Avadon: The Black Fortress

Last updated
Avadon: The Black Fortress
Avadonlogo.png
Logo for Avadon: The Black Fortress
Developer(s) Spiderweb Software
Publisher(s)
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Mac OS X
Linux
Android
iOS
Release
  • NA: February 28, 2011
Genre(s) Role-playing video game
Mode(s) Single-player

Avadon: The Black Fortress is a single-player role-playing video game developed by Spiderweb Software. It is the first game in the Avadon trilogy. The game was released for Mac OS X in February 2011, [1] and for Microsoft Windows in May. [2] Version for the iPad was released on June 18. [3] [4] It was later released for Android and Linux, and included in the Humble Bundle for Android 2.

Contents

Setting

The Avadon series is set on the fictional continent of Lynaeus, which is divided between two primary warring factions, with internal struggles within these factions. There is the Pact, an alliance of five nations, in the centre of Lynaeus, and the Farlands, a loose-knit group of faded empires and barbarian territories, on the outskirts of Lynaeus. The Pact has banded together to fend off invasion from the Farlands. [5] The Farlands include among their nations such fantasy creatures as Wretches, Giants, and Titans, with other fantasy creatures, such as Dragons, also existing within Lynaeus.

The fortress of Avadon is a force within the Pact; a small army of warriors, spies, assassins, and diplomats (known in-game as Hands, Eyes, and Hearts) tasked to protect the Pact and eliminate any threats to its safety, both internal and external, before they have the chance to grow. The servants of Avadon have great power and are not bound by the laws of the Pact, or rather, they are the law of the pact, though this can lead to corruption and abuse.

Avadon is led by its 'Keeper' Redbeard, a powerful and mysterious figure who was elected by the council that decides matters relevant to all members of the Pact, but in so being elected Redbeard holds the position of keeper for (his unnaturally long) life. The player controls a group of Hands of Avadon, warriors under Redbeard's command who seek out and fight a conspiracy against the Pact.

Gameplay

Avadon: The Black Fortress is a single-player role-playing video game. The player assumes the role of a Blademaster, a Shadowwalker, a Shaman, or a Sorceress and after that can variously recruit up to two other characters (from the same set of four classes) for missions assigned by the leaders of Avadon. [6] This adds a more fleshed-out companion feature to Spiderweb software games than has existed previously, with these characters having their own opinions on the state of the pact and the player characters actions.

Each character class in Avadon has its own set of several dozen abilities. These can be spells to inflict damage or summon aid, blessings and curses, and rituals that heal wounded party members, or physical skills. Avadon features elaborate scripted encounters that are intended to encourage a variety of tactics, using differing party compositions. [7] [8]

Reception

Avadon: The Black Fortress has generally received favorable reviews from gaming critics, scoring 77% at Metacritic from seven reviews and 77% from GameRankings from nine reviews. [9] [10] The game has been met with praise for its depth of storytelling and gameplay, [12] [13] while simultaneously receiving criticism for the use of crude graphics and lack of better sound effects. [14] [15]

Rock, Paper, Shotgun gave Avadon a positive review, claiming that "as simple as it looks, it’s one of those games that’s very easy to fire up for a few minutes, only to be magically transported without supper to 5AM the next day". [15] GameSpot awarded the game 7/10, claiming that "just like the developer's earlier efforts in the Avernum and Geneforge franchises, the game compensates for its archaic visuals and sound with an engaging focus on storytelling and turn-based party combat that recalls the glory days of the Gold Box games from the late '80s and early '90s". [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Exile</i> (1995 video game series) Video game series

Exile is a series of role-playing video games created by Jeff Vogel of Spiderweb Software. They were released as shareware titles for Macintosh and Windows systems. Exile III was also ported to Linux by a third party. There were four games released in the series. All of the games were later revived in the Avernum series. Common to all games in the Exile series are 2D graphics and basic sound. The graphics in the first versions of Exile I and II had simple textures, colours and outlines, which were then replaced in later versions with Exile III's graphics. The games are designed to be non-linear and long in gameplay length.

<i>Team Fortress Classic</i> 1999 video game

Team Fortress Classic is a first-person shooter game developed by Valve and published by Sierra Studios. It was originally released in April 1999 for Windows, and is based on Team Fortress, a mod for the 1996 game Quake. The game puts two teams against each other in online multiplayer matches; each member plays as one of nine classes, each with different skills. The scenarios include capture the flag, territorial control, and escorting a "VIP" player.

Geneforge is the first video game in the Geneforge series of role-playing video games created by Spiderweb Software.

Spiderweb Software is an independent video game developer founded in 1994 by Jeff Vogel in Seattle, Washington. Its primary focus is on creating demoware games for the Mac, Microsoft Windows, Android and the iPad. The games emphasize storytelling and turn-based gameplay and use a retro style of graphics.

Avernum is a series of demoware role-playing video games by Jeff Vogel of Spiderweb Software available for Macintosh and Windows-based computers. Several are available for iPad, and were formerly available for Android.

Geneforge 2 is the second video game in the Geneforge series of role-playing video games created by Spiderweb Software.

<i>Nethergate</i> 1998 video game

Nethergate is a computer-based historical fantasy role-playing game published by Spiderweb Software for the Macintosh and Microsoft Windows platforms. The game was released in 1998 by Jeff Vogel, and was Spiderweb Software's first game to feature a 45° isometric viewing angle. Nethergate offers players the choice to play on either side of the story, as Celts or Romans. The game's plot allows for several endings and many side quests, which accompany the main story. Spiderweb Software released a remake called Nethergate Resurrection in May 2007.

