I'm posting this here because this is an excellent oldschool game that probably passed by many people because it was overshadowed by more popular games. If you're a hardcore collector like me, check this game out!
Realms of the Haunting is an obscure British first person adventure/horror game for the PC by Gremlin (better known for their other adventure game Normality... or maybe not; they were'nt exactly hot shit) and released in 1997. *While it starts out pretty corny featuring popular mid-90s grainy live action video and bad hairstyles, the writing of the game is solid, the story is excellent, and the atmosphere is engrossing even 9 years later. *It's a shame the game never caught on (damn you Final Fantasy 7!!!) because I know if I played this 10 years ago I would have enjoyed every moment of it.
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0001.jpg[/img]
The story is a throwback to classic Lovecraft with a more religious twist. *In the RotH universe, religion is a state of mind; Satan represents our evil personas while God represents the good. *This is personified by a mysterious object known as the Soulstone; it's a mysterious artifact which projects our "mental demons and angels" into the real world yet the biggest question of all is that the Soulstone was a creation in itself thus hinting at a greater intergalactic spirit yet to be discovered. *It's essentially a universal fail-safe designed to balance the mental spirits of the world; yet evil cannot exist without good and vice versa and this imbalance is exploited by the game's main villain.
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0004.jpg[/img]
You play as Adam Randall; a typical wide-eyed young adult similar to Gordon Freeman in that he has no military experience yet is highly athletic, level-headed, and skilled in all sorts of weaponry human and alien crafted. *His father died and he was mailed a broken artifact by an unknown sender. * You arrive at an abandoned mansion to discover what your father was researching and uncover the truth behind these events. *As you play, you encounter several characters including an angelic knight, a psychic madwoman who helps you in your quest, and even Belial; the ultimate evil played by David Learner (the voice for the Hitchiker's Guide's Marvin and a character on popular British show Knightmare).
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0007.jpg[/img]
While it's not outright SCARY, the game is very atmospheric. *The lighting, while primitive, is effective and hi-lights key points of the map design. *Sound plays an important role as many clues are cued from the ambient sound (there's even a disturbing voice-over a baby crying and a demon laughing that plays via a phonograph). *The game's puzzles, while not terribly difficult, require meticulous attention to detail and even the smallest oversight could lead to a major clue being missed. *Overall, everything pieces together and the storyline which is mostly revealed in discarded letters (as well as decent live-action video) brings out the game's unique design and atmosphere. * While it's not an outright action game, there are various weapons ranging from swords and shields, guns, and alien spirit weapons capable of mass destruction. *The monster designs are based on occult creatures with a more alien twist making them appear otherwordly as well as threatening.
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0008.jpg[/img]
Despite some wonky ass controls and Windows XP support, RotH is a worthwhile addition in any hardcore collection and serves as a testament to great game design which failed due to poor advertisement.
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0013.jpg[/img]
Pros:
-Rich atmosphere and storyline
-Unique environment based puzzles
-Very detailed and cinematic
-Incredible list of firearms both modern and spiritual
Cons:
-Controls take time to get used to
-Bad WinXP support even with DOSbox (hint: use VDMSound)
Final Score: 4/5 Lovecrafts
Where to Find:
Because it's an old game, the best place to find it is Amazon. *I got it there for 5.56 USD + 3 USD shipping. *Getting the complete boxed package is about $10 extra which isn't bad.
Website
The Officially Unofficial Website (where i stole my screenshots from)
Spiritual Successor of Sorts
If you liked this game or are interested but don't want to order it, go play Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth which is probably the single most frightening and adrenaline pumping game I've ever played. *It exhibits almost every A+ idea in game design and proves to be a masterpiece in terms of storytelling and atmosphere.
Realms of the Haunting is an obscure British first person adventure/horror game for the PC by Gremlin (better known for their other adventure game Normality... or maybe not; they were'nt exactly hot shit) and released in 1997. *While it starts out pretty corny featuring popular mid-90s grainy live action video and bad hairstyles, the writing of the game is solid, the story is excellent, and the atmosphere is engrossing even 9 years later. *It's a shame the game never caught on (damn you Final Fantasy 7!!!) because I know if I played this 10 years ago I would have enjoyed every moment of it.
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0001.jpg[/img]
The story is a throwback to classic Lovecraft with a more religious twist. *In the RotH universe, religion is a state of mind; Satan represents our evil personas while God represents the good. *This is personified by a mysterious object known as the Soulstone; it's a mysterious artifact which projects our "mental demons and angels" into the real world yet the biggest question of all is that the Soulstone was a creation in itself thus hinting at a greater intergalactic spirit yet to be discovered. *It's essentially a universal fail-safe designed to balance the mental spirits of the world; yet evil cannot exist without good and vice versa and this imbalance is exploited by the game's main villain.
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0004.jpg[/img]
You play as Adam Randall; a typical wide-eyed young adult similar to Gordon Freeman in that he has no military experience yet is highly athletic, level-headed, and skilled in all sorts of weaponry human and alien crafted. *His father died and he was mailed a broken artifact by an unknown sender. * You arrive at an abandoned mansion to discover what your father was researching and uncover the truth behind these events. *As you play, you encounter several characters including an angelic knight, a psychic madwoman who helps you in your quest, and even Belial; the ultimate evil played by David Learner (the voice for the Hitchiker's Guide's Marvin and a character on popular British show Knightmare).
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0007.jpg[/img]
While it's not outright SCARY, the game is very atmospheric. *The lighting, while primitive, is effective and hi-lights key points of the map design. *Sound plays an important role as many clues are cued from the ambient sound (there's even a disturbing voice-over a baby crying and a demon laughing that plays via a phonograph). *The game's puzzles, while not terribly difficult, require meticulous attention to detail and even the smallest oversight could lead to a major clue being missed. *Overall, everything pieces together and the storyline which is mostly revealed in discarded letters (as well as decent live-action video) brings out the game's unique design and atmosphere. * While it's not an outright action game, there are various weapons ranging from swords and shields, guns, and alien spirit weapons capable of mass destruction. *The monster designs are based on occult creatures with a more alien twist making them appear otherwordly as well as threatening.
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0008.jpg[/img]
Despite some wonky ass controls and Windows XP support, RotH is a worthwhile addition in any hardcore collection and serves as a testament to great game design which failed due to poor advertisement.
http://www.realmsofthehaunting.com/scre ... th0013.jpg[/img]
Pros:
-Rich atmosphere and storyline
-Unique environment based puzzles
-Very detailed and cinematic
-Incredible list of firearms both modern and spiritual
Cons:
-Controls take time to get used to
-Bad WinXP support even with DOSbox (hint: use VDMSound)
Final Score: 4/5 Lovecrafts
Where to Find:
Because it's an old game, the best place to find it is Amazon. *I got it there for 5.56 USD + 3 USD shipping. *Getting the complete boxed package is about $10 extra which isn't bad.
Website
The Officially Unofficial Website (where i stole my screenshots from)
Spiritual Successor of Sorts
If you liked this game or are interested but don't want to order it, go play Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth which is probably the single most frightening and adrenaline pumping game I've ever played. *It exhibits almost every A+ idea in game design and proves to be a masterpiece in terms of storytelling and atmosphere.