nevertheless compared to games released by publishers. A review of the original Avernum in July 2000 noted that it was "not even in the same league as current RPG/RTS products [in] the market". Newer games in the series, however, were praised for having much higher production values. Several years later, in August 2002, the Just RPG review of sequel Avernum 3 reached a completely different conclusion. Scoring the game as an 88%, the review concluded, "Bottom line? Graphics don't make the game. Despite lack of animation and 32-bit graphics, this is a top-notch RPG that I would love to see more of in today's market." The latter games in the series received more positive reviews. A June 2006 review at Game Tunnel for Avernum 4 commented that "lots of thought [was] given to the environment and background story, and the game itself seems very solid." Reaction to the final game of the original series, Avernum 6, was reasonably positive and praised the storyline. IndieRPGs.com said it was "a game that lives and dies by the strength of its writing, and the writing is pretty good", while noting that "it lacks a certain level of polish". IT Reviews commented, "As long as you can get past the aesthetics, Avernum 6 is a compelling slice of old school role-playing, which is well designed on the character development and combat fronts." It was also nominated and became the runner-up on "Independent RPG of the Year" by GameBanshee. The games have received very varying scores throughout the series, often the tipping point being the "inadequate" graphics. However, most reviews admitted to good storytelling and well-presented RPG gameplay elements, noting that the game is recognisable for its gameplay value. The Avernum series was rebooted in early 2010s, and the ground-up rewrites Avernum: Escape from the Pit and Avernum 2: Crystal Souls have received a largely positive critical reception. For example, GameBanshee wrote, "Fans looking to get into the Avernum series will do very well with Escape from the Pit, and while the improvements beyond the game engine and visuals are relatively modest, there's still a lot to enjoy even if you've played through the game once before already." References External links Spiderweb Software, homepage of Spiderweb Software. Encyclopedia Ermariana, a fan-based encyclopedia of Exile and Avernum world. Blades of Avernum Wrap Report at RPGVault. Android (operating system) games Indie video games IOS games Classic Mac