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EnglishWhat Is the Avernum Saga? Series Overview and How It Connects to Avernum
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The Avernum Saga is the collective name for the first Avernum trilogy — Avernum, Avernum 2, and Avernum 3 — the three indie fantasy RPGs Spiderweb Software released in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is not a separate franchise from Avernum; it is the earliest layer of it. If you want the origin point of the series and the story of how your party escapes exile into the underground world of Avernum, start here. If you want the most polished, modern entry point, start with Avernum: Escape from the Pit instead, which is a remake of the first game.
What "Avernum Saga" actually refers to
Spiderweb Software publishes several RPG lines — Avernum, Geneforge, Avadon, and Nethergate — all built for Windows, Macintosh, and iPad. Within the Avernum line, "saga" is used for the original three-part story arc:
- Avernum (1999) — the first game, later remade as Avernum: Escape from the Pit
- Avernum 2 (2000) — later remade as Avernum 2: Crystal Souls
- Avernum 3 (2002) — later remade as Avernum 3: Ruined World
These three share a continuous narrative: you play a group of prisoners banished beneath the surface of a fantasy empire, building a life in the caves and eventually confronting the powers above. Later Avernum titles (the second trilogy, Avernum 4, 5, and 6) continue the world but are a distinct story arc, so they are not part of the saga in the narrow sense.
Saga vs. main series: what's the difference
| Avernum Saga (original trilogy) | Later Avernum games | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | Late 1990s–early 2000s | 2000s onward, plus remakes |
| Story | Escape from exile, survival underground, conflict with the Empire | New threats and regions within the same world |
| Presentation | Older engine, tile-based, more austere interface | Updated engines, remakes with modernized UI |
| Best for | Players who want series history and the original design | Players who want the most accessible version of the same world |
The practical takeaway: the saga and the remakes tell overlapping stories. You do not need to play the originals to understand the remakes, and you do not need the remakes to understand the originals. They are two ways to experience the same opening arc.
Where the saga sits in Spiderweb's catalog
Spiderweb Software's catalog is organized around a few long-running series:
- Avernum — underground fantasy, party-based, the saga is its first trilogy
- Geneforge — a separate series about shaping creatures, with its own "Geneforge Saga" grouping
- Avadon — a later, more streamlined RPG line
- Nethergate — a standalone historical-fantasy title
So "Avernum Saga" and "Geneforge Saga" are parallel labels: each names the original trilogy of its respective series. If you have played one Spiderweb saga, the others share the studio's design DNA — turn-based combat, text-heavy dialogue, and large explorable maps — but the settings and mechanics differ.
Where to start
Your starting point depends on what you want:
- Want the series' origins and the original design? Begin with Avernum (1999), the first game of the saga.
- Want the same story with a modern interface? Begin with Avernum: Escape from the Pit, the remake of the first game.
- Want to follow the saga in order? Play Avernum, then Avernum 2, then Avernum 3 — or their remakes in the same sequence.
- Unsure whether you'll like the style? Try the first game or its remake before committing to the full trilogy.
Because the three saga games form one continuous story, playing them out of order will cost you narrative context, but each game is self-contained enough to be playable on its own.
Platforms and availability
Spiderweb Software builds its games for Windows, Macintosh, and the iPad, and the Avernum series is part of that catalog. The site does not list current prices or purchase links in the material available here, so check the official Avernum Series page for the latest platform and buying details rather than assuming a specific storefront or cost.
Common questions
Is the Avernum Saga the same as the Avernum series? No — the saga is the first trilogy within the larger Avernum series.
Do I have to play the saga before the later games? No. The later Avernum games and the remakes are designed to be understandable on their own, though playing in release order gives you the fullest picture of the world.
Is the saga still the best place to start? Only if you specifically want the original versions. Most new players are better served by the remakes, which retell the same opening story with a more approachable interface.