Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum

RPG 1986

Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum is a classic fantasy role-playing game developed by New World Computing and originally released in 1986 for MS-DOS. As the first entry in the long-running Might and Magic series, it introduced players to a vast world filled with dangerous dungeons, mysterious towns, powerful magic, and challenging turn-based combat.

The game places the player in control of a custom-created party of adventurers, each with their own race, class, alignment, and abilities. Exploration is presented from a first-person perspective, encouraging players to map the world carefully, solve cryptic puzzles, uncover hidden secrets, and survive encounters with monsters across the realm of Varn.

Known for its ambitious scope, open-ended design, and deep character progression, Might and Magic Book One became an important title in the history of computer role-playing games. Its blend of exploration, strategy, fantasy storytelling, and party-based gameplay helped define many of the features that would shape the genre for years to come.

Genre: RPG
Release: 1986
Developer: New World Computing
Publisher: -

Just play it!

Tip: Press Alt + Enter to toggle fullscreen mode

Quick tips — new to MS-DOS games?

Click inside the game to give it keyboard/mouse focus.
Ctrl + F10 — release or re-capture the mouse cursor.
Saving varies by game — look for Save in the in-game menu (Esc or F1), or try F5 / F7.
Some games use passwords instead of saves — note it down!
Controls are often shown on the game's intro or title screen — don't skip them.
🖥️ CRT filter is on by default for that authentic monitor look. Toggle it with Alt+F7 or the CRT: ON/OFF button in the bottom-right corner of the game. Your preference is remembered.