for players unfamiliar with old‑school mechanics
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity
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Embark on an epic Dungeons & Dragons tactical RPG adventure along the iconic Sword Coast.
Embark on a quest across a mystical archipelago to defeat the sorcerer Shandar.
Experience the classic D&D adventure upgraded with new content and enhanced features.
Alternatives to The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate
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Venture through endless wilderness and wield the Archmage's legendary spells
Sinister forces haunt Riva in this classic 3D fantasy RPG.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth are classic single‑player RPGs with time‑travel themes, but Ishar 3 offers a richer character cast and real‑time combat, while Bard's Tale III provides turn‑based play and two unique spell‑casting classes.
Key differences
- •Ishar 3 features over 100 uniquely scripted characters; Bard's Tale III has no such large cast
- •Combat style differs: real‑time melee/ranged in Ishar 3 vs turn‑based in Bard's Tale III
- •Ishar 3 includes an animated cut‑scene story; Bard's Tale III relies on text‑based narrative
- •Release era: Ishar 3 (1994) has slightly newer graphics than Bard's Tale III (1988)
- •Bard's Tale III adds two new classes (Geomancer, Chronomancer) not present in Ishar 3
Gameplay & fun factor
Ishar 3 offers real‑time combat with tactical positioning and a deep magic system, adding dynamic action.
Platform availability
Both run on modern PC via emulation, but Bard's Tale III explicitly mentions DOS compatibility; Ishar 3 only lists PC.
Price & value
Ishar 3 lists an MSRP of $19.99; Bard's Tale III provides no price, making value unclear.
Multiplayer / co‑op
Both are single‑player only; no multiplayer options for either.
Content & replayability
Ishar 3’s 100+ characters and dynamic day‑night effects give more varied experiences than Bard's Tale III’s static realms.
Difficulty & accessibility
Bard's Tale III’s turn‑based combat may be easier for newcomers than Ishar 3’s steep real‑time learning curve.
Graphics & performance
Ishar 3 (1994) has newer graphics than Bard's Tale III (1988), though both are dated by modern standards.
Choose Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity if…
Players who want a larger cast, real‑time combat, and richer story cinematic moments.
Choose The Bard's Tale III: Thief of Fate if…
Players who prefer turn‑based strategy, new spell‑caster classes, and classic DOS‑style retro feel.
Common questions
What is the cost of each game?
Ishar 3 lists an MSRP of $19.99; Bard's Tale III does not specify a price in the provided data.
Which game has more characters to interact with?
Ishar 3 features over 100 uniquely scripted characters; Bard's Tale III does not provide a comparable number.
Is either game multiplayer?
Both are single‑player only, with no multiplayer or co‑op modes mentioned.