Eternal Darkness

Last updated

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Eternal Darkness box.jpg
Canadian cover art
Developer(s) Silicon Knights
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Denis Dyack
Producer(s)
Designer(s)
  • Brad Furminger
  • Ted Traver
Programmer(s)
  • James O'Reilly
  • Doug Tooley
  • Carey Murray
Artist(s) Ken McCulloch
Writer(s)
  • Denis Dyack
  • Ken McCulloch
Composer(s) Steve Henifin
Platform(s) GameCube
Release
  • NA: June 24, 2002
  • JP: October 25, 2002
  • EU: November 1, 2002
  • AU: November 7, 2002
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is a 2002 action-adventure video game developed by Silicon Knights and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It was produced and directed by Denis Dyack. The game follows the story of several characters across a period of two millennia and four different locations on Earth, as they contend with an ancient evil who seeks to enslave humanity. The gameplay distinguishes itself with unique "sanity effects", visual and audial effects that confuse the player and often break the fourth wall.

Contents

Development on Eternal Darkness began after Nintendo, impressed with Silicon Knights' Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996), contacted the company to propose a collaboration on an original mature title. Silicon Knights based their concept around Lovecraftian horror and the Eternal Champion concept, and decidedly avoided making a survival horror game. It was originally planned for the Nintendo 64, and was mostly completed before development was moved to Nintendo's forthcoming home console, the GameCube. It was the first game published by Nintendo to receive an M (Mature) rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

While Eternal Darkness was widely acclaimed by critics and won numerous awards, the game was a commercial failure, selling less than 500,000 copies worldwide. A direct sequel to the game was explored but never materialized, and Silicon Knights went bankrupt and disbanded in 2013. Attempts by Dyack to make a spiritual successor entitled Shadow of the Eternals with his new studio Precursor Games failed both of their Kickstarter campaigns, leading to the project being placed on indefinite hold. [1] In the years since Eternal Darkness' release, it has been regarded as one of the greatest video games of all time, as well as one of the best horror games ever made.

Gameplay

The game is conducted from a third-person perspective. It has an in-game map which tracks the player's bearings. The inventory system stores weapons and items that can be used to solve puzzles, some of which can be combined with other objects, even enchanted with magick, for different effects.

Combat focuses on a simple targeting system. Players may attack in a general direction, or lock-on to an enemy to focus on individual parts of its anatomy. Decapitating most enemies effectively blinds them. There are many classes of enemies the player must either defeat or avoid. Each class also comes in a few varieties, and subtle differences between each variety exist as well, having slightly different appearances and traits. Some of the more common enemies vary very little in appearance, usually only changing in hue and aesthetics, but may have some behavioral differences. Boss and mini-boss enemies, however, tend to vary quite significantly.

The narrative of the game's story switches between two phases. The main phase focuses on a series of chapters in which players take control of a new character each time. The other phase acts as an intermission, exploring the mansion in order to find chapter pages and other items in order to progress. The game boasts twelve playable characters, split between four distinct locations, and from different periods of time, at times in anachronic order. Each of these characters are different in terms of the game's three main parameters –health, sanity, and magick –and have access to a small selection of weapons that they can use in combat, though what they can use is determined by the time period that they lived in. For example, characters from the more ancient eras are restricted to mostly melee weapons such as swords, with the occasional crossbow or throwable. Meanwhile, characters from the colonial era onwards have more access to ranged weapons, including modern-day firearms.

The story features multiple paths that can be taken at the end of the first chapter. This choice not only determines which of the game's other three antagonists are aligned to the plot, but it also has subtle effects on the gameplay in chapters and intermission periods. Some changes include slight differences in puzzles and items, but most changes revolve around enemy placement, which will determine how the player engages them. This can even have an effect on the relative difficulty of the game in certain situations. Red tinted enemies for example, are generally tougher, having more health and dealing more damage, making that story path a kind of unofficial hard mode. After the game is completed down one path, it becomes unavailable in future playthroughs, until the player completes all three paths.

The crafting menu allows the player to experiment and discover new spells. EternalDarknessSpellCrafting.jpg
The crafting menu allows the player to experiment and discover new spells.

Magick can be used by most characters and consists of spells that can be used to damage opponents, protect characters and heal them, and be used to solve certain puzzles. The player is also able to assign spells to buttons for quick-use during the game. After discovering a spell it can be used in subsequent chapters and intermission periods. All spells are fundamentally affected by what alignment rune is used to power them. The game incorporates four types – Red, Green, Blue, and Purple. Each alignment affects spells on a specific parameter. On top of that, they operate on a rock-paper-scissors principle of gameplay. All spells require the player to combine a series of Runes together in order to cast them. Runes can be freely experimented with by the player. This robust mechanic of experimentation has been praised by game critics as unique, and something that sets the magick system in this apart from most magic systems of most other game titles.

