Nightshade (1985 video game)

Last updated

Nightshade
Nightshade cover.png
ZX Spectrum cover art
Developer(s) Tim and Chris Stamper
Publisher(s) Ultimate Play the Game
Engine Filmation II
Platform(s) ZX Spectrum
Amstrad CPC
BBC Micro
MSX
Commodore 64
ReleaseZX Spectrum
Amstrad CPC
MSX
BBC Micro
Genre(s) Action-adventure game; Maze game
Mode(s) Single-player

Nightshade is an action video game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game. It was first released for the ZX Spectrum in 1985, and was then ported to the Amstrad CPC and BBC Micro later that year. It was also ported to the MSX exclusively in Japan in 1986. In the game, the player assumes the role of a knight who sets out to destroy four demons in a plague-infested village.

Contents

The game features scrolling isometric gameplay, an improvement over its flip-screen-driven predecessors, Knight Lore and Alien 8 , all thanks to an enhanced version of the Ultimate Play the Game's Filmation game engine, branded Filmation II. The game received positive reviews upon release; critics praised its gameplay traits, graphics and colours, but one critic was divided over its perceived similarities to its predecessors.

Gameplay

A green-hued, infected player character is pursued through the village of Nightshade by demons. Nightshade 3.gif
A green-hued, infected player character is pursued through the village of Nightshade by demons.

The game is presented in an isometric format. The player assumes the role of a knight who enters the plague-infested village of Nightshade to vanquish four demons who reside within. [1] Additionally, all residents from the village have been transformed into vampires and other supernatural creatures. [2] Contact with these monsters infects the knight, with repeated contact turning the character from white to yellow and then to green, which will lead to the character's death. The knight may be hit up to three times by an enemy, but the fourth hit will result in a life being deducted. [3]

The objective of the game is to locate and destroy four specific demons. Each demon is vulnerable to a particular object which must be collected by the player: a hammer, a Bible, a crucifix and an hourglass. [3] Once the four items have been collected, the player must track down a specific demon and cast the correct item at it in order to destroy it. Once all four demons have been destroyed, the game will end. [3] In order to defend against other enemies such as vampires and monsters, the player can arm themselves with "antibodies", which can then be thrown at enemies. [3] Antibodies can be found in houses around the village, and will slowly deplete once used by the player. Other collectible items include extra lives and boots, the latter of which enables the player character to run at a faster speed. [1] [3]

Background and release

Ultimate Play the Game was founded by brothers Tim and Chris Stamper, along with Tim's wife, Carol, from their headquarters in Ashby-de-la-Zouch in 1982. They began producing multiple video games for the ZX Spectrum throughout the early 1980s. [4] The company were known for their reluctance to reveal details about their operations and upcoming projects. Little was known about their development process except that they used to work in separate teams; one team would work on graphics whilst the other would concentrate on other aspects such as sound or programming. [4] When a journalist reviewing Nightshade for Crash asked Tim and Chris Stamper what the object of the game was they responded: "Oh, we can't tell you that". [3]

The game was developed with the isometric projection game engine known as Filmation II, an upgraded version of the Filmation engine. [5] The Filmation engine was created by the Stamper brothers to portray 3D imagery. Filmation II used an image masking technique that drew and filled holes in the background, allowing the game to create composite structures out of pixelated drawings without visual overlay, despite the limitations platforms such as the ZX Spectrum offered. [6] Nightshade was first released in the United Kingdom for the ZX Spectrum in 1985, and was then ported to the Amstrad CPC and BBC Micro later that year. [7] It was also ported to the MSX exclusively in Japan in 1986. [8]

Reception

The game received positive reviews upon release. Chris Bourne of Sinclair User praised the game's new graphics system, opining that it was "wonderfully" detailed and "juiced up" in contrast to its predecessors, Knight Lore and Alien 8 . [1] A reviewer writing for Computer and Video Games praised the graphics as "great" and stated that its sound effects were "up to standard" considering the "dumb" ZX Spectrum. [2] Philippa Irving of Crash thought that the visuals and use of colours were "stunning" and up to Ultimate Play the Game's "usual standards", but she did notice a few instances of attribute clash. [3] A reviewer writing for Computer Gamer asserted that the graphics were "as good as ever", but they admitted that the game seemed "lacking" in comparison to Ultimate Play the Game's most recent releases. [9] Chris Jenkins of Popular Computing Weekly opined that the game's interior visuals looked like "featureless squares", but admitted that the game's background drops were more detailed. [11]

