The Maze (VGC-1)


 * "Discover a mysterious, treacherous, and labyrinthine dungeon of monsters and booby traps, with treasure and equipment waiting to be taken. The Maze allows players to take on the role of an adventurer seeking fame and fortune as they tread through dungeons, courtyards, caverns, hallways, crypts, and what-have-you, fighting monsters, avoiding traps, and collecting loot and equipment. With the layouts of each level being randomized every time you start playing, you know that a little unpredictability will keep things from getting too boring in...The Maze!"
 * -Publicity blurb for the U.S. release.

The Maze (Japanese: ラビリンスアドベンチャー Rabirinsuadobenchā Labyrinth Adventure) is an action RPG developed by Kakushin Gaming for the VGC-1 console, particularly on the VHC-1 home computer module.

The game was released on the 5.25-inch floppy disk format (later on 3.5-inch floppy), along with a short five-level demo version released on V-Cassette.

Synopsis
Legends tell of the Maze, a multi-level complex that goes underground, with each room arranged like a labyrinth. Many enter, but only few manage to come back out alive with stories to tell of their adventures within. Each floor within the Maze is crawling with ferocious monsters and has booby traps hidden to catch the unaware, but there are also treasures and useful equipment, the latter of which often left behind by past adventurers who did not make it. The player takes on the role of a new adventurer, who sets out to seek fame and fortune by tackling the Maze. Little did everybody know is that there's more to the Maze than just the monsters and the treasure that awaits those who seek it out...

Gameplay
The Maze is a top-down, single-player action RPG with a progressive level-up system. Leveling up requires collecting EXP points, which comes from killing monsters or collecting treasure. As the player level up, their character's capabilities in attack power (ATK), defense power (DEF), speed (SPD), health (HP), and magical ability (MAG) are increased.

The monsters start out weak in the first few floors, but afterwards become progressively stronger and more relentless. To move on to the next room, they have to find the key to unlock the exit. In every fifth room in the Maze is a powerful boss monster, often accompanied by weaker monsters. When a boss monster is defeated, they leave behind one of several "Mysterious Artifacts" that are vital to the storyline of the game.

The player character starts out with a short sword and a shield and wearing leather armor, but they can collect other weapons, armor, and equipment along the way to bolster their offensive and defensive capabilities. Some items allow the usage of offensive or defensive magical spells. Items are rated for their overall capabilities on a 1- to 5-star scale, with 5 stars being the highest, 1 being lowest. In addition, there are food items which can be collected to restore lost health, along with potions that could either benefit or harm you. When the player touches a potion, they are asked if they wish to use it now or to put it in their inventory.

There are also friendly NPCs that can be interacted with for information regarding aspects of the Maze. After every fifth floor is a library room, which contains books that can be read for information, as well as a logbook for saving the player's progress.

Controls
The input controls for the game uses both the VG-KB keyboard and the game controller of the player's choice.

Controller

 * Joystick - Movement
 * A button - Attack/Interact with NPC/library book/logbook
 * B button - Defend
 * C button - Use magic
 * A + B - Strong attack
 * A + B + C - Go to pause menu

MORE TO BE ADDED