The other distinctive gameplay aspect comes from "Sanity Effects", the game's standout concept that Nintendo patented. [2] Upon beginning the game's second chapter, players must keep watch on a Sanity meter – a green bar which decreases when the player is spotted by an enemy. As the bar becomes low, subtle changes to the environment and random unusual events begin to occur, which reflect the character's slackening grip on reality. [3]

Minor effects include a variety of things, such as a skewed camera angle, heads of statues following the character, and unsettling noises. Stronger effects include bleeding on walls and ceilings, entering a room that is unrealistic before finding that the character never left the previous room, or the character suddenly dying. Fourth wall breaking effects such as "To Be Continued" promotions for a "sequel", and simulated errors and anomalies of the TV or GameCube can happen either from low or depleted sanity, or by a scripted event. While the latter does not affect gameplay, they can be misconstrued by the player as being actual technical malfunctions.

Story

The story of Eternal Darkness takes place over four fictional locations which the game moves between. They include the "Forbidden City" underground temple complex in Persia; a Khmer temple in Angkor Thom, Cambodia; Oublié Cathedral in Amiens, France; and the Roivas Family Estate in Rhode Island, which leads to an ancient underground city named Ehn'gha beneath the mansion. The story moves between these locations, with each chapter occurring during a different time period (between 26 B.C. and 2000 A.D.), and from the perspective of a different character. The chapters in the game are not in chronological order.

Plot

In 2000 AD, Alexandra Roivas returns to her family's estate in Rhode Island after her grandfather, Edward Roivas, her only living relative, is found brutally murdered. Two weeks later, the local police have gotten nowhere with the investigation. Alex decides to investigate the mansion for clues, and stumbles upon a secret room containing a book bound with human skin called the Tome of Eternal Darkness. Deciding to read it, she finds it contains accounts of various people in the past, beginning with the story of Pious Augustus in 26 BC.

Pious, a respected Roman military commander, is sent to Ancient Persia to locate an important relic. Lured away from his men by mysterious voices, Pious ventures into an underground temple complex called the Forbidden City. He comes across three artifacts. Each possesses the essence of powerful godlike beings referred to as "The Ancients": Chattur'gha, Xel'lotath and Ulyaoth. Upon attempting to touch one of the artifacts, Pious finds himself corrupted by its power, resulting in him becoming undead yet gaining a significant amount of power, [4] whereupon he pledges his allegiance to the artifact's Ancient and begins working on summoning them into the universe. The remaining two artifacts that Pious did not claim were put out of Pious' reach. One of the other artifacts represents the Ancient that is stronger than Pious', and the other represents the Ancient weaker than Pious'.

The artifact representing the weaker Ancient remained in the Forbidden City. In 565 AD, a young swordsman named Karim, ventures to the Forbidden City to locate a treasure for a woman that he loves. Upon finding it, he sacrifices himself in order to guard it. Pious returns to Persia in the Middle Ages to construct a Pillar of Flesh at the Forbidden City, as part of his master's plans. In 1460 AD Roberto Bianchi, a Venetian architect traveling through the region, is captured by Pious under the guise of a warlord. While under involuntary servitude, he encounters the spirit of Karim, who entrusts him with the artifact in his possession. Roberto attempts to warn Pious of the dangers within but is thrown into the tower, becoming part of its foundation along with many others. Centuries later in 1991 AD, a Canadian firefighter named Michael Edwards works with his team to extinguish several major oil fires in the Middle East, following the end of the Gulf War. After an explosion killed his entire team and trapped him in the Forbidden City, he is approached by Roberto's spirit, who gives him the artifact and instructs him to take it to the Roivas Family Estate. Michael then moves to destroy the Forbidden City with a magickally enhanced bomb. A few months later, Michael delivers the artifact to Edward Roivas in secret, telling him that he "won't last a night".

The artifact representing the stronger Ancient is moved, by Pious, to Oublié Cathedral, in Amiens, France, in order to prevent it from being used against him. First, though, Pious orders the assassination of Charlemagne, so his movement cannot impede his plans. In 814 AD, a Frankish messenger named Anthony, who stumbles upon the plot, travels to the then small monastery in order to warn him of the danger to his life. Despite Anthony's best efforts, he arrives too late to save him and dies from the spell he was afflicted with. When the location is reconstructed into a Cathedral long afterwards, Pious summons a creature called the Black Guardian, to protect the artifact that could defeat his master. In 1485 AD a Franciscan friar named Paul Luther, visiting the region to view a holy relic at the cathedral, finds himself accused of murdering a fellow friar by the local Inquisition. Attempting to clear his name, he encounters the Black Guardian, which promptly kills him. In 1916 AD, During World War I, Oublié Cathedral is converted into a field hospital. Peter Jacob, a field reporter making accounts about the war, notes that patients have been disappearing of late. Venturing into the catacombs, he encounters the Black Guardian and defeats it, recovering the artifact it was guarding. Decades later, Edward is visited by a now elderly Peter who gives an account of his experience in Amiens before handing over the artifact in his possession.

While the other two artifacts are fought over between Pious and several unwitting souls, the "Corpse God" Mantorok, another powerful Ancient that can oppose Pious' master, has an artifact of its own. In 1150 AD, Pious travels to a temple in Angkor Thom, Cambodia in order to deal with Mantorok. A young Khmer slave girl, named Ellia, finds herself trapped within the temple at the same time. While trying to find her way out, she is approached by one of Mantorok's servants, who entrusts her with the task of protecting the Ancient's essence within her body. Pious kills her shortly after. Centuries later in 1983 AD, Dr. Edwin Lindsey, a noted archaeologist, ventures to Cambodia on an expedition to explore the temple. After nearly being killed by Pious, who disguised himself in order to accompany him, Edwin finds Ellia's body and is entrusted by her spirit with Mantorok's essence, which he eventually delivers to Edward a few weeks later.