The gameplay was also praised by reviewers. Bourne opined that the game was well-paced in similar vein to arcade-style games, but noted "a sense of déjà vu" with the game's concept, stating that the developer's games were starting to "wear thin". [1] The reviewer from Computer and Video Games appreciated Nightshade's "nice touches", summarising that it was an instant classic from Ultimate Play the Game. [2] Irving criticised the lack of instructions or hints that came with the game, and stated that Nightshade did not set new standards with programming, unlike Knight Lore and Alien 8, but admitted that the game was still another "technically brilliant" game. [3] The reviewer from Computer Gamer enjoyed the wide range of gameplay elements, stating that it was enough to hold their attention for hours. [9] A reviewer from Home Computing Weekly stated that the gameplay was not as addictive as Knight Lore or Alien 8 due to the game's lack of obstacles. [10] Jenkins praised the game's use of its new engine, Filmation II, stating that it was ahead of "everything else" on the ZX Spectrum. [11]

Related Research Articles

Ashby Computers and Graphics Limited, trading as Ultimate Play the Game, was a British video game developer and publisher, founded in 1982, by ex-arcade video game developers Tim and Chris Stamper. Ultimate released a series of successful games for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, MSX and Commodore 64 computers from 1983 until 1987. Ultimate are perhaps best remembered for the big-selling titles Jetpac and Sabre Wulf, each of which sold over 300,000 copies in 1983 and 1984 respectively, and their groundbreaking series of isometric arcade adventures using a technique termed Filmation. Knight Lore, the first of the Filmation games, has been retrospectively described in the press as "seminal ... revolutionary" (GamesTM), "one of the most successful and influential games of all time" (X360), and "probably ... the greatest single advance in the history of computer games" (Edge).

<i>Pssst</i> 1983 video game

Pssst is an action video game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game that was released for the ZX Spectrum in June 1983. In the game, Robbie the Robot has to protect his plant as it is attacked by various insects, each of which needs a different repellent to neutralise it. Pssst was the second game to be released by Ultimate, after Jetpac.

<i>Sabre Wulf</i> 1984 video game

Sabre Wulf is an action-adventure game released by British video game developer Ultimate Play the Game for the ZX Spectrum home computer in 1984. The player navigates the pith-helmeted Sabreman through a 2D jungle maze while collecting amulet pieces to bypass the guardian at its exit. The player does not receive explicit guidance on how to play and is left to decipher the game's objectives through trial and error. Sabreman moves between the maze's 256 connected screens by touching the border where one screen ends and another begins. Each screen is filled with colourful flora, enemies that spawn at random, and occasional collectibles.

<i>Jetpac</i> 1983 arcade-style shooter video game

Jetpac is a shooter video game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game and released for the ZX Spectrum and VIC-20 in 1983 and the BBC Micro in 1984. It is the first game to be released by Ultimate Play the Game, the company which later became Rare. The game follows Jetman as he must rebuild his rocket in order to explore different planets, while simultaneously defending against hostile aliens. It was written by Ultimate co-founder Chris Stamper with graphics designed by his brother, Tim Stamper. Reviewers praised Jetpac's presentation and gameplay, and it won "Game of the Year" at the Golden Joystick Awards in 1983.

<i>Alien 8</i> 1985 video game

Alien 8 is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game. It was released for the ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC and MSX in 1985. The game is a spiritual successor to the best-selling Knight Lore, which was lauded by critics for its isometric graphics. In the game, the player takes control of a robot, Alien 8, whose job is to ensure that all of the cryogenically frozen passengers on board a starship remain viable during the ship's voyage.

<i>Knight Lore</i> 1984 video game

Knight Lore is a 1984 action-adventure game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game, and written by company founders Chris and Tim Stamper. The game is known for its use of isometric graphics, which it further popularized in video games. In Knight Lore, the player character Sabreman has forty days to collect objects throughout a castle and brew a cure to his werewolf curse. Each castle room is depicted in monochrome on its own screen and consists of blocks to climb, obstacles to avoid, and puzzles to solve.

<i>Tranz Am</i> 1983 video game

Tranz Am is an action video game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game that was released for the ZX Spectrum in July 1983. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States and centres around a racing car driver on his quest to obtain the Eight Great Cups of Ultimate, which are scattered throughout the country.

<i>Underwurlde</i> 1984 video game

Underwurlde is a 1984 action-adventure platform video game in the Sabreman series by Ultimate Play the Game for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. The player controls the adventurer Sabreman as he jumps between platforms in a castle and its caverns to find an escape past the exit guardians. Underwurlde features about 600 flip screen areas. Unlike other games of its time, Sabreman is not injured when touched by enemies and is instead knocked backwards. Underwurlde is the second game in the series, between Sabre Wulf and Knight Lore, and released shortly before the latter for the ZX Spectrum in late 1984. Another developer, Firebird, ported the game to the Commodore 64 the next year.

<i>Pentagram</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Pentagram is a ZX Spectrum and MSX video game released by Ultimate Play the Game in 1986. It is the fourth in the Sabreman series, following on from his adventures in Sabre Wulf, Underwurlde and Knight Lore. Similarly to Knight Lore it uses the isometric Filmation engine. The game was written by either Tim and Chris Stamper or a U.S. Gold programming team.

