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Betrayal in Antara

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Overview

Betrayal in Antara is a 1997 role-playing game developed and published by Sierra On-Line as a spiritual successor to the acclaimed 1993 title Betrayal at Krondor1. While utilizing an updated version of Betrayal at Krondor’s game engine, the game takes place in an entirely new fantasy world called Ramar rather than Raymond E. Feist’s Midkemia universe2. As author Raymond E. Feist himself clarified, “Betrayal in Antara by Sierra is a ‘sequel’ to BaK only insofar as it’s using the same general game engine and is created by the company that owned Dynamix. Other than that it has nothing to do with my work”3.

The game emerged from Sierra’s need to create a new RPG after losing the rights to produce another game based on Raymond Feist’s The Riftwar Cycle4. Designer Peter Sarrett became involved with the project in an unusual way, after CEO Ken Williams discovered him playing extended sessions of Betrayal at Krondor during work hours and summoned him with the message “Come see me in my office”5. Sierra positioned the game as their return to role-playing games, with PC Gamer announcing in 1997 that “Sierra On-Line has begun shipping Betrayal in Antara, a follow-up to their award-winning roleplaying game Betrayal at Krondor”6.

Story Summary

Set in the Empire of Antara in the fantasy world of Ramar, players take on the role of Aren and his companions William as they become embroiled in a conspiracy involving a dying man named Gregor who presses a medallion into William’s hand while speaking his last word: “Consort”8. The story unfolds across nine chapters as players work to “save the empire of Antara from corruption and war”9. Unlike its predecessor, the game does not continue Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar saga but instead starts a new tale in a different fantasy world2.

The narrative explores themes of political intrigue and betrayal as the protagonists navigate the crumbling Antaran Empire. The game features 34 interactive characters throughout the adventure10, with players seeking “power, fortune and glory” while uncovering the larger conspiracy threatening the realm10.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Designer Peter Sarrett made a conscious decision to maintain familiarity with the predecessor, stating “I decided early on not to fix what wasn’t broken, and BAK players will find the interface and combat system of Betrayal in Antara familiar”5. The game requires a 2-button PC compatible mouse for navigation5 and features both first-person exploration and third-person turn-based combat on a hexagonal grid11.

Unlike Betrayal at Krondor, most towns in Antara can be physically explored rather than accessed through menu screens2. The game also offers an optional full-screen view that was not available in its predecessor2. Players navigate through day/night cycles with light level simulation affecting gameplay11.

Structure and Progression

The game employs a skill-based progression system without traditional experience points or levels12. Spells are cast using health and stamina points instead of a separate magic point system12. Character Arren is the only party member capable of casting magic, and players can increase his magic stat by sleeping at his home in Briara13.

Gameplay tips from community guides suggest that “Scouting is most important for the other guy and gals…combine its with stealth…it will virtually negate any ambush by enemy”13. The game includes a food system and features puzzle-lock chests throughout the adventure11.

Puzzles and Mechanics

The game includes various cheat codes that reference popular culture, including Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Players can enter “Ask a glass of water” to teleport to the start of a chapter, “Why am I so dull” to learn skills faster, or “Some call me tim” to kill all opponents in combat14. These references earned the game a 7.3/10 rating from users on the Easter egg database14.

Combat maintains the turn-based tactical approach of its predecessor, with battles playing out on hexagonal grids. The game features both battle themes and location-specific music, including tavern songs and “The Ballad Of The Cyrilan” musical sequence15.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Betrayal in Antara received mixed reviews from critics, with many praising the gameplay while criticizing technical aspects. The game achieved a Metacritic user score of 7.4/10 based on 7 user ratings16.

PublicationScoreNotes
GameSpot6.6/10 (Fair)Criticized graphics quality and linearity17
Next Generation3/5 starsCompared favorably to Doom II sequel approach1
MobyGames Critics68% averageMixed professional reception18
IMDb6.9/10User rating19
OldGames.sk68%Community rating20

GameSpot’s reviewer Desslock noted that “For gamers willing to tolerate substandard graphics and linear gameplay, Betrayal in Antara succeeds in providing an enjoyable role-playing experience”17. However, he criticized the visuals severely, stating the graphics are “frankly, as ugly as an orc” and describing the color palette as “muddy Monet”17.

Modern Assessment

Player reviews on MobyGames and other platforms reflect a divided opinion. One reviewer noted that “The game doesn’t make a good impression graphically from the word go” and criticized the voice acting as “Very bad”18. However, another player defended the game, writing “This is a great game and deserves great reviews. It’s not fair to mark it down for not playing on newer systems”10.

Community discussions on forums like RPG Codex acknowledge that while “Game’s not as good as BaK but worth playing”21, it still provides entertainment for fans of the original. Technical issues have been a persistent complaint, with users reporting crashes during chapter transitions and compatibility problems on modern systems22.