Alongside the struggle to claim the powerful artifacts of the Ancients, the Roivas Family Estate in Rhode Island, U.S. holds secrets of its own. In 1760 AD, Dr. Maximillian Roivas, a colonial ancestor of Alex and her grandfather, inherits his father's mansion in Rhode Island and decides to investigate its secrets. He soon finds a large cavern beneath the mansion, containing an ancient city within called Ehn'gha. He returns to the surface to get help, only to be considered delirious, and is sent to an asylum for the rest of his life. In 1952 AD, Dr. Edward Roivas, a clinical psychologist at the time, inherits the Estate. Finding his way underground, Edward discovers the city incorporates magick machinery and uses it to greatly damage the city with a powerful destructive spell. Knowing this is not enough, he decides to research what he can within the Tome for the final battle. After decades, however, Edward is violently murdered by one of Ehn'gha's "Guardians".

Alex, having learned all she can from the Tome, decides to finish the fight. Recovering the artifacts from within the mansion, she soon ventures into Ehn'gha and uses them with the city's machinery, in order to summon a rival Ancient to fight Pious' master. Alex then engages Pious in combat, aided by the spirits of those written in the Tome, eventually defeating him and destroying the essence of his master, who is defeated by its rival. Edward's spirit then acts quickly to use Ehn'gha's mechanism to send back the summoned Ancient before it can cause any harm to the world.

After completing all three story paths, Edward Roivas narrates a revelation; all three paths are revealed to have occurred simultaneously in separate timelines. One of Mantorok's spheres of influence happens to be chaos, and with it, the ability to subtly manipulate time and space. It turned the other three Ancients against one another in mutual annihilation and merged the timestreams into one complete victory. Now only Mantorok remains, slowly dying, and "plotting".

Development

Director and producer Denis Dyack in 2003 Denis Dyack in E3 2003.jpg
Director and producer Denis Dyack in 2003

Eternal Darkness was developed by Canadian development studio Silicon Knights and published by Japanese game company Nintendo. [5] It was directed and produced by Denis Dyack of Silicon Knights. [6] The project's origins can be traced back to the mid-1990s when Nintendo staff saw Silicon Knights' game Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996) at an E3 gaming convention. Nintendo contacted Silicon Knights, as they had been contemplating adding more mature games to their line-up, and the two companies began collaborating to produce Eternal Darkness. [5] Silicon Knights's concept for the game was to create a horror game that did not fall under the survival horror genre. [6] Dyack claims they went with "a deeper, more classical approach" to horror, calling it a "psychological thriller" as opposed to the "B-movie horror plots" of the Resident Evil series. [7] They also wanted to make a game in response to contemporary video game controversies. Dyack explains: "Video games were under fire for messing with people's heads, and being accused of being murder simulators and stuff. So, we thought, wouldn't it be a good idea to make something that really does mess with people's heads?" [6]

The development team borrowed inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe, Lovecraftian horror, and the Eternal Champion character concept by Michael Moorcock. [6] Dyack, a history buff, also took examples of evil acts done throughout history to help create a believable world. [6] The idea for the sanity system came from the tabletop role-playing game Call of Cthulhu. The concept was planned from the start, but the sanity effects were challenging to implement, and be approved by Nintendo. [5] Dyack believed that Nintendo was worried players may interpret the sanity effects as an indication of faulty hardware, [6] or may inadvertently cause damage to the hardware as a result of the effects. [5] For example, a player prompted with a message saying their memory card was being formatted may hastily take out the memory card from the system, causing actual damage to it. [5] Nintendo patented the sanity system in 2005. [5]

The game was originally in development for the Nintendo 64 (N64). The team used 3D Studio Max for modelling and Photoshop for textures. [5] It would have required a large capacity N64 Game Pak, [7] including full voice recordings for cinematic sequences, and a surround sound option. [7] It would have supported (but not required) the N64 Expansion Pak accessory for additional memory. [7] By 2000, much of development had been completed, and it was presented and playable at industry trade shows. However, support for the Nintendo 64 was declining in anticipation for Nintendo's upcoming new home console, the GameCube. With several months remaining to finish the game, Nintendo decided to move development over to the GameCube. According to lead designer Ted Traver, Nintendo wanted more games in its GameCube lineup, and the cost of manufacturing cartridges was much higher than optical discs. [5] For the transition of development to GameCube, the rendering engine, development tools, sound, and art assets all needed to be redone. While the work was difficult, the new hardware granted the team greater polygon rendering capacity, and more memory for textures. [5] It was originally planned to be a launch title, but development was delayed. [8]

As development was concluding, Nintendo sent game designers to Silicon Knights to help improve the gameplay. [5] When the September 11 attacks occurred, Silicon Knights opted to remove the character Joseph De Molay, a Templar knight, from the game. The Templar knights were known for taking part in the Crusades, spreading Christianity to the Middle East. In the interest of not appearing offensive, Joseph was replaced with an oil well firefighter, and all Arab writing in texture images was removed. The Middle Eastern environments were retained. [5]

Release

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem was first released and published by Nintendo on June 24, 2002 in North America, [9] October 25 in Japan, [10] November 1 in Europe, [11] and November 7 in Australia. [12] It was the first Nintendo-published game to receive an M (Mature) rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the video game ratings board in North America. All of their previously published games had lighter content ratings.