Dwarf Fortress is a construction and management simulation and roguelike indie video game created by Bay 12 Games. Available as freeware and in development since 2002, its first alpha version was released in 2006 and received attention for being a two-member project surviving solely on donations. The primary game mode is set in a procedurally generated fantasy world in which the player indirectly controls a group of dwarves, and attempts to construct a successful and wealthy fortress. Critics praised its complex and emergent gameplay but had mixed reactions to its difficulty. The game influenced Minecraft, Rimworld, and others, and was selected among other games to be featured in the Museum of Modern Art to show the history of video gaming in 2012.

<i>Joe Danger 2: The Movie</i> 2012 racing and platform video game

Joe Danger 2: The Movie is a racing and platform video game developed by Hello Games for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows,Mac OS X, Linux and PlayStation Vita. According to Hello Games's managing director, it is "kind of" a sequel to the successful Joe Danger. The game was announced in August 2011 and released for Xbox 360 on 14 September 2012, and 9 October 2012 for PlayStation 3. A Microsoft Windows version was released 24 June 2013, followed by Mac OS X and Linux on 7 January 2014, and PlayStation Vita in January 2015. The game centers around the titular character, stuntman Joe Danger, as he performs stunts for an action film. It features multiple vehicle types, and has local multiplayer for up to four players.

<i>Avernum: Escape from the Pit</i> 2011 video game

Avernum: Escape from the Pit is a role-playing video game developed by Spiderweb Software. It is the first game in the remade Avernum First Trilogy and the second ground-up rewrite of Exile: Escape from the Pit, released in 1995. The game was re-released as a graphics and game engine update, and it addressed Avernum incompatibilities with newer versions of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion and newer.

<i>Botanicula</i> 2012 video game

Botanicula is a point-and-click adventure game developed by Amanita Design. The game was released on April 19, 2012, for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. The game was later ported to iOS and Android.

Avadon 2: The Corruption is a single-player role-playing video game developed by Spiderweb Software. It is the second game in the Avadon trilogy. The game was released for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows in October 2013, A version for the iPad was released in 2014.

<i>Chaos Reborn</i> 2015 video game

Chaos Reborn is a turn-based tactical role-playing game developed by Snapshot Games and was part funded through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in April 2014. Following an early access release in December 2014, the full game was released in October 2015.

<i>Consortium</i> (video game) 2014 video game

Consortium is a first-person shooter role-playing video game developed by Interdimensional Games for Microsoft Windows. The game is set almost entirely on a futuristic aircraft called Zenlil, crewed by a complement with chess-themed ranks. The game was principally financed by the Canada Media Fund by awarding a grant for $500,000 CAD in 2010. After a first failed Kickstarter campaign in 2012, $70,435 USD was raised through Kickstarter on April 18, 2013. Consortium was released on January 8, 2014. A sequel, Consortium: The Tower, was released to Steam Early Access on September 21, 2017.

<i>Avernum 2: Crystal Souls</i> 2015 video game

Avernum 2: Crystal Souls is a role-playing video game developed by Spiderweb Software. It is the second game in the Avernum trilogy. The game was released for OS X and Microsoft Windows in January 2015, The iPad version was released on the App Store on April 15, 2015.

RimWorld is a construction and management simulation video game developed and published by Canadian-based developer Ludeon Studios. Originally called Eclipse Colony, it was initially released as a Kickstarter crowdfunding project in early access for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux in November 2013, and was released on October 17, 2018. The game was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as RimWorld Console Edition on July 29, 2022, with development and publishing being handled by Double Eleven. Rather than a test of skill or a challenge, the game is intended to serve as an AI-powered "story generator", where the game is used as the medium for players to experience narrative adventures. The game has received generally positive reviews from critics.

Avadon 3: The Warborn is a single-player role-playing video game developed by Spiderweb Software. It is the third and final game in the Avadon trilogy. The game was released for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows in September 2016, A version for the iPad was released in late 2016.

<i>The Long Journey Home</i> (video game) 2017 video game

The Long Journey Home is a 2017 space exploration video game by Daedalic Entertainment for Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

<i>Avernum 3: Ruined World</i> 2018 video game

Avernum 3: Ruined World is a single-player role-playing video game developed by Spiderweb Software. It is the third game in the Avernum trilogy. The game was released for macOS and Windows in January 2018. An iOS version was released on April 18, 2018.

References

  1. "Avadon Support Page". Archived from the original on 2011-04-23. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  2. "What's New at Spiderweb?". Archived from the original on 2011-05-04. Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  3. "Avadon Main Page". Archived from the original on 2011-04-05. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  4. "Inside Mac Games Holiday Q&A 1". Archived from the original on 2010-12-27. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  5. "Inside Mac Games Avadon Preview". Archived from the original on 2011-01-30. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  6. "Subgamers Interview With Jeff Vogel". Archived from the original on 2014-02-14. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  7. "RPG Codex Interview With Jeff Vogel". Archived from the original on 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  8. "Gear Diary Review of Avadon". Archived from the original on 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  9. 1 2 3 "Avadon: The Black Fortress for PC - GameRankings". Archived from the original on December 8, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Avadon: The Black Fortress for PC Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic . Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  11. 1 2 GameSpot Review Archived January 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  12. "Inside Mac Games Review". Archived from the original on 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  13. GameBanshee Review Archived January 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  14. "Digital Entertainment News Review". Archived from the original on 2011-12-24. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  15. 1 2 Contributor, Richard Cobbett; Cobbett, Richard (27 May 2011). "Rock, Paper, Shotgun Review". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on 2011-12-28. Retrieved 2011-12-28.{{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)