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Fates of Twinion

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Overview

Fates of Twinion is an abandoned fantasy RPG game developed by Sierra On-Line and released in 19931. Originally designed as an online multiplayer dungeon crawler for The Sierra Network (later renamed ImagiNation Network), the game served as a successor to The Shadow of Yserbius2. The game was part of Sierra’s early foray into online gaming, featuring up to 30-60 players in a graphical MUD environment with groups of up to 4 players3.

The game was intended not for authentic offline play but to whet the player’s appetite for an online account4. When The Sierra Network closed, Fates of Twinion lost its multiplayer functionality and was distributed as a single-player experience5. Computer Gaming World recognized the game as a finalist for Online Game of the Year in June 19946.

Story Summary

The game’s narrative centers around the realm of Twinion, where brave warriors and wizards are needed to enter dangerous dungeons and uncover the secrets of the evils that plague the land3. Players must prove themselves worthy of being Heroes who will solve numerous quests and step through to Immortality8. The main quest involves finding four pieces of a map, with players receiving guidance such as “Find your fate in the portal east of here”9.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Fates of Twinion features a first-person 3D perspective with keyboard and mouse controls3. The game uses the same engine as The Shadow of Yserbius, with many graphics reused between the games10. Players navigate through castle floors, dungeons, and various locations while managing their character’s progression and inventory.

Structure and Progression

The game features 8 races (human, orc, elf, troll, dwarf, gnome, halfling, and gremlin) and 6 classes (barbarian, knight, ranger, thief, cleric, and wizard)11. Players progress through six castle floors containing battles, puzzles, secret doors, and magic items12. The game includes regenerating maps and fixed encounters, with unique gameplay mechanics such as protection spells that work on the next round and teleportation systems13.

Puzzles and Mechanics

Sierra tried to create a more complex game with a wider range of puzzles, traps, and turns compared to its predecessor2. The game features a “forcing” mechanic that allows players to equip items their guild originally cannot use14. Music plays an important role in the game, with NPCs providing hints like “Music will open new doors for you”9. Death serves as a travel mechanism to the top of the mountain rather than a traditional penalty13.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

PublicationScoreNotes
Computer Gaming WorldFinalist, Online Game of the YearJune 1994 recognition6
MobyGames61%User ratings15
MobyGames4.7/5Alternative rating scale16
MyAbandonware4.19/5Reviewed by HOTUD11
Abandonware DOS3.67/5.00Community rating1
Emuparadise4/5User rating17

Modern Assessment

Computer Gaming World noted that “Playing Yserbius without fellow on-line gamers is like being in an amusement park after hours, on in which the rides aren’t all that fun to begin with”6. The CRPG Addict described it as “a competent enough dungeon crawler, not terribly far from Wizardry or The Bard’s Tale in quality, except for the baffling decision not to allow the single player to create a full party”4. However, they also noted it “feels like an empty, unfinished, single-player Wizardry”4.

Modern reviewers have been more positive about the game’s qualities as a dungeon crawler. HOTUD recommended it as “highly recommended for RPG beginners” and described it as having “solid ‘dungeon crawls’ that are definitely better than average”11. ClassicReload noted that “stripped off its multiplayer features, they are still decent RPGs, with a good variety of monsters, spells, interesting sub-quests”5.

Development

Origins

Fates of Twinion was developed as part of Sierra’s ambitious early online gaming initiative through The Sierra Network2. The game was designed to build upon the success of The Shadow of Yserbius, serving as its direct successor6. Sierra tried to get more story and diversity out of the original game engine12.

Production

The development team was extensive, with key contributors including designers Fred Butts, Joe Ybarra, Mark Dickenson, Michael Moore, Scot Amos, Sharon Chercowy, and Wendy Barlow7. Russell Lieblich composed the music7. The game’s development faced significant challenges, with Richard Aronson noting that “Fates of Twinion was so buggy QA refused to test anymore”2. The project required approximately 3,500 development hours, with 146,500 lines of codebase and 45,000 lines of map scripts3.

Playtesters included Bob Blees, Carlos Flores, Paul Lavelle, Fuzz Lokajicek, Alisa Schaefbauer, and Rich Waters, with special thanks given to Ken Williams, ImagiNation Network testers, ImagiNation Network friends, and Sierra-Online friends7.

Technical Achievements

The game utilized the AIL / Miles Sound System and ran on the Shadow of Yserbius game engine3. It supported both single-player and modem multiplayer modes, with dial-up connectivity for the online experience3. The game had a file size of 1 MB and supported DOSBox 0.653. Brian Thomson noted that “Ken [Williams] had no idea at the how hardcore gamers would eat his bandwidth,” highlighting the technical challenges of early online gaming2.

Legacy

Fates of Twinion represents an important milestone in early online gaming history, being part of one of the first commercial graphical MUD services5. The game has found new life through preservation efforts and modern remakes. ZaneDubya created MedievaLands, stating “MedievaLands is my remake of these favorite games from my childhood”18. The game continues to be remembered fondly by early online gaming enthusiasts, with one player noting “The Shadow of Yserbius and the Fates of Twinion were my first experience with MUDs/Proto-MMOs”19.

The game’s influence can be seen in speedrunning communities, where players have noted that “Yserbius (in the Medievalands engine) can be beaten in under two hours from new characters”20. The game remains an important historical artifact of Sierra’s experimental period in online gaming.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

  • GOG Dreamlist - Community wishlist
  • Not currently available for purchase

Download / Preservation

Series Continuity

References

Footnotes

  1. Abandonware DOS – - Basic game information and release details ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  2. MassivelyOP – - Historical context and series information ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  3. Dungeon Crawlers – - Technical specifications and multiplayer details ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  4. CRPG Addict – - Analysis of game design philosophy ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. Classic Reload – - Multiplayer functionality loss ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  6. Wikipedia - Shadow of Yserbius – - Awards and recognition ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  7. MobyGames Credits – - Development team credits ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  8. Sierra Help Pages - Walkthrough – - Narrative description ↩

  9. CRPG Addict - Filler – - In-game quest guidance ↩ ↩2

  10. MobyGames Screenshots – - Graphics reuse information ↩

  11. MyAbandonware – - Character races and classes ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  12. GameFAQs FAQ – - Game structure details ↩ ↩2

  13. RPG Codex Forum – - Gameplay mechanics ↩ ↩2

  14. Sierra Help Pages - Tips – - Forcing mechanic explanation ↩

  15. MobyGames – - User ratings ↩

  16. MobyGames - Ruins of Cawdor – - Alternative rating ↩

  17. [Emuparadise](https://www.emuparadise.me/Abandonware_Games/Fates_Of_Twinion_V1.0_(1993) – (Sierra_Online)/93341) - User rating ↩

  18. MedievaLands – - Modern remake developer motivation ↩

  19. GOG Dreamlist – - Player memories ↩

  20. Reddit Sierra – - Speedrun community insights ↩

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