Short films

In 2002, Nintendo and Hypnotic, a film entertainment company, established a filmmaking contest in which contestants submitted ideas that would be later funded into short films if selected. [13] Hypnotic also purchased the rights to produce a film or TV series based on the IP. [14]

The contest drew over 500 submissions. [15] Ten finalists were selected and were granted $2,000 each to produce their respective short films. The grand prize for the contest was $20,000, and was selected by a panel of industry experts. The finalists were unveiled between May 23 and July 4, 2002. [16]

The grand prize winner of the contest was Patrick Daughters, for the film Unloved. The viewer's choice award went to the film Cutting Room Floor by Tyler Spangler and Michael Cioni. [16]

Reception

Reviews and sales

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem received critical acclaim upon its release, with aggregated review scores of over 9/10 at both GameRankings and Metacritic. [17] [18] Upon review, IGN gave Eternal Darkness one of its Editor's Choice Awards [26] and, in its review of the game, stated: "Simply put, an amazing achievement that shouldn't be overlooked. Games do not come any better than this". [27]

AllGame editor Scott Alan Marriott described Eternal Darkness as "fun" and "certainly worth playing". Mild criticism was noted for its "linear gameplay" and "low difficulty". [19]

Eternal Darkness sold less than 500,000 copies worldwide. [28] In Japan, the game has sold 17,748 copies as of December 31, 2006. [29] In Canada, the game sold 20,000 copies. [30]

Awards

Eternal Darkness was awarded with "Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development" during the 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; it also received nominations for "Console Game of the Year", "Outstanding Innovation in Console Gaming", "Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction", and "Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design". [31] GameSpot named it the best video game of June 2002. [32] At GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002, it was awarded "Best Sound on GameCube", "Best Story on GameCube", and "Best Graphics (Artistic) on GameCube"; [33] [34] [35] the game was also nominated for "Best Music on GameCube", "Best Action Adventure Game on GameCube", and "Game of the Year on GameCube". [36] [37] [38] GameSpy's Game of the Year Awards gave it their honorary "Day of the Tentacle (Cthulhu) Award". [39]

Retrospective

In 2006, Nintendo Power ranked Eternal Darkness as the 101st top game on Nintendo systems, [40] while the readers of IGN had it voted as the 96th best video game of all time on all systems; [41] in 2009, Official Nintendo Magazine had it listed as the 48th best Nintendo game. [42] The game was ranked as the seventh best game for the GameCube by X-Play in 2006, [43] as the fifth best GameCube game by IGN in 2007, [44] as the tenth best GameCube game by ScrewAttack that same year, [45] and placed fourth on the list of top GameCube games in the January 2009 issue of Game Informer .

Both X-Play and Game Informer in 2007 in 2006 ranked it as the fifth scariest game of all time. [46] [47] In other lists, ScrewAttack ranked the fake "Corrupt Data" sanity effect as the ninth top "OMGWTF" moment in gaming in 2008, [45] while Alex Roivas was included among the 50 greatest heroines in video games by Tom's Games in 2007 [48] and ranked as the 40th greatest heroine in video game history by Complex in 2013. [49]

Several retrospective articles demanded a follow-up game. IGN included Eternal Darkness on their 2008 list of "horror franchises that should rise from the grave", [50] GamesRadar included Eternal Darkness among the games "with untapped franchise potential" in 2009, [51] and UGO included it on a similar list of games "that need sequels" in 2010. [52]

Legacy

Alex Roivas makes a cameo appearance in the 2018 fighting game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as one of the many "Spirits" that players can collect. The battle associated with Alex's Spirit sees the player needing to defeat Zero Suit Samus from the Metroid series as the screen is mirrored at random intervals. [53]

Cancelled sequel

In 2006, Dyack said "absolutely yes" in response to the question of a possible sequel. He stated that Silicon Knights had intended for Eternal Darkness to be a stand-alone game, but they wanted to make more games set in the same universe involving the Ancients. [54] [55] At Microsoft's Spring 2008 Showcase, Dyack said there was a "strong chance" they would return to the Eternal Darkness brand. [56] In 2011, Silicon Knights said they were refocusing on one of their most requested titles for the next generation of consoles. This, combined with the fact that Nintendo had trademarked the title once again, spawned rumors that an Eternal Darkness game would be a launch title for Nintendo's Wii U console. [57] However, the project was cancelled due to Silicon Knights' legal troubles with Epic Games. [58] Any possibility for a sequel from Silicon Knights ended in 2013 when Silicon Knights filed for bankruptcy and closed its offices. [59] Nintendo has repeatedly renewed the Eternal Darkness trademark, stirring rumors of sequels or re-releases. [60] [61] [62] [63]

