Eighteen years ago, the evil King Tsarkon invaded the peaceful, fertile lands of Excalabria, leaving death and destruction in his wake. Lands were ruined and peasants killed. There was no stopping this advancing hoard of evil.

Realizing that resistance was futile, the noble King Erik of Excalabria ordered Blade, his most trusted knight, to take his infant son and flee. Following the King's orders, Blade, with royal baby in tow, traveled many miles, finally stopping in the town of Wyclif. There, the young prince grew to be a strong and courageous warrior.

While on his deathbed, Blade tells the prince of his heritage. Making a vow, the warrior prince sets out to destroy Tsarkon and fulfill his destiny.

Sword of Vermilion is a combination of action, adventure, and RPG elements in a more traditional medieval-fantasy setting. You portray the vengeful young warrior. To exact revenge, you must travel the lands of Vermilion and find eight Rings of Good. A third-person, top-down perspective is used to move around towns. A first-person view is used for overland travel outside of towns. A third-person sideview perspective (a la Double Dragon or Final Fight) is used for the combat sequences.

The player is cast in the role of an ordinary young man who discovers that he is really a prince, and the son of the deceased good King Erik. He is charged with traveling around the land of Excalabria to collect the 8 magic Rings of Good, defeating a number of boss enemies on the way to confronting the evil King Tsarkon.

You'll use magic (such as fire and boomerangs) to combat monsters (such as bats, slimes and scorpions) and heal thyself, explore mysterious caves to discover magical items and hidden treasures, and talk to characters to gain insight and information. You'll also enter shops to purchase equipment, magic, and a variety of swords, armor, and shields.

Ultimately, you must face Tsarkon, who holds the eight Rings of Evil. With all sixteen rings and the Sword of Vermilion, you can banish evil from the world!