Game Boy World #024: The Sword of Hope

The next-to-last Game Boy release for 1989 in Japan, The Sword of Hope wouldn't make it way to America for a year and a half. It's not a game you hear people recall with fondness, though original developer/publisher Kemco seems to have a soft spot for it. Despite its obscurity, The Sword of Hope offers surprising depth and quality, combining role-playing mechanics with the trappings of an adventure game. As interesting an experience as it is rough-hewn.