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Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Overview

Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire is the fifth and final game in the Quest for Glory series, developed by Yosemite Entertainment and published by Sierra FX on December 8, 1998 for Windows12. Designed primarily by Lori Ann Cole (with Corey Cole handling programming), the game marks a significant departure from its predecessors by being primarily an action role-playing game rather than a traditional adventure-RPG hybrid13. The game was always planned as part of the series (whereas Wages of War originally was not), but it would not have been produced if not for fans’ enthusiasm and their pleas to Sierra On-Line14. Dragon Fire features polygonal 3D characters over pre-rendered 2D backgrounds, making it one of the earliest adopters of a 3D character creation system, predating EverQuest and Asheron’s Call1. The soundtrack by Emmy-winning composer Chance Thomas was released on CD, selling 50,000 copies and generating $500,000 in revenue prior to the game’s launch1.

Story Summary

The wizard Erasmus introduces the Hero to the Greece-like kingdom of Silmaria, whose king was recently assassinated14. The traditional Rites of Rulership are due to commence, and the victor will be crowned king1. The Hero enters the contest with the assistance of Erasmus, Rakeesh, and many old friends from previous entries in the series14.

The Hero competes against several competitors, including the Silmarian guard Kokeeno Pookameeso, the warlord Magnum Opus, the hulking Gort, and the warrior Elsa Von Spielburg, who played a significant role in the first game14. As the Rites commence, an unknown assassin begins systematically picking off the contestants1. Each contestant is murdered by a poison dagger near Dragon Pillars, the objects used to keep the Dragon of Silmaria locked up14.

After completing the second Rite, Rakeesh is attacked by the assassin and, depending on the player’s choices, either lives or dies1. The conspiracy is eventually unraveled and the Dragon, having been released due to the destruction of the Dragon Pillars, is defeated1. The characters Katrina and Erana make a return in this installment as assistance for defeating the Dragon14. Bruno from the first Quest for Glory game is revealed to be the assassin terrorizing the streets of Silmaria14.

Gameplay

Unlike the first four games, which were mostly adventure games incorporating role-playing elements, Dragon Fire is a role-playing game incorporating some adventure elements14. The game features a wide variety of weapons, armor, and magical items not present in earlier entries, and nearly every major mission consists of combat encounters13.

Interface and Controls

  • Point-and-click graphical interface with new combat system1
  • Real-time battles taking place in the main environment rather than isolated combat screens1
  • 3D polygonal characters over 2D pre-rendered backgrounds1
  • Character import from previous Quest for Glory games4

Structure and Progression

  • Seven Rites of Rulership serve as main quest progression14
  • Open world exploration of Silmaria and surrounding areas4
  • Multiple character classes with different solutions4
  • Non-linear quest completion within each Rite4

Puzzles and Mechanics

  • Romance options with multiple characters including Katrina and Erana14
  • Branching story paths affecting character fates1
  • Real-time action combat replacing turn-based or side-scrolling systems1
  • Cut features due to deadline pressures: bow weapons, playable Elsa/Magnum Opus, multiplayer14

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Next Generation summarized the game as “a fine contribution to the genre that is accessible to novice and expert gamers alike”1. Joshua Darien Maciel of RPGamer scored the game 9 out of 10 points, considering it a polished and seamless combination of combat and gameplay1. Computer Games Strategy Plus reviewed the game positively1. Dragon Fire was a nominee for CNET Gamecenter’s 1998 “Adventure Game of the Year” award, which ultimately went to Grim Fandango1. The editors wrote, “What Dragon Fire does really well is give traditional adventure gamers a place to call home”1.

Modern Assessment

Adam Rosenberg of G4TV considers Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire the best entry in the series1. Griffin McElroy of Polygon positively characterized the game as “fan service” for fans of its predecessors1. However, Rowan Kaizer of Engadget considers this entry the worst of the series, largely due to its use of primitive 3D graphics1. Richard Cobbett of PC Gamer considers the game a “stumble” due to the 3D graphics and arcade action gameplay15.

Adventure Gamers rated the game 3/5 (Decent), noting “The fifth Quest for Glory has some questionable design issues, but it’s still a decent title with enough entertaining elements to enjoy a Hero’s final quest”3. HowLongToBeat reports the main story takes approximately 15 hours to complete, with completionist runs taking about 42 hours6. GameFAQs users rated it “Great” with 72 ratings, reporting an average playtime of 21 hours7.

