Released in November 1990, Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire marked the end of an era for Sierra. The only game to use the SCI 1.105 engine and the last game to use 16 color EGA graphics, Trial by Fire followed in its predecessor's footsteps by maintaining the elements that made the first game a success, such as the well-defined non-player characters, the fine blend of adventuring and roleplaying elements, the class-specific solutions to various puzzles and the goofy and pun-laden humor. In addition to that, the sequel also introduced several new elements such as a guild-like organization for each class, the ability to tell people about certain subjects, the ability to bargain with merchants and the introduction of the paladin class and the honor statistic that was closely linked to it.
After its release as a stand-alone game, Quest for Glory II was also included in the Quest for Glory Anthology in 1996 and the Quest for Glory Collection in 1997. Both collection packages contained the first four games of the series plus the VGA remake of Quest for Glory I that was released in 1992. Trial by Fire has always remained popular with the fan-base for its storyline, its many hidden jokes and puns and its introduction of several characters who'd play a key role in the Quest for Glory series, such as the independent warrior Uhura, the wise paladin Rakeesh and the loathsome wizard Ad Avis. Nevertheless, it being the only game in the series that was confined to 16 color graphics and a parser-only interface that required typed commands to play, getting into the game was a challenge to new players who had to get used to the more primitive graphics, the typing interface and a confusing maze of streets all within the first 15 minutes of the game. Because of that, a good number of players gave up on the game before getting to the more captivating parts.
We at AGD Interactive have always had a soft spot for Trial by Fire in our hearts and plans to remake this game were made even before our first project, King's Quest I VGA, was released. A few quick screenshots posted on our site also gave us the impression that a remake of Quest for Glory II would be in high demand indeed The project's foundation, a set of Quest for Glory II screens connected to each other without alleyways, dialogs or a lot of interaction, was made in 2001, but it wasn't until 2003, shortly after the release of King's Quest II+, that the project was fully picked up again. Several additional members came and went, but over the years, the Quest for Glory II remake evolved from a basic project that allowed a hero in Quest for Glory III savannah outfit to walk through a limited section of collaged game screens to a full-blown adventure-RPG worthy of the name Quest for Glory. Around 2004/2005, we reached the point where most animations had been created and a very basic path from the start until the end could be traversed. We at AGD Interactive, however, believe that true quality can only be achieved through an extensive process of refinement. The complex world of Quest for Glory II underwent a refining process over the years, necessitating the resolution of thousands upon thousands of bugs. Looking at the finished product now, however, we're glad that we took the time to refine and stabilize the product and make a true labor of love out of it, rather than something we were eager to rush out of the door.