Shadow of the Eternals

In May 2013, Precursor Games, staffed by many former Silicon Knights members, had begun a crowdfunding campaign on their website, seeking $1.5 million to create a spiritual successor to Eternal Darkness under the title Shadow of the Eternals, to be released for Microsoft Windows and Wii U. [64] The game was to be released in twelve 2-4 hour long episodes, with Dyack acting as the game's chief creative officer. [65] [66] [67] The same month, a secondary fundraising campaign was launched on Kickstarter, aiming to receive $1.35 million within 36 days. [68] [69] Eventually, being only halfway through their campaign in early June, the company decided to shut down both funding campaigns whilst refunding all the accumulated money back to their contributors, and promised to relaunch a new campaign a few weeks later. They said this was to reveal "a host of a new exciting opportunities that will make the game better than [Precursor Games] envisioned". [70] Later in June, Precursor's founding member, and co-designer of both Eternal Darkness and Shadow of the Eternals, Kenneth McCulloch was arrested and pleaded guilty on charges of child pornography; the studio immediately severed all ties with him. [71]

Another Kickstarter campaign was launched in July, aiming for a $750,000 goal this time. Instead of twelve episodes, the game was intended to be released as one 8-10 hour experience. [72] The game would follow detective Paul Becker as he investigated a gang massacre in Louisiana, and uncovered the truth about the "Eternals". It would span over 2500 years of history in Hungary, England, Egypt, and the United States. [64] [73] [74] In creating the look of the game, Precursor Games purchased art assets from Silicon Knights which were going to be used in the Eternal Darkness sequel. Though Nintendo still owns the rights to Eternal Darkness and the patent for the game's unique "Sanity Meter", Precursor Games was in communication with Nintendo, who was supportive of the project. [75] In September, Shadow of the Eternals was delayed indefinitely due to a lack of funding. [76] [77] The Escapist described the multiple failed crowdfunding campaigns as a "circus" and demonstrated a lack of faith in the developers. [78] Kyle Hilliard of Game Informer wrote that he was not surprised the game was put on hold, as it has been "plagued with issues" since its first announcement. [79]

In October 2014, Dyack had created a new entertainment company Quantum Entanglement Entertainment. One of the company's first projects was to relaunch the development for Shadow of the Eternals. Dyack was also considering Shadow of the Eternals as a film and television property. [80] In January 2018, QEE was quietly shut down and the production of Shadow of the Eternals was cancelled. Dyack renamed the company as Apocalypse Studios and announced a new role-playing game titled Deadhaus Sonata . [81] [82] Dyack described it as combining elements of his previous games, including "Lovecraftian overtones from Eternal Darkness". [83]

Related Research Articles

<i>Luigis Mansion</i> 2001 video game

Luigi's Mansion is a 2001 action-adventure horror game developed and published by Nintendo. The game was a launch title for the GameCube and was the first game in the Mario franchise to be released for the console; it was released in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, in Europe on May 3, 2002, and in Australia on May 17, 2002. It is the third video game in which Luigi is the main character instead of Mario, after Mario Is Missing! and Luigi's Hammer Toss. Players control him as he explores a haunted mansion to rescue Mario and battles ghosts by capturing them through a vacuum cleaner supplied by Professor E. Gadd.

<i>Super Mario Sunshine</i> 2002 video game

Super Mario Sunshine is a 2002 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second 3D game in the Super Mario series, following Super Mario 64 (1996). The game was directed by Yoshiaki Koizumi and Kenta Usui, produced by series creators Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, written by Makoto Wada, and scored by Koji Kondo and Shinobu Tanaka.

<i>Castlevania</i> Video game series

Castlevania, known in Japan as Akumajō Dracula, is a gothic horror action-adventure video game series and media franchise created by Konami. The series is largely set in the castle of Count Dracula, the main antagonist of the Belmont clan of vampire hunters.

<i>Metroid Prime</i> 2002 video game

Metroid Prime is a 2002 action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. Metroid Prime is the fifth main Metroid game and the first to use 3D computer graphics and a first-person perspective. It was released in North America in November 2002, and in Japan and Europe the following year. Along with the Game Boy Advance game Metroid Fusion, Prime marked the return of the Metroid series after an eight-year hiatus following Super Metroid (1994).

<i>Metroid Prime 2: Echoes</i> 2004 video game

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is a 2004 adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. The sequel to Metroid Prime (2002) and the first Metroid game with a multiplayer feature, Echoes was released in North America, Europe and Australia in 2004 and in Japan under the name Metroid Prime 2: Dark Echoes in May 2005.

<i>Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes</i> 2004 video game

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is a 2004 action-adventure stealth video game published by Konami, who co-developed with Silicon Knights, for the GameCube. Released in March, the game is a remake of Metal Gear Solid, originally developed by Konami for the PlayStation in 1998.

<i>The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures</i> 2004 video game

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the eleventh installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released in 2004 in Japan on March 18, and in North America on June 7. In 2005, the game was released in Europe on January 7, and in Australia on April 7. The Game Boy Advance handheld game console can be used as a controller when using the GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable bundled with the game in North America and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silicon Knights</span> Defunct Canadian video game developer

Silicon Knights was a Canadian video game developer. Founded in 1992 by Denis Dyack, the company was headquartered in St. Catharines, Ontario. They started developing for computers such as the Atari ST and IBM PC compatibles. After 1996, they moved to console titles.

