Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity

Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity is a 1994 MS-DOS role-playing game developed and published by Silmarils. It is the third installment in the Ishar series and continues the studio’s signature blend of first-person exploration, party-based adventuring, and real-time combat. Players take control of Zubaran or import characters from earlier games as they assemble a diverse group of companions and navigate a fantasy world threatened once again by the return of the evil spirit Shandar.

The central narrative revolves around a race against time across mysterious “Gates of Infinity,” which lead to different time periods and regions, each with its own environments, dangers, and secrets. The objective is to prevent Shandar from achieving reincarnation by locating the last of the ancient Black Dragons, whose body would grant immense destructive power. The game combines exploration, resource management, and tactical survival elements, all presented through richly detailed pseudo-3D environments.

Known for its atmospheric presentation and ambitious scope for its time, Ishar 3 features complex party dynamics with a large cast of recruitable characters, each with distinct personalities and roles. While praised for its visual ambition and depth, it also gained a reputation for being challenging and occasionally obtuse, reflecting the design philosophy of early 1990s European RPGs.