Might & Magic: Secret of the Inner Sanctum is one of those old-school NES RPGs that feels like stumbling into a dungeon with nothing but a torch and a prayer. You start by rolling up a party of four—fighters, mages, thieves, the usual suspects—and then immediately get thrown into a world where every wrong turn could mean running into something that’ll wipe you out in two hits. The first town’s full of cryptic hints, and half the fun is scribbling down notes like "beware the cave west of the river" or "that one shopkeeper sells a sword that actually does damage."

Combat’s turn-based but weirdly tense because enemies don’t mess around. One minute you’re fighting goblins, the next you’re getting ambushed by wizards who love spamming sleep spells. And the dungeons? Mazes with traps, secret doors, and puzzles that make you feel smart when you finally crack them. Just don’t expect hand-holding—this game assumes you’ve got graph paper and patience.

Controls are straightforward (Z to confirm, X to cancel, arrows to move), but the real challenge is surviving long enough to uncover what the "Inner Sanctum" even is. It’s brutal, but in that satisfying way where every small victory feels earned. If you’re into retro RPGs that don’t apologize for being tough, this one’s a gem.