Development

Origins

The development of Betrayal in Antara arose from Sierra’s desire to capitalize on the success of Betrayal at Krondor while navigating licensing constraints. As gaming historian Jimmy Maher noted, the game “copied some of the interface elements and gameplay approaches of its predecessor, but moved the action to a generic fantasy world, to less satisfying effect”4. Sierra had lost the rights to produce another game based on Raymond Feist’s Midkemia, requiring them to create the new world of Ramar4.

Peter Sarrett’s involvement as designer began unconventionally when he was discovered playing Betrayal at Krondor during work hours. He recalled: “Loading it up at lunch time, I’d wind up playing well into the afternoon before I realized the time had passed. Many evenings I stayed at work past midnight hacking my way through just one more group of enemies”5.

Production

The development team included lead programmer Rikki Cleland-Hura, who helped flesh out world details, while the art team created the visual look for the Antaran Empire setting5. The game utilized composers David Henry and Jan Paul Moorhead for the musical score23, creating 72 audio files totaling 1 hour and 25 minutes of music15.

Sierra released the game on three CD-ROMs with a total installation size of 926.9 MB2. The technical requirements included a 486DX4/100 or faster processor, 16 MB RAM, 4X CD-ROM drive, sound card, and mouse11. The game used textured 3D graphics with sprites and was compiled using Borland C++ with Ergo DPMI/RTM DOS extender11.

Technical Achievements

One of the notable aspects was that Betrayal in Antara was “one of the first RPGs to utilize high-resolution SVGA graphics”1, though this technical advancement was not well-received by critics. The development team took photos of different landscapes and touched them up with 3D tools to create a painted appearance4.

A significant patch (version 1.10) was released to address “the problem some users have had when loading chapters, as well as a few other issues”24. The patch files are preserved in archives, including Sierra update files that fix chapter 9 bugs and other crashes25.

Legacy

Betrayal in Antara represents Sierra’s attempt to create a spiritual successor without the licensed intellectual property that made the original successful. While it maintained the gameplay mechanics that players enjoyed, the generic fantasy setting and technical issues prevented it from achieving the same critical acclaim as Betrayal at Krondor.

The game has found preservation through various digital distribution platforms and abandonware sites2627. Gaming wikis provide technical compatibility information for modern systems11, and community forums continue to offer technical fixes for Windows XP and later operating systems21.

Despite mixed reception, the game provided “over 100 hours of entertaining storytelling”17 according to contemporary reviews. Sarrett concluded in the game manual: “We hope this is but the first of many visits you’ll be making to Ramar, just as this is Sierra’s first step in our return to role playing games”5, though Sierra’s RPG ambitions would not continue as envisioned.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

  • GOG Dreamlist - Community wishlist
  • Available on GOG.com bundled with Betrayal at Krondor for $5.9928

Download / Preservation

References

Footnotes

  1. Wikipedia - Betrayal in Antara – - Basic game information and development details ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  2. Internet Archive - Betrayal in Antara USA – - Game engine details and technical specifications ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  3. Crydee.com - Raymond E. Feist FAQ – - Author’s clarification on game relationship ↩

  4. The Digital Antiquarian – - Development context and licensing issues ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  5. Archive.org - Game Manual – - Designer introduction and development story ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  6. Web Archive - PC Gamer News 1997 – - Contemporary shipping announcement ↩

  7. MobyGames - Betrayal in Antara – - Credits and technical specifications ↩

  8. TV Tropes - Betrayal in Antara – - Story details and character dialogue ↩

  9. Sierra Gamers - Betrayal in Antara – - Game plot description ↩

  10. Amazon - Sierra Betrayal in Antara – - Customer reviews and game features ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  11. PC Gaming Wiki - Betrayal in Antara – - Technical specifications and system requirements ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  12. GOG Forum - Betrayal in Antara Guide – - Gameplay mechanics information ↩ ↩2

  13. The Spoiler Centre - Betrayal in Antara Tips – - Gameplay tips and character development ↩ ↩2

  14. Easter Eggs Database – - Cheat codes and cultural references ↩ ↩2

  15. KHInsider - Betrayal in Antara Soundtrack – - Audio file details and soundtrack information ↩ ↩2

  16. Metacritic - Betrayal in Antara – - User review aggregation ↩

  17. GameSpot Review – - Professional review and critique ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  18. MobyGames Reviews – - Player reviews and critiques ↩ ↩2

  19. IMDb - Betrayal in Antara – - User rating information ↩

  20. OldGames.sk - Betrayal in Antara – - Community rating and game description ↩ ↩2

  21. RPG Codex Forum – - Community discussion and assessment ↩ ↩2

  22. MyAbandonware - Betrayal in Antara – - User comments about technical issues ↩ ↩2

  23. MobyGames - Game Credits – - Composer credits ↩

  24. Archive.org - Patch ANTAR110 – - Official patch documentation ↩

  25. Patches Scrolls – - Patch archive information ↩

  26. Archive.org - Game Manual – - Preservation documentation ↩

  27. Sierra Chest - Betrayal in Antara – - Game preservation and demos ↩

  28. GOG Database – - Digital distribution details ↩

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