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]

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