<i>Lunar Jetman</i> 1983 video game

Lunar Jetman is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game. It was released for the ZX Spectrum in 1983 and later on the BBC Micro. In this sequel to Jetpac, the second instalment of the Jetman series, Jetman has to destroy alien bases whilst simultaneously defending himself, along with Earth, from a hostile alien race.

<i>Atic Atac</i> 1983 video game

Atic Atac is an arcade-adventure video game developed and published by Ultimate Play the Game, released for the ZX Spectrum in 1983 and the BBC Micro in 1985. The game takes place within a castle in which the player must seek out the "Golden Key of ACG" by unlocking doors and avoiding enemies. It was Ultimate's second game to require 48K of RAM; most of their previous games for the Spectrum ran on unexpanded 16K models.

<i>Gunfright</i> 1985 action-adventure game video game

Gunfright is an action-adventure game developed by Ultimate Play the Game and published by U.S. Gold. It was first released for the ZX Spectrum in December 1985, then released for Amstrad CPC and the MSX the following year. The player takes the role of a sheriff in the town of Black Rock and is tasked with eliminating outlaws who are scattered throughout the settlement.

<i>Tornado Low Level</i> 1984 video game

Tornado Low Level is a multidirectional flight game developed by Costa Panayi and published in 1984 by the company he co-founded, Vortex Software. The game was released for the ZX Spectrum in 1984, with ports for the Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64 in 1985.

<i>Cauldron</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Cauldron is a video game developed and published by British developer Palace Software in 1985 for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC home computers. It contains both platform game and horizontally scrolling shooter sections. Players control a witch who aims to become the "Witch Queen" by defeating an enemy called the "Pumpking".

<i>Spindizzy</i> 1986 video game

Spindizzy is an isometric video game released for several 8-bit home computers in 1986 by Electric Dreams Software. It combines action and puzzle video game elements. Players must navigate a series of screens to explore a landscape suspended in a three-dimensional space. Development was headed by Paul Shirley, who drew inspiration from Ultimate Play the Game games that feature an isometric projection.

<i>Cauldron II: The Pumpkin Strikes Back</i> 1986 video game

Cauldron II: The Pumpkin Strikes Back is a video game developed and published by British developer Palace Software as a sequel to their 1985 game Cauldron. The 2D platform game was released in 1986 for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC home computers. Players control a bouncing pumpkin that is on a quest of vengeance against the "Witch Queen". The roles of the two were reversed from the first game, in which the witch defeated a monstrous pumpkin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filmation (game engine)</span> Video game graphics engine

Filmation is the name of the isometric graphics engine employed in a series of games developed by Ultimate Play the Game during the 1980s, primarily on the 8-bit ZX Spectrum platform, though various titles also appeared on the BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC, MSX and Commodore 64 platforms.

<i>Martianoids</i> 1987 video game

Martianoids is a ZX Spectrum video game developed by Ultimate Play the Game and released in 1987.

<i>Gyroscope</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Gyroscope is an action video game published by Melbourne House in 1985 for the Acorn Electron, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. It is based on the Atari Games arcade title Marble Madness. Melbourne House would go on to publish the official ports of Marble Madness for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC, but these were not based on Gyrosope.

<i>Fairlight</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Fairlight is an isometric projection arcade adventure video game developed by Bo Jangeborg and Jack Wilkes and released in 1985 on Softek's The Edge label. Developed in seven months, Jangeborg created the "Worldmaker" graphic development system to replicate the Filmation system used by Ultimate's Knight Lore. The game used code from a graphics utility he had developed in 1983, called Grax, which had also been the foundation of graphics package The Artist, published on Softek's SofTechnics label. Jack Wilkes contributed art assets towards the game, including enemy sprites and the title screen. A sequel, Fairlight II, was released in 1986.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Bourne, Chris (October 1985). "Nightshade review". Sinclair User . No. 43. p. 22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Nightshade review". Computer and Video Games . No. 49. November 1985. p. 22.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Irving, Philippa (October 1985). "Nightshade review". Crash . No. 21. p. 10.
  4. 1 2 "The Best of British – Ultimate". Crash . No. 51. April 1988. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  5. ↑ "Looking For An Old Angle". Crash . No. 51. April 1988. Retrieved 3 October 2006.
  6. ↑ "Game Design". Crash . No. 29. June 1986. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Nightshade overview". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "Nightshade overview (1985)" (in Russian). Igromania. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "Nightshade review". Computer Gamer . No. 7. October 1985. p. 67.
  10. 1 2 "Nightshade software review". Home Computing Weekly. No. 127. October 1985. p. 8.
  11. 1 2 3 "Enigmatic: Nightshade". Popular Computing Weekly . No. 13. 9 December 1985. p. 14.

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.