<s>
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Strategic	O
Simulations	O
,	O
Inc	O
(	O
SSI	O
)	O
in	O
1989	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
second	O
in	O
a	O
four-part	O
series	O
of	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
Advanced	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
Gold	O
Box	O
adventure	O
computer	O
games	O
,	O
continuing	O
the	O
events	O
after	O
the	O
first	O
part	O
,	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Player	O
characters	O
from	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
(	O
POR	O
)	O
can	O
be	O
transferred	O
to	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
,	O
although	O
players	O
need	O
not	O
have	O
played	O
POR	O
to	O
play	O
this	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Characters	O
can	O
likewise	O
be	O
transferred	O
from	O
Hillsfar	B-Application
,	O
another	O
contemporaneous	O
AD&	O
D-based	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
follows	O
along	O
the	O
same	O
style	O
as	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
,	O
with	O
the	O
main	O
adventuring	O
action	O
using	O
a	O
first	O
person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
contained	O
new	O
features	O
compared	O
to	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
graphics	O
were	O
improved	O
slightly	O
,	O
though	O
everything	O
was	O
still	O
drawn	O
in	O
16	B-Device
colors	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
setting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
remaining	O
four	O
bonds	O
are	O
controlled	O
by	O
Mogion	O
,	O
leader	O
of	O
the	O
cult	O
of	O
Moander	O
,	O
Dracandros	O
the	O
Red	O
Wizard	O
,	O
Fzoul	O
Chembryl	O
and	O
his	O
beholder	O
allies	O
,	O
and	O
Tyranthraxus	O
,	O
the	O
main	O
antagonist	O
from	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
includes	O
a	O
2-ply	O
code	O
wheel	O
featuring	O
runes	B-Application
for	O
piracy	O
protection	O
;	O
from	O
time	O
to	O
time	O
during	O
play	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
will	O
be	O
asked	O
to	O
enter	O
a	O
letter	O
from	O
the	O
wheel	O
before	O
the	O
characters	O
can	O
continue	O
their	O
journey	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
(	O
1989	O
)	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
of	O
three	O
sequels	O
to	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
(	O
1988	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
followed	O
by	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Silver	I-Application
Blades	I-Application
(	O
1990	O
)	O
and	O
Pools	B-Application
of	I-Application
Darkness	I-Application
(	O
1991	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
adventures	O
for	O
Secret	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Silver	I-Application
Blades	I-Application
may	O
be	O
started	O
by	O
using	O
characters	O
generated	O
in	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
II	I-Device
,	O
Commodore	O
64	O
,	O
and	O
DOS	B-Device
in	O
1989	O
,	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
and	O
Macintosh	B-Device
in	O
1990	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
in	O
1991	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Nintendo	B-Application
SNES	I-Application
videogame	O
version	O
was	O
planned	O
as	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
the	O
NES	B-Language
conversion	O
of	O
Pool	B-Application
Of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
,	O
but	O
was	O
abandoned	O
;	O
the	O
publisher	O
in	O
both	O
cases	O
was	O
FCI	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
novel	O
Azure	O
Bonds	O
is	O
a	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
fantasy	O
adventure	O
book	O
,	O
written	O
by	O
Jeff	O
Grubb	O
and	O
Kate	O
Novak	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
TSR	O
in	O
1988	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
was	O
almost	O
as	O
successful	O
as	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
,	O
with	O
SSI	O
selling	O
179,795	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
1996	O
,	O
the	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
series	O
had	O
reached	O
combined	O
global	O
sales	O
above	O
800,000	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
August	O
1989	O
edition	O
of	O
CU	O
Amiga-64	O
,	O
Tony	O
Dillon	O
commented	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
graphics	O
are	O
more	O
or	O
less	O
the	O
same	O
as	O
[	O
Pool	O
of	O
Radiance ]	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
no	O
bad	O
thing	O
,	O
and	O
thankfully	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
still	O
as	O
entertaining	O
and	O
involving	O
as	O
the	O
original	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
noted	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
first-person	O
perspective	O
is	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
The	B-Device
Bard	I-Device
's	I-Device
Tale	I-Device
,	O
and	O
also	O
features	O
an	O
overhead	O
view	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Gauntlet	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
August	O
1989	O
edition	O
of	O
The	O
Games	O
Machine	O
(	O
issue	O
21	O
)	O
,	O
Paul	O
Rigby	O
previewed	O
the	O
upcoming	O
release	O
of	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
and	O
noted	O
he	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
happy	O
with	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
,	O
which	O
he	O
felt	O
was	O
more	O
like	O
basic	O
D&D	O
due	O
to	O
certain	O
classes	O
,	O
spells	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
elements	O
being	O
unavailable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
he	O
believed	O
that	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
would	O
allay	O
his	O
criticism	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
"	O
six	O
extra	O
character	O
classes	O
,	O
20	O
extra	O
high-level	O
spells	O
and	O
a	O
bunch	O
of	O
new	O
monsters	O
make	O
CAB	O
a	O
very	O
promising	O
product	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
following	O
issue	O
of	O
The	O
Games	O
Machine	O
,	O
Rigby	O
reviewed	O
the	O
actual	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
confirmed	O
that	O
he	O
considered	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
dramatic	O
improvement	O
over	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
,	O
with	O
introduction	O
of	O
new	O
classes	O
,	O
better	O
storylines	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
improved	O
combat	O
engine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