  • RPGamer: 9/101
  • CNET Gamecenter: Adventure Game of Year nominee (1998)1
  • MobyGames: 7.6/10 MobyScore, Critics 77%8
  • Adventure Gamers: 3/5 (Decent)3
  • GOG: 4.9/5 (collection, 195 ratings)9
  • Steam: Very Positive (95% positive, 374 reviews, collection)10
  • HowLongToBeat: 15 hours main story, 42 hours completionist6
  • GameFAQs: “Great” (72 ratings)7

Development

Production

The first four games in the series were intended to indicate the four elements and four wind directions: in the first game, the player is the Hero from the East, in the second from the North, etc14. Lori Cole was predominantly responsible for Dragon Fire’s design, as Corey Cole was preoccupied with programming1. The game originally had a voxel engine, which was later changed to a 3D engine because of hardware limitations1.

Because of deadline issues and financial pressures, several features were dropped before release, including the ability to use a bow, the ability to play as Elsa von Spielburg or Magnum Opus, and multiplayer capability14. A demo released in late 1997 contained a multiplayer game, but Sierra decided to remove it from the final product1. The entire Quest for Glory programming team was laid off when Yosemite Entertainment was closed on February 22, 199914.

Technical Achievements

  • First and only Quest for Glory game with 3D polygonal characters1
  • Real-time combat in main game environment1
  • Emmy-winning composer Chance Thomas created the soundtrack1
  • New graphics engine programmed by Eric Lengyel1
  • Platform release: December 1998 Windows1

Legacy

Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire represents a divisive conclusion to the beloved series1. While some critics like Adam Rosenberg of G4TV consider it the best entry, others like Rowan Kaizer of Engadget consider it the weakest due to the shift from adventure-RPG to action-RPG gameplay1. The game’s 3D graphics, while technically ambitious for their time, have aged poorly compared to the hand-painted backgrounds of earlier entries15.

Despite mixed reception, the game provided closure to the Hero’s journey and allowed many characters from throughout the series to return for a final adventure14. Dragon Fire was a nominee for CNET Gamecenter’s 1998 “Adventure Game of the Year” award, demonstrating that the game was well-received by contemporary critics despite later reassessments1. The closure of Yosemite Entertainment in 1999 ended any possibility of future entries, making Dragon Fire the definitive conclusion to the Quest for Glory saga14.

Collections

This game has been included in the following collections:

  • Quest for Glory 1-5 (GOG, Steam)910

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

Download / Preservation

Manuals & Extras

Series Continuity

References

Footnotes

  1. Wikipedia – Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire – – history, plot, gameplay, development, reception ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20 ↩21 ↩22 ↩23 ↩24 ↩25 ↩26 ↩27 ↩28 ↩29 ↩30 ↩31 ↩32 ↩33 ↩34 ↩35 ↩36 ↩37 ↩38 ↩39 ↩40 ↩41 ↩42 ↩43 ↩44 ↩45 ↩46 ↩47 ↩48 ↩49 ↩50 ↩51 ↩52 ↩53 ↩54 ↩55 ↩56 ↩57 ↩58 ↩59 ↩60 ↩61 ↩62 ↩63 ↩64

  2. Archive.org – Quest for Glory V – – preservation ↩ ↩2

  3. Adventure Gamers – Quest for Glory V – – modern review, rating ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  4. Sierra Fandom Wiki – Quest for Glory V – – detailed game information ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20 ↩21

  5. PC Gamer – Saturday Crapshoot: Quest For Glory 4 1/2 – – series retrospective ↩ ↩2

  6. HowLongToBeat – Quest for Glory V – – completion times ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. GameFAQs – Quest for Glory V – – user reviews, guides ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  8. MobyGames – Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire – – credits, ratings, screenshots ↩

  9. GOG – Quest for Glory 1-5 – – purchase, user reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  10. Steam – Quest for Glory 1-5 – – purchase, user reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  11. My Abandonware – Quest for Glory V – – platforms, availability ↩

  12. PCGamingWiki – Quest for Glory V – – technical specs ↩

  13. Quest for Glory Fandom Wiki – – series information ↩

  14. Hardcore Gaming 101 – Quest for Glory – – series retrospective ↩

  15. StrategyWiki – Quest for Glory V – – walkthrough, game guide ↩

  16. Open Library – Quest for Glory V Strategy Guide – – hint book reference ↩

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