Kether (video game)

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Kether
Kether (video game).jpg
Developer(s) Infogrames
Publisher(s) Philips
Platform(s) CD-i
Release
Genre(s) Space flight simulation, adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

Kether is a video game developed by Infogrames and published by Philips for the CD-i.

Contents

Gameplay

Kether is a game that mixes elements of both action and graphic adventure. [3]

Development and release

Kether was developed by French studio Infogrames through its subsidiary International World Productions (IWP). Infogrames sought to provide early support to publisher Philips and its CD-i during the fourth generation of video game consoles due to advances brought on by the system's optical disc technology. [4] [5] [6] Kether was one of seven projects from IWP, which was specifically established to contribute to a second wave of CD-i software for Philips. [7] [8]

Guy Selva, the game's artistic director and one of its writers, desired to create a space opera that would offer the player the opportunity to take advantage of the CD-i's audio and graphical capabilities. Production mirrored that of a feature film with a script written first and foremost and live actors included via full-motion video cutscenes. [9] The 3D computer-generated imagery work was outsourced to Brussels-based Little Big One (LBO), which utilized Silicon Graphics workstations running TDI Explore and Paintbox software. [10] Production was overseen by Infogrames chairman, CEO, and general director Bruno Bonnell. He mentioned that CD-i games during this period would require an estimated three million franc budget with a minimum of seven people working for 15 months. At this cost, at least 50,000 units would have to be sold to make a profit. [4]

First announced in mid-1992 as The Mystery of Kether (Le Mystère de Kether), it was initially scheduled to launch that September. [5] [11] However, it was delayed. By mid-1993, the game had been in development for over two years. [4] Philips finally released it in Europe that October. [1] A television special titled La Nuit des Jeux Vidéo (Video Game Night) aired on channel France 3 on November 26, 1993 and was a collaboration between Philips Media France, Tilt , and Consoles + . As part of the special, individuals competed against one another playing Kether in order to win a copy of the game and a Philips CD-i model 210. [12] [13] Kether was released in North America in January 1994. [2] The game eventually came bundled with the Maganvox CD-i model 200 in the region. [14]

Reception

Kether received mostly positive reviews. Next Generation reviewed the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "Challenging puzzles and a mystical atmosphere round out the title into a CD-i adventure that's a cut above many of its peers. [3] Power Unlimited have a score of 92% summarizing: "If Philips had made more games of Kether's caliber, their CD-I might have become a serious gaming system. The game offers many (easy) puzzles, bundled with the most beautiful 16-bit graphics and sounds." [24]

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References

  1. 1 2 MAN!AC staff (November 1993). "Messeneuheiten für CD-Systeme" [Trade fair innovations for CD systems]. MAN!AC (in German). No. 1. Cybermedia. p. 14. ISSN   2191-012X.
  2. 1 2 Philips Media (February 1994). "This Should Open a Few Eyes". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 55. Sendai Publishing. p. 17. ISSN   1058-918X.
  3. 1 2 3 Next Generation staff (February 1995). "finals: Kether". Next Generation . No. 2. Imagine Media. p. 94. ISSN   1078-9693.
  4. 1 2 3 Lord Casque (June 1993). "L'ABC du CDI" [The ABCs of CD-i]. Joystick (in French). No. 39. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. pp. 102–10. ISSN   1145-4806.
  5. 1 2 Bonnell, Bruno (June 1992). "Question à Bruno Bonnell" [Question to Bruno Bonnell]. Science et Vie micro (in French). No. 95. Excelsior Publications. p. 29. ISSN   0760-6516.
  6. ↑ Gómez, Domingo (November 1993). "Infogrames: En la Vanguardia del Software" [Infogrames: At the Forefront of Software]. Micromanía (in Spanish). No. 66. Hobby Press. pp. 22–4. ISSN   9955-8726.
  7. ↑ Hoffos, Signe (1992). The CD-I Designers Guide. McGraw Hill Education. p. 74. ISBN   0-07-707-580-3.
  8. ↑ Harbonn, Jacques (November 1992). "Le CD-I chez Infogrames" [The CD-i at Infogrames]. Tilt (in French). No. 107. Editions Mondiales S.A. pp. 58–60. ISSN   0753-6968.
  9. ↑ Joystick staff (October 1992). "En Chantier: Kether" [Under Construction: Kether]. Joystick (in French). No. 31. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. pp. 82–3. ISSN   1145-4806.
  10. ↑ Joystick staff (September 1992). "CDi: Infogrames". Joystick (in French). No. 30. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. pp. 136–7. ISSN   1145-4806.
  11. ↑ Szameitat, Thorsten (June 1996). "Von der "Pizzeria" zum Softwareprimus: Infogrames" [From "Pizzeria" to Software Leader: Infogrames]. Play Time (in German). No. 13. Computec. p. 22.
  12. ↑ Tilt staff (November 1993). "Premiere Nuit des Jeux Vidéo" [First Video Game Night]. Tilt (in French). No. 119. Editions Mondiales S.A. pp. 162–3. ISSN   0753-6968.
  13. ↑ Randle, Darren (July 7, 2021). Popular Retro Volume 2. Andrews UK. p. 37. ISBN   978-1-78-982933-4.
  14. ↑ Philips Media (August 1995). "Buy the Player and Get the Game Free". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 61. Sendai Publishing. p. 77. ISSN   1058-918X.
  15. ↑ CVG staff (June 1994). "Group Test: All-Formats Shoot-'Em-Ups Games". Computer and Video Games . No. 151. Future plc. pp. 109, 111. ISSN   0261-3697.
  16. ↑ Edge staff (January 1994). "test screen: Kether". Edge . No. 4. Future plc. p. 79. ISSN   1350-1593.
  17. ↑ Semrad, Ed; Carpenter, Danyon; Manuel, Al; Sushi-X. "Review Crew: Kether". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 56. Sendai Publishing. p. 38. ISSN   1058-918X.
  18. ↑ Uggs the Bugg (April 1994). "ProReview: Kether". GamePro . No. 57. International Data Group. p. 108. ISSN   1042-8658.
  19. ↑ Darnaudet, Jérôme (December 1993). "CD Tests: Kether". Joystick (in French). No. 44. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. pp. 194–5. ISSN   1145-4806.
  20. ↑ Feroyd, Morgan (October 1993). "Tests: Kether". Tilt (in French). No. 118. Editions Mondiales S.A. pp. 92–5. ISSN   0753-6968.
  21. ↑ Reynaud, Luca (April 1994). "Infogrames: Kether". CD Magazine. No. 2. Xenia Edizioni. pp. 61–3.
  22. ↑ Toor, Mat (November 1993). "Review: The Mystery of Kether". CD-i Magazine. No. 2. Haymarket Publishing. pp. 20–1.
  23. ↑ Renouard, Yann; Lavoisard, Stéphane (October 1993). "Test CD-i: Kether". Génération 4 . No. 59. Pressimage. pp. 172–4. ISSN   1624-1088.
  24. 1 2 Bruinsma, Bjørn (February 1, 1994). "Power Unlimited Game Database". Power Unlimited (in Dutch). No. 7. VNU Publications. pp. 56–7. ISSN   0929-760X. Archived from the original on October 22, 2003. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  25. ↑ Gore, Chris (April 1994). "Reviews: Kether". VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine . No. 64. Larry Flynt Publications. pp. 76–7. ISSN   1059-2938.
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