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How the Second Wave of RPGs in the 1980s Set the Stage for the Amazing Games to Come

AXE OF THE BLOOD GOD | We remember Wizardry, Bard's Tale, and Diablo 2 in this week's episode of the RPG podcast.

This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team.

Axe of the Blood God is our weekly RPG podcast hosted by Kat Bailey and Nadia Oxford. You can find the previous episodes here.

After taking its first, hesitant steps in the 1970s, RPGs truly began to find their footing in the 1980s. We explain why as Jeremy Parish joins us to continue his exploration of RPG history on Axe of the Blood God [download link here]

This week we focus on Wizardry, which was the subject of his second History of RPGs feature, and Bard's Tale. Both had a significant role to play in the evolution of the genre, and we strive to put them into context as we continue our journey through RPG history.

Also in this episode: David Craddock returns to talk about #18 in our Top 25 RPG Countdown: Diablo 2! Find out why this seminal dungeon crawler is still a beloved favorite today.

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Show Description

Kat is once again joined by Retronauts host Jeremy Parish to explore the history of RPGs. This time they dive into PLATO, Wizardry, and Bard's Tale as they explore about the rise of the "second wave" of RPGs in the 1980s. Then David Craddock returns to talk about #18 on our Top 25 RPG Countdown: Diablo 2! .

Music from Axe of the Blood God is courtesy of Lena Chappelle, who has also contributed the themes to Active Time Babble and Roleplayers' Realm. I also use music from the RPG Music Pack over at rpgmaker.net. Check it out!

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About the Author
Kat Bailey avatar

Kat Bailey

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Kat Bailey is a former freelance writer and contributor to publications including 1UP, IGN, GameSpot, GamesRadar, and EGM. Her fondest memories as a journalist are at GamePro, where she hosted RolePlayer's Realm and had legal access to the term "Protip." She is USgamer's resident mecha enthusiast, Pokemon Master, and Minnesota Vikings nut (skol).

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