<i>Resident Evil 4</i> 2005 video game

Resident Evil 4 is a 2005 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom for the GameCube. Players control the special agent Leon S. Kennedy on a mission to rescue the US president's daughter, Ashley Graham, who has been kidnapped by a religious cult in rural Spain. Leon fights hordes of enemies infected by a mind-controlling parasite and reunites with the spy Ada Wong. In a departure from the fixed camera angles and slower gameplay of previous Resident Evil games, Resident Evil 4 features a dynamic camera system and action-oriented gameplay.

<i>Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest</i> 2002 GameCube action-adventure video game

Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest, known in Japan as Dōbutsu Banchō, is an action-adventure video game developed by Saru Brunei and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It was originally released only in Japan on February 21, 2002; after Nintendo expressed intentions to not release the game in other regions in the world, Atlus USA localized the game for North America and released it on November 5, 2002.

<i>Shadow the Hedgehog</i> (video game) 2005 video game

Shadow the Hedgehog is a 2005 platform game developed by Sega Studios USA and published by Sega. It is a spin-off from the Sonic the Hedgehog series starring the character Shadow. It follows the amnesiac Shadow's attempts to learn about his past during an alien invasion. Gameplay is similar to previous Sonic games, featuring fast-paced platforming and ring collecting, but introduces third-person shooter and nonlinear elements. Shadow uses a variety of weapons to defeat enemies and complete missions that determine the plot and playable levels.

<i>Too Human</i> 2008 video game developed by Silicon Knights

Too Human is an action role-playing game developed by Silicon Knights and published by Microsoft Studios. It was released in August 2008 for the Xbox 360. The game's story is a science-fictional futuristic retelling of Norse mythology that portrays the Æsir, the Norse gods, as cybernetically enhanced humans, tasked with protecting mankind from the onslaught of Loki's army of machines. The player takes the role of the Norse god Baldur, who is less cybernetic than the other gods thus being "too human".

<i>Resident Evil Zero</i> 2002 video game

Resident Evil Zero is a survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom for the GameCube in 2002. It is a prequel to Resident Evil (1996), covering the ordeals experienced in the Arklay Mountains by special police force unit, the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team. The story takes place in July 1998 and follows officer Rebecca Chambers as well as convict Billy Coen as they explore an abandoned training facility for employees of the pharmaceutical company Umbrella. The gameplay is similar to other Resident Evil games, but adds the ability to switch between characters to solve puzzles and use unique abilities.

<i>Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain</i> 1996 action-adventure video game

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is a 1996 action-adventure video game developed by Silicon Knights and published by Crystal Dynamics for the PlayStation. A Microsoft Windows port developed by Semi Logic Entertainments was released by Activision under license from Crystal Dynamics in 1997, which was re-released digitally via GOG.com in 2021. The game is the first title in the Legacy of Kain series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capcom Five</span> Five Capcom video games for GameCube

The Capcom Five are five video games that were unveiled by Capcom in late 2002 and published from March 2003. At a time when Nintendo's GameCube console had failed to capture market share, Capcom announced five new GameCube titles with the apparent goal of boosting hardware sales and demonstrating third-party developer support. Capcom USA followed up with confirmation that they would be exclusive to the GameCube. The five games were P.N.03, a futuristic third-person shooter; Viewtiful Joe, a side-scrolling action-platformer; Dead Phoenix, a shoot 'em up; Resident Evil 4, a survival horror third-person shooter; and Killer7, an action-adventure game with first-person shooter elements. Though not directly related to each other, they were all overseen by Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami and, except Killer7, developed by Capcom's Production Studio 4. Capcom USA later clarified that only Resident Evil 4 was intended to be exclusive; the initial announcement was due to a miscommunication with their parent company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denis Dyack</span> Canadian video game developer

Denis Dyack is a Canadian video game developer and the CEO of Apocalypse Studios. He is also the former president of Silicon Knights, and is a video game designer, writer, director and producer. Dyack directed Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, and is directing Deadhaus Sonata. Dyack was inducted into the Canadian Gaming Hall of Fame by the Canadian Game Development Talent Awards in November 2011.

<i>Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance</i> 2001 video game

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a 2001 action role-playing video game developed by Snowblind Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment subsidiary Black Isle Studios for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox consoles, with High Voltage Software handling the GameCube port, and Magic Pockets developing the Game Boy Advance version. CD Projekt was developing a version for Microsoft Windows, but was ultimately cancelled. In 2021, a 4K port of the game was released for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.

<i>X-Men: Destiny</i> 2011 video game

X-Men: Destiny is an action role-playing video game based on the X-Men comic book series. It was developed by Silicon Knights. Written by Mike Carey, the writer of the X-Men: Legacy comic book series, it was published and released by Activision for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles.

Deadhaus Sonata is an upcoming free-to-play cooperative action role-playing video game developed by Apocalypse Studios and directed by Denis Dyack. The game is set to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. In Deadhaus Sonata, players play undead classes in the House of the Dead and fight the living. Deadhaus Sonata focuses on its gameplay pillars of procedural generation, narrative driven design, Twitch integration, and cooperative asymmetric gameplay, as well as looting and fast-action combat.

