Ishar Revisited gives the 1992 dungeon crawler a modern 3D overhaul

Ishar: Legend of the Fortress is getting a full 3D remake. Called Ishar Revisited, the project takes the 1992 role-playing game and rebuilds its world in Unreal Engine 5.6. This isn’t a simple resolution upgrade or a new coat of paint. The developers are recreating the locations, interiors and interaction systems from scratch while keeping the original first-person view and party-based structure. The remake is still in development, but there’s already plenty to see. Footage shows outdoor exploration, buildings, an inn, dialogue scenes and an interface built around a group of adventurers. It looks modern, but it still clearly belongs to Ishar.

Kendoria returns in full 3D

The biggest change is obvious from the first few seconds. Kendoria is no longer made from a sequence of static images and fixed movement steps. Now it’s a proper 3D environment.

Forest paths stretch into the distance. Fields have depth. Settlements feel like real places rather than painted screens connected by invisible grids. Buildings have complete interiors, while lighting, vegetation and terrain add detail the original hardware simply couldn’t handle.

The move to Unreal Engine 5.6 gives the developers access to current lighting, materials and environmental tools. That doesn’t mean they’re turning Ishar into an action game, though. The visible interface still puts the party front and centre, reminding you that this is a group-based computer RPG rather than a solo fantasy adventure.

That’s an important distinction. Ishar was never just about walking around and fighting whatever appeared ahead. Much of the game depended on who you recruited, how well they worked together and what skills they brought to the group.

Why the original Ishar stood out

French studio Silmarils released Ishar: Legend of the Fortress in 1992 for Amiga, Atari ST, DOS and Macintosh. It followed the world introduced in Crystals of Arborea and later became the first part of a trilogy. Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom arrived in 1993. Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity followed in 1994.

The first game begins with Aramir, a warrior travelling across the island of Kendoria. His goal is straightforward: build a capable party, reach the fortress of Ishar and defeat the sorcerer Krogh. Getting there is another matter.

Players can control a group of up to five characters, each with different classes, abilities, weapons and spells. Combat plays out in real time, so you’re constantly deciding who should attack, cast magic or stay out of danger.

Recruitment also has a twist. Characters don’t automatically accept every new companion. They can approve or reject potential party members, and poor relationships may create problems inside the group. That system gave Ishar a personality of its own. A powerful fighter wasn’t always the best choice if everyone else hated them.

More than a dungeon crawler

Despite its reputation as a dungeon crawler, much of Ishar takes place outdoors. Players cross woods, plains, villages and open paths, all shown from a first-person viewpoint. Movement follows a grid, but the outdoor setting makes the world feel broader than the corridor-heavy games often associated with the genre.

That visual identity matters to Ishar Revisited. Turning the original locations into free-moving 3D spaces changes how players read the environment. Distances feel different. Landmarks become easier to spot. A path that once appeared as a handful of separate images can now stretch across a complete landscape.

The remake still needs to make those locations recognisable. So far, it seems to be doing that through familiar structures, clear routes and an interface that closely follows the logic of the original game. It isn’t trying to become a sequel. It isn’t rewriting the setting. The aim appears much simpler: rebuild the first Ishar adventure with current technology and make its world fully explorable.

What the remake already includes

Ishar Revisited has moved beyond the stage of showing pretty scenery. Current footage includes movement through outdoor areas, entry into buildings, conversations with characters and interaction inside an inn. The interface is already taking shape, with panels for dialogue and party information visible during play.

That’s a useful sign. Environments are only one part of a role-playing game, and the project is beginning to show the systems that connect those environments together. There are still plenty of unanswered questions.

The developers haven’t announced a release date, system requirements or a distribution plan. It’s also unclear how closely the final version will copy the original combat, recruitment, saving and character progression systems.

For now, Ishar Revisited remains a work in progress. Still, it already has a clear direction: take a distinctive 1992 computer RPG, rebuild its island in modern 3D and keep the party-based design that made the original stand apart.

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Kendoria returns in full 3D

Why the original Ishar stood out

More than a dungeon crawler

What the remake already includes

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