Exile (エグザイル, Eguzairu, originally stylized XZR) is an action role-playing video game series developed by Telenet Japan. The first two games in the series, XZR and XZR II were both released in Japan in 1988, with versions available for the NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-9801, MSX2 and the X1 turbo (for the first game only). In 1991, a remake of XZR II simply titled Exile was released for the PC Engine and Mega Drive.

These versions were both released in North America the following year, with Working Designs handling the localization for the TurboGrafx-CD version, while Renovation Products published the Genesis version. A sequel exclusive to the Super CD-ROM² format, titled Exile: Wicked Phenomenon, was released in 1992, which was also localized by Working Designs for the North American market.

The Exile series centers on Sadler, a Syrian Assassin, who is the main character of each game. The original computer versions were notorious for featuring various references to religious historical figures, modern political leaders, iconography, drugs, and time-traveling assassins, although some of these aspects were considerably toned down or omitted in the later console games, with the English versions rewriting all the historical religious organizations into fictional groups.^[1]

XZR: Hakai no Gūzō – Exile

XZR the first game in the series, was originally released for the NEC PC-8801 in July 1988.^[2] It was subsequently released for the MSX2 and NEC PC-9801 on August and for the X1 turbo on September.^[3] The gameplay included action-platform elements,^[4] switching between an overhead perspective and side-scrolling sections.^[1] 

The plot of the original XZR has been compared to the later Assassin’s Creed video game series.^[5] The soundtrack for the PC-8801 version was composed by Yujiroh, Shinobu Ogawa and Tenpei Sato.^[6]

The game centers on Sadler, a Syrian Assassin (a Shia Islamic sect) who is on a journey to kill the Caliph. The intro sequence briefly covers the history of the Middle East from 622 CE, the first year of the Islamic calendar, including a brief description of the Hijra, up until 1104 CE, the year of Sadler’s birth.

The game then starts in Baghdad, where Sadler rescues Rumi, and follows Sadler to Persia and then Babylon, where he must defend the Euphrates River from pollution by an oil magnate, encounter the Assyrian queen Semiramis and Babylonian goddess Ishtar, and visit the Tower of Babel in search of unicorns, before heading to Alexandria, becoming baptised in a Jewish village, and searching for Ouroboros. Eventually, Sadler makes his way back to Baghdad and murders the Caliph.

It is then revealed that the Caliph was his father and they were separated when Sadler was kidnapped as a baby by the Assassins. The game then switches focus and enters a subplot about a Mongol invasion before Sadler is warped to the 20th century, where he must assassinate Russia’s General Secretary and America’s President, ending the game.^[1]

Likely because of its controversial ending, Telenet chose not to port the original XZR when they decided to bring the series to home consoles three years later, opting to remake the sequel instead.

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