References

  1. ↑ Phillips, Tom (September 29, 2013). "Shadow of the Eternals dev Precursor Games disbands". EuroGamer. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  2. ↑ "United States Patent #6,935,954, "Sanity system for video game"". Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2007.
  3. ↑ Tieryas, Peter (October 25, 2017). "The Literary Horror Of Eternal Darkness". Kotaku. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  4. ↑ Eternal Darkness, Silicon Knights (2002)
    Pious Augustus: Aeons have passed since then, and I have learned much.
    The following lines vary depending on which artifact the player chose via Augustus:
    Pious Augustus: Chattur'gha's power filled me, invigorating my dead body. With a touch, I could level buildings, rend the ground asunder, and channel power such as mortal men could only dream.
    Pious Augustus: I was once as naive as a child, but now my mind is sharp. With the power of Xel'lotath, I can now read the thoughts of others, and make them raving mad with a mere suggestion.
    Pious Augustus: All at once I understood. The forces of the multiverse all made sense, under the transcending power of Ulyaoth. No mountain too high. No city too far.
    Pious Augustus: Face me, and you shall surely perish!
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "The Making Of Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem". Nintendo Life. October 28, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Drake, Shannon (August 29, 2006). "There's a Lot More to Tell". The Escapist. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 IGN Staff (May 4, 2000). "Talking with Silicon Knights". IGN. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  8. ↑ Bettenhausen, Shane (May 2006). "God Complex". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 203. Ziff Davis Media Inc. p. 77.
  9. ↑ "Now Shipping". IGN . June 24, 2002. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Gaming Life in Japan". IGN . October 2, 2002. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  11. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (July 29, 2002). "Mario on October 4th and more". Eurogamer . Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem". Nintendo Australia . Archived from the original on February 3, 2003. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Nintendo's Eternal Darkness Film Contest". Gaming Edge. Archived from the original on May 18, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Eternal Darkness TV Show or Movie". IGN. June 27, 2003.
  15. ↑ Jonathan Metts. "Eternal Darkness Films Contest This Week". Nintendo World Report.
  16. 1 2 Billy Berghammer. "Eternal Darkness Films Contest Winner Announced". Nintendo World Report.
  17. 1 2 "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
  18. 1 2 "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (cube: 2002): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
  19. 1 2 Marriott, Scott Alan. "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  20. ↑ Tom Bramwell (November 1, 2002). "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem Review". Eurogamer . Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  21. ↑ ニンテンドーゲームキューブ – エターナルダークネス 招かれた13人. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.100. June 30, 2006.
  22. ↑ Kontul, Christian (October 16, 2002). "News – Newest Famitsu scores!". GamesAreFun. Archived from the original on January 26, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
  23. ↑ Chet Barber. "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem". Game Informer . Archived from the original on May 9, 2005. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  24. ↑ Shane Satterfield (June 25, 2002). "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem Review". GameSpot . Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  25. ↑ Matt Casamassina (June 21, 2002). "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem Review". IGN . Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  26. ↑ IGN staff. "IGN.com Editors' Choice Awards". IGN.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2005. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  27. ↑ IGN staff (June 21, 2002). "ETERNAL DARKNESS: SANITY'S REQUIEM REVIEW". IGN.com. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  28. ↑ Haines, Rob (March 9, 2014). "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem retrospective". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Nintendo GameCube Japanese Ranking". Japan-GameCharts.com. Archived from the original on April 9, 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  30. ↑ "Nintendo opens up huge market". National Post . October 21, 2002. p. 39. Retrieved March 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "AIAS Annual Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  32. ↑ The Editors of GameSpot VG (July 5, 2002). "Video Game of the Month, June 2002". GameSpot . Archived from the original on August 22, 2003.
  33. ↑ GameSpot staff. "Best Sound on GameCube". GameSpot.com. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  34. ↑ GameSpot staff. "Best Story on GameCube". GameSpot.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  35. ↑ GameSpot staff. "Best Graphics (Artistic) on GameCube". GameSpot.com. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  36. ↑ GameSpot staff. "Best Music on GameCube". GameSpot.com. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  37. ↑ GameSpot staff. "Best Action Adventure Game on GameCube, Nominees". GameSpot.com. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  38. ↑ GameSpot staff. "Game of the Year on GameCube, Nominees". GameSpot.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  39. ↑ "GameSpy's Game of the Year Awards – 2002". GameSpy.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2009. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  40. ↑ "NP Top 200". Nintendo Power. No. 199. January 2006.
