Shadowgate Classic Game by Kemco/Infinite Ventures Reviewed by The Avardancer Size: 8 Megabits Save: Battery, 3 slots. Released: 1999 Works with: Any version of Gameboy. **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: I have never played the original NES game. Much. I remember playing it a little at a friends. I didn't get past the door and I turned off the game; and popped in "something cooler". (Super Mario Bros.) I was, like, eight years old or something. So I didn't know better. Anyways.. I have been waiting for this game to come out. Anticipating what the game would be like after so long ago. Now that I know how to play a game like Shadowgate. My first experience with Text RPGs dates back to my Commodore 64. It's a bit strange really. I made primitive ones out of the "basic" langauge of the C64. Meaning, I typed stuff out like: LINE 6 LINE 7 LINE 8 Okay, so it didn't look exactly like that. But it was similar. And it was mildly entertaining to make simple little 5 room quests. But not really fun to play them. (Gee, should I "LIGHT" the "TORCH"?) I later discovered the interesting world of COPIED (Pirated) games. Many of my friends copied down software to 5½ floppy disks and gave it to us. Most of the stuff said things like "Pirated by Hac-Man" or "Remixed by Ponzo13" before the actual game came on; but it was cool. I had my favorite disks labeled. One of them had like 30 games on it. I had Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Lazarian, Mr. Do, B.C.'s Quest, Montezuma's Revenge, Boulderdash, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Gandalf, Spy Hunter, Impossible Mission, and more. I had a joystick with ONE button on it. I could beat the crap out of anything. I had Star Trek and Pong. I had the goood stuff. My Joystick and I whistled through games like Donkey Kong. I beat B.C.'s Quest several times. (That game was good. It had the character's from the comic strip. I remember the part where you have to jump over the turtle shells and the "Fat Broad" would try and hit you. My first encounter with actual in-game taunts came from that evil Fat Broad and her phrase: "Jump Sucker.") Anyways, I was king. Then I discovered more games on one of the disks. The games were "The Incredible Hulk" and a hacked copy of some old "Dungeons and Dragons" game. The Hulk game had cool comic book graphics. The D & D game was just text and a map. You typed in choices like "EAST", "SHAKE", "GRAB", etc. I thought these were cool. I had never played a game like that before. No bouncing about on a wheel. No collecting knives to stab snakes, no laser used to blow away an evil eyeball trapped within it's own regenerating flesh. These were different. I had to think more. In the Incredible Hulk; you start out as Bruce Banner and you're tied to a chair by The Leader. (Or some other evil guy... not sure.) Anyways. I couldn't get out of the chair. I tried stuff like "Break Free", "Get Mad", "Jump", "Get the **** out of the ******* chair!", and more. Finally I decided to try and "Shake". Bruce falls down and becomes the Incredible Hulk long enough to bust out of the ropes. A strange gas (Hulk: "Gas".) seeps into the room and makes him change back. Bummer. Back to the present, I buy Shadowgate Classics. I can't wait to recapture the strange "feeling" that those text games gave me. The only game currently on the market that resembles Shadowgate is the Sword of Hope games (Also on Gameboy), Mysterium, and the Myst games. I hope this game is cool.... **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: For starters... let it be known that, like Myst, this game is NOT for everyone. It requires lots of thought, a bit of irreverant logic, and the ability to choose items from many menus. (Thank God that I do not have to type out commands.) The game has you clicking about on a window display of the area where you are. You choose an action and choose something to use it on. Very cool. A bit complex for beginners though. The game involves clicking and selecting from a menu. The game is story driven for the most part. The castle is not very big; but as you progress... you will find yourself back-tracking, searching around and more. You can literally spend years searching for a key you missed. Death can come about in many, many ways. The text is pretty interesting. Sometimes it seems kind of hokey. (IE: "Your hands begin to sweat because of your extreme excitement..." Believe it our not... this is actual text. The hero is about to read a scroll that contains a mysterious riddle.) Most of the game will beguile you. But enough hints are provided that it if possible for you to beat it without help. (And you should.) Some of the game is "trial and error". But unlimited continues are given. Very cool. The game to me seems a bit short. Not gameplay time wise; but gameplay wise. I wish there was more of it. You use a lot of items only once. It doesn't seem to be possible to get completely stuck. Most items seem to "use themselves". The gameplay may seem tedious to some people. Those who sat out Myst, Riven, or love graphic adventures. This game will most definately not dissappoint. The game has the flair that Mario's Picross and Harvest Moon