Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom

Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom is a dungeon exploration game where players manage a custom party assembled in a town. The narrative involves a disturbance called the Maelstrom beneath the Temple of Sages, which requires finding and freeing an imprisoned Gatekeeper to contain it, a quest given by the guardian G'bli Gedook.

This installment reintroduces the maze-like dungeon exploration of the series' earlier titles, moving away from the structure of the previous game. The dungeon design is not confined to a simple grid, and progression is more dependent on locating specific items, making the experience more puzzle-focused and challenging.

Several gameplay adjustments are present, such as weapons having a range rating and the Thief class gaining new capabilities like stealth and lock picking. For the first time in the series, players can meet non-hostile characters within the dungeon and communicate with them through typed commands. The game also permits, though does not require, the use of characters from earlier scenarios.