  41. ↑ "Readers' Picks Top 100 Games: 91–100". IGN.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  42. ↑ East, Tom (February 23, 2009). "100 Best Nintendo Games: Part 3". Official Nintendo Magazine . Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
  43. ↑ "The Best and Worst of GameCube". X-Play. Episode Episode #6072. June 28, 2006. G4. Archived from the original on August 29, 2006.
  44. ↑ IGN GameCube Team (March 16, 2007). "The Top 25 GameCube Games of All Time". IGN.com. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  45. 1 2 "ScrewAttack Video Game, ScrewAttacks GameCube Farewell – Top Ten GameCube Games". GameTrailers.com. ScrewAttack's Top 10 .
  46. ↑ The top 10 scariest moments in gaming. Game Informer 174 (October 2007): 36.
  47. ↑ "The Scariest Games Of All Time Episode. X-Play 6111". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  48. ↑ Rob Wright, The 50 Greatest Female Characters in Video Game History, Tom's Games, February 20, 2007
  49. ↑ Rougeau, Michael (March 4, 2013). "50 Greatest Heroines In Video Game History". Complex. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  50. ↑ IGN staff (October 28, 2008). "Horror Franchises That Should Rise From The Grave". IGN.com. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  51. ↑ 123 games with untapped franchise potential, GamesRadar US, April 30, 2009
  52. ↑ 25 Games That Need Sequels Archived March 7, 2013, at the Wayback Machine , UGO.com, November 23, 2010
  53. ↑ "What are spirits? - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Website".
  54. ↑ Patrick Klepek. "Eternal Darkness Universe May Expand". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2006.
  55. ↑ "Silicon Knights – Creating Universes – Blog #10". Archived from the original on February 13, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  56. ↑ McElroy, Justin (May 14, 2008). "Dyack: 'Strong chance' that Eternal Darkness will return". JoyStiq.com. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  57. ↑ Marrs, Ross (November 2, 2011). "Silicon Knights to Refocus On One of Its Most Requested Titles". cubed3.com. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  58. ↑ Brian Sipple (December 13, 2012). "'Too Human 2′ & '3,' 'Eternal Darkness 2′ Among Silicon Knights Cancellation Graveyard". Game Rant. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  59. ↑ Crecente, Brian (May 9, 2013). "Silicon Knights unloads property, closes office, continues battle with Epic Games". Polygon . Vox Media . Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  60. ↑ Andy Green (March 17, 2013). "Nintendo Renews Eternal Darkness Trademark". Nintendo Life. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  61. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (July 29, 2013). "Nintendo files new Eternal Darkness trademark". GameSpot . CBS Interactive . Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  62. ↑ Mahmoud, Mustafa (June 15, 2020). "Nintendo abandons its Eternal Darkness trademark". KitGuru. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  63. ↑ "Rumor: Eternal Darkness Switch Game Possibly in the Works". Game Rant. August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  64. 1 2 Andrew Goldfarb (May 6, 2013). "Eternal Darkness Spiritual Successor Shadow of the Eternals Headed to Wii U, PC". IGN.
  65. ↑ Jordan Mammo (May 4, 2013). "Nintendo Wii U Games: Classic Eternal Darkness From GameCube Getting Sequel Via Crowdfunding (Video)". iTech Post.
  66. ↑ "Is an Eternal Darkness Sequel Really Coming?". Nintendo Fuse. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013.
  67. ↑ "Shadow of the Eternals Announced as Spiritual Successor to Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem". NintendoFuse. Archived from the original on August 17, 2013.
  68. ↑ Conditt, Jessica (May 13, 2013). "Shadow of the Eternals gets a secondary Kickstarter campaign". Joystiq. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  69. ↑ Carmichael, Stephanie (May 13, 2013). "Shadow of the Eternals campaign splits in two as it launches on Kickstarter". GameZone. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  70. ↑ Latshaw, Tim (June 5, 2013). "Darkness Falls Early For Shadow Of The Eternals". Nintendo Life. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  71. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (June 28, 2013). "Shadow of the Eternals dev arrested on child porn charges". GameSpot. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  72. ↑ "Shadow of the Eternals by Precursor Games". Kickstarter.
  73. ↑ Cowan, Danny (May 10, 2013). "Nine minutes of Shadow of the Eternals gameplay revealed". Joystiq. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  74. ↑ Adam Gauntlett. "The Escapist : News : Shadow of the Eternals Crowdfunding Kicks Off With Gameplay". Escapistmagazine.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  75. ↑ Chris Kohler. "Precursor Games Bought Art Assets From Eternal Darkness Developer Silicon Knights". Wired.
  76. ↑ Dyer, Mitch (September 30, 2013). "Shadow of the Eternals Delayed Indefinitely". IGN. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  77. ↑ Farokhmanesh, Megan (September 29, 2013). "Shadow of the Eternals put 'on hold'". Polygon. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  78. ↑ Ian Davis. "Shadow of the Eternals Placed On Ice | The Escapist". Escapistmagazine.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  79. ↑ Pligge, Zachary (September 29, 2013). "Precursor Games Halts Shadow Of The Eternals Development – News". www.GameInformer.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  80. ↑ Stein, Zack (October 30, 2014). "Denis Dyack Announces New Entertainment Company". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved November 2, 2014.
  81. ↑ McCaffrey, Ryan (October 24, 2018). "DEADHAUS SONATA ANNOUNCED FROM ETERNAL DARKNESS, LEGACY OF KAIN CREATOR DENIS DYACK". IGN. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  82. ↑ Dyack, Denis. "About". Apocalypse Studios. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  83. ↑ Byrd, Matthew (March 26, 2019). "Deadhaus Sonata: Gameplay Teaser Trailer". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.