concluded	O
by	O
giving	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
an	O
excellent	O
overall	O
score	O
of	O
90%	O
:	O
"	O
Overall	O
,	O
CAB	O
is	O
an	O
excellent	O
RPG	O
,	O
much	O
improved	O
and	O
polished	O
over	O
POR	O
 [ ... ] 	O
With	O
a	O
good	O
storyline	O
and	O
excellent	O
graphics	O
,	O
CAB	O
is	O
recommended	O
whatever	O
version	O
you	O
have	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
September	O
1989	O
edition	O
of	O
Computer	O
Gaming	O
World	O
(	O
issue	O
63	O
)	O
,	O
Scorpia	O
reviewed	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
and	O
was	O
critical	O
of	O
certain	O
elements	O
:	O
she	O
found	O
the	O
ending	O
disappointing	O
;	O
believed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
speed	O
—	O
which	O
had	O
been	O
slow	O
in	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
—	O
was	O
still	O
a	O
problem	O
;	O
was	O
disappointed	O
that	O
little	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
except	O
for	O
the	O
ranger	O
and	O
paladin	O
class	O
;	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
emphasis	O
was	O
still	O
on	O
hack-and-slash	O
as	O
opposed	O
to	O
puzzle-solving	O
and	O
genuine	O
role-playing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
retrospective	O
review	O
in	O
1993	O
,	O
Scorpia	O
called	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
"	O
sequel	O
to	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
with	O
a	O
bit	O
more	O
plot	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
mainly	O
hack'n'slash	O
leading	O
up	O
to	O
the	O
usual	O
'	O
Kill	O
[	O
the	O
evil	O
villain ]	O
 '	O
ending	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
January	O
1991	O
edition	O
of	O
Amiga	B-Device
Action	O
(	O
issue	O
16	O
)	O
,	O
Doug	O
Johns	O
and	O
Alex	O
Simmons	O
reviewed	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
version	O
of	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Johns	O
felt	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
very	O
good	O
RPG	O
worth	O
getting	O
hold	O
of	O
,	O
although	O
he	O
felt	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
bit	O
too	O
similar	O
to	O
other	O
AD&D	O
computer	O
games	O
and	O
less	O
polished	O
than	O
Champions	B-Application
of	I-Application
Krynn	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Simmons	O
found	O
the	O
game	O
decidedly	O
average	O
and	O
less	O
appealing	O
compared	O
to	O
previous	O
releases	O
such	O
as	O
Champions	B-Application
of	I-Application
Krynn	I-Application
,	O
but	O
felt	O
that	O
RPG	O
fanatics	O
who	O
enjoyed	O
SSI	O
's	O
other	O
titles	O
should	O
consider	O
purchasing	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
March	O
1991	O
edition	O
of	O
.info	O
magazine	O
(	O
issue	O
37	O
)	O
,	O
Judith	O
Kilbury-Cobb	O
reviewed	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
version	O
,	O
and	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
animation	O
were	O
noticeably	O
improved	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
combat	O
encounters	O
were	O
still	O
emphasized	O
while	O
being	O
made	O
more	O
manageable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
January	O
1991	O
edition	O
of	O
Zzap	O
reviewed	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
version	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
this	O
version	O
of	O
Curse	O
is	O
"	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
has	O
fallen	O
victim	O
to	O
the	O
steady	O
trudge	O
of	O
progress	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
so	O
dated	O
by	O
1991	O
that	O
Amiga	B-Device
AD&D	O
devotees	O
might	O
want	O
to	O
buy	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
add	O
it	O
to	O
their	O
collections	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
reviewer	O
could	O
not	O
"	O
help	O
but	O
wonder	O
why	O
SSI	O
have	O
bothered	O
to	O
release	O
this	O
conversion	O
when	O
they	O
should	O
be	O
concentrating	O
on	O
bringing	O
prompt	O
Amiga	B-Device
versions	O
of	O
their	O
newer	O
titles	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
January	O
1991	O
issue	O
of	O
the	O
German	O
gaming	O
magazine	O
Amiga	B-Device
Joker	O
wrote	O
that	O
"	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
is	O
once	O
again	O
[	O
Advanced	O
Dungeons	O
and	O
Dragons ]	O
at	O
its	O
finest	O
...	O
the	O
combat	O
is	O
the	O
best	O
thing	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
to	O
offer	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
lots	O
of	O
variation	O
therein	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
were	O
frustrated	O
by	O
the	O
dated	O
controls	O
and	O
furthermore	O
criticized	O
its	O
similarity	O
to	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
the	O
presentation	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
admittedly	O
the	O
same	O
as	O
its	O
predecessors	O
...	O
and	O
looks	O
more	O
like	O
C64	O
rather	O
than	O
Amiga	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
concluded	O
by	O
giving	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
version	O
an	O
average	O
overall	O
score	O
of	O
74%	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
retrospective	O
article	O
on	O
the	O
website	O
GameSpot	O
titled	O
"	O
History	O
of	O
Advanced	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
"	O
commented	O
that	O
"	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
gameplay	O
and	O
structure	O
,	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Azure	I-Application
Bonds	I-Application
followed	O
its	O
predecessor	O
more	O
or	O
less	O
directly	O
,	O
though	O
it	O
broadened	O
the	O
path	O
considerably	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
mentioned	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
system	O
benefited	O
from	O
material	O
that	O
had	O
been	O
missing	O
from	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
for	O
clerics	O
and	O
magic-users	O
to	O
attain	O
higher	O
character	O
levels	O
,	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
enlist	O
characters	O
of	O
paladin	O
and	O
ranger	O
character	O
classes	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
option	O
for	O
human	O
characters	O
to	O
become	O
dual-class	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
:	O
The	O
Illustrated	O
History	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Games	O
,	O
Rusel	O
DeMaria	O
and	O
Johnny	O
Wilson	O
related	O
that	O
SSI	O
ran	O
into	O
a	O
play	O
balance	O
dilemma	O
by	O
allowing	O
players	O
to	O
import	O
experienced	O
characters	O
from	O
Pool	B-Application
of	I-Application
Radiance	I-Application
.	O
</s>