have. That feeling where you do things that should be boring; but because you feel such a sense of accomplishment, they are not boring. The castle is intrigueing and very mysterious. The game feels old-school compared to the action-packed games currently on the market. But that feeling is a good feeling for those who understand it. I do not reccomend this game for kids. This game, although it is rated "E", contains material that kids will not understand. Some of the puzzles are beyond the grasp of children age 8 and under. This is a mature game experience. Not "cussing, sex, and nudity" mature; just thematic and a little blood mature. The game is fairly thematic. The many ways you can die are and may be disturbing to yonger children. Parents: This is a game for YOU to enjoy. Older teens with good attention spans may also enjoy this game. Any fans of the original must own this game. This game also has a language option and can be played in FIVE different languages. Very nice. Liked: The peaceful, pensive addictiveness and the strange logic. The fairly interesting bits of text and some of the "real" nature in the game. Hated: Menus could become tedious. I was never annoyed by the menu though. Trial and error clicking can become a bit annoying. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: The game looks, for the most part, like it's NES counterpart. The menu has been switched around a lot. There's a nice "mock mode 7" out when you change screens. The graphics contain simple animations and this is a good thing. The game's eerily still game screens ADD to the over all game experience. Less is more. Text is easy to read as well. The game can be used with Super Gameboy, Gameboy, etc. Although it is only designed to look good in Gameboy Color; it is playable on a normal Gameboy as well. Although it looks horrid in black and white. (Artistic view.) The game is not going to "wow" you with extravegant fire-works, bells, and whistles. It offers little in graphics. Some of what happens is imagined in your head. YOU see it in your mind. This leave some to the imagination approach is captivating and it works wonders for the game. I read about my journey and I see it in my mind. The game is like reading a good book. It makes games worth-while. Simple can be good. Liked: Looks like the NES game. Leaves a lot to my imagination. Hated: You may not be the proud owner of a good imagination.... **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Simple audio that has been "ported" from the NES game. :) The music.... sets the mood extremely well. The music is truly grand and amazing in it's quality. Could it become annoying? Maybe... it never once got on my nerves. In fact. I enjoyed the music. It fits the game and is a noble addition to the game. It isn't just "there" it is important. It tells you when you need to relight those torches... Liked: The music. The true sounds, and the music. Hated: A few of the tunes could probably get to you. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: This is a text and static picture RPG. The menus are fairly navigatable. And if you read the instruction manual.. there are even little shortcuts you can take through those menus. Most of the game is about reading. Which is cool. The game has a driving story and enough puzzles to keep you happy. The game feels like a PC game and is has a strangely "complete" feel to it. The only thing with the game? Replay value. You could always go through the quest again. Which is what I'm doing now. I already beat it and the game is really cool.. so I'm going through it again just for the heck of it. Also you can find many ways to die in the game. And if you click on some things they react. You can also read descriptions of all the items and those are pretty entertaining. IE: "Ugly as all Heck". Sometimes though, you can over shoot what you are clicking for. The game would seem pretty natural with a mouse; but the Directional pad does a good job. Liked: Interaction, game depth, the menus are not annoying to me anyways. Hated: A little over shooting the area you want to click. Umm. Not to much replay value. **************************************************************************** Improve: Hmm. The game is fine the way it is; maybe if they make another game like Shadowgate Classic for Gameboy and make the graphics prettier.... RIYL: Myst, the original Shadowgate, Deja Vu, Uninvited, Journeyman Project Turbo, Riven, the old Dungeons and Dragons games, and Mysterium. **************************************************************************** Final Words: An excellent game and a worthy purchase; but not for everyone. In fact it is an aquired taste. It is a very good game; but not everyone will get into it. I like it and I reccommend it to those who crave a more mature and pensive gameplay experience. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: ***** Graphics: ***** Sound/Music: **** Play Control/Game Design: **** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: 23 out of 25 Final Score: 92% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: No secrets or codes; just read that instructional booklet and the good old proverb: "Life is short, SAVE OFTEN".