Overall 8.7 Graphics 7.5 Sound 7 Addictive 8 Story 3.5 Depth 7 Difficulty 7.5
8.1
Have fun storming the castle Shadowgate! endings
Shadowgate is somewhat unique as its a port from a computer version, one of a handful done by Kemco. This means your NES controller functions like a mouse would, moving a cursor and clicking on things and what to implement them with. I would say Shadowgate is the most successful of the Macintosh ports, and the most fun. There are some hiccups but the game has some addictive aspects as its a fairly tough puzzler.
The entire game is spent inside or directly outside Castle Shadowgate. Sadly it doesn't look much like a castle on the first in-game screen, you just get treated to a door. You also get one rush job of a back story, foretelling why you are there and a vague idea of your quest. In fact your description is rather flat as well! Something something scion of the prophecy.
Fortunately, your villain (and purpose) reveal themselves quite immediately once you enter the castle proper. There are many, rooms to traverse, and a cavalry of fantasy dangers in them. Seriously, the game has probably over 50 ways to lose your in game life, all written in flavorful text. Wyverns, Waights, Spooks, Sphinx - there is a ton of monsters that will challenge your brain to pass them and move on. There's no rush, the monsters often wait for you to make the first move. And if you don't pass it, you continue almost right back where you were (unlimited) and are free to ponder how to solve the riddles Shadowgate offers.
While you get the benefit of first reaction, there is a bit of a in-game timer. You must collect torches as you explore, as no lit torch is a sure-fire recipe to meet your doom as you stumble in the dark. Fortunately its not a huge pressing issue, torches tend to be numerous, as long as you don't forget about it. I suggest you play with the sound on - as the music can be quite ambient and good -- and for the impending danger music of the torch about to go out. Very handy.
The descriptive text, fairly clean graphics and medieval accents of this game give it a good flavor, although again not without some sour notes. There are several times the game's interface can set you back. For instance you see a bucket. You cannot "LOOK" in the bucket, you must "OPEN" it. Huh? Another example: You see a well, you have a coin with a well stamped on it, but together it doesn't do anything. You could be there for hours chasing loose or dead ends, but that is also the nature of this type of puzzler. If you pick up a red herring item that serves no purpose, you won't know until you beat the game. Also the fixed first-person viewpoint, while nicely detailed, sometimes make it hard to notice small, critical elements. There is one spot in particular I had a lot of trouble with, so look at the rooms with a keen eye.
For me the biggest handicap to this immersive setting and moody music is the story. For such heavy text, I wished for a more fleshed out back story or creative twists with the main plot. Alas, the story is the weakest link in Shadowgate's defenses. But its still a great game, and fun to challenge yourself with.
Graphics 7 Sound 7 Addictive 8 Story 3 Depth 7 Difficulty 7
Review Rating: 3.5/5
Submitted: 06-30-14
Review Replies: 3
7
A Pretty Weird Point and Click dumlink23
Let's get this review started,Shadowgate is a NES point and click game,I'm going to give the basic run down of the game
and then i'll get down to the actual key parts of the game (Graphics,Story,Sounds,Etc.)
Shadowgate is a pretty tough NES point and click where you venture through a dungeon(Original I know).
You will face a lot of puzzles and enemies throughout the rooms of this labyrinth,minotaurs,trolls,werewolves,the works.
Now,let me talk about the gameplay a bit before I get to the other categories.
Of course it's the normal,move the cursor over stuff.You
select the normal use/take/open/look,normal stuff
from most point and clicks,nothing different here...Except that you must ALWAYS have a torch lit and with you
for every room is dark in this game,so no torches equals..Game over,but luckily you have unlimited continues,witch is a
BLESSING for this game!Onto the review!
Graphics
The graphics in this game are pretty good,you can tell what everything is and it's still keeping
the idea that it's still an 8 Bit game. I give the graphics a 9(For the time atleast)
Sound
The sound is pretty good,there are only about 2 songs in the game,the death song,and the normal track that plays.
I give it a...6,not that great but not bad.
Story
Not much story AT ALL really,here i'll give you as much as they give you:
"The last thing you remember was standing before the wizard Lakmir as he waved his hands,gritting your teeth,you swear by your god's name you will destroy the warlock lord!"
and that's it,really...It get's a 4 from me.
Depth
The game isn't too long,but thanks to trial and error,it lasts quite a bit,and it takes some brain power to win.
I give it a 7.
Addictiveness
This is where most of the reason people played comes from,this game is addicting.
You will continue and continue,you will save and come back.You WILL come back!
It get's a 8 from me.
Difficulty
This game is puzzling,and requires a lot of trial and error,this is wear most of the game time
comes in.It gets and 8 from me.
Overrall this game is really fun,it's aged quite a bit but,i still love coming back to it sometimes.
Atleast play it once,maybe you'll continue,maybe you won't.
Graphics 8 Sound 7 Addictive 8 Story 4 Depth 7 Difficulty 8
Review Rating: 3.3/5
Submitted: 04-14-14
Updated: 02-01-17
Review Replies: 2
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