Again, it has been a while since I last managed to post something here. I decided to post about one of the video games I find positively brilliant. I have never been a game addict, although I did have a period of about a year at the end of my PhD studies when I tried out various games from throughout the history of gaming. The game I'm writing here about is actually one I tried more or less at the time when it came out, and it has been one of my favourites ever since.
I should really talk about a series of games really. The first MediEvil is from 1998, developed exclusively to the PSX console. It is a combination of many things that makes it unique. The story in a nutshell is as follows. Sir Daniel Fortesque, the hero of the story is a skeleton night, who was resurrected by his old enemy, the evil sorcerer Zarok around 1300. Fortesque then has to go through various levels to find and kill Zarok. Now, so far it may sound nothing special, but it as always, the devil hides in the detail. It is the details of realisation that are unique. The story is a medieval fantasy mixed with a gentle Gothic horror style similar perhaps to that of Tim Burton. It is also humorous sometimes, and never excessively morbid or overly depressive like a Lovecraftian horror game might be. The genre to my mind is just ideal. Labeled action-adventure, it is a mixture of both and at the same time without some of the disadvantages of either. Many action games focus on body count without any real atmosphere, while many adventure games are centred on the story and atmosphere without anything particular to do other than visiting locations and talking to other characters. MediEvil has everything that I find attractive in a fantasy of this kind and at the same time it does have a "platformer" side with some nice puzzles and quite a few zombies to slash. The characters include a wide selection of foes and allies combined into MediEvil's own mythology. It also has a very nice music and graphics. The letter is especially evident compared to any other PSX games I know, some of which may be technically more advanced, but I venture that few others use their resources as well as MediEvil does.
The second instalment, MediEvil 2 was made in 2000. It takes us from the middle ages to 19th century London, where hell breaks loose after Lord Palethorn finds the spell book of Zarok and unleashes an army of zombies on the city. It is up to Fortesque to stop him. It is I think fitting to continue a story that started out in the middle ages in another era that had a romantic longing for that same period. Especially since it allows to bring in the Gothic fantasy monsters of the 19th century, like Dracula and or elements of the Frankenstein story, or on a different note, Jack the Ripper himself. It also allows some update in the weaponry, which may now include early modern gadgets. There are fewer levels in this game, but these are longer and harder on average. In short, this sequel adds a lot to the original, while it still remains within the same general framework.
The last game in the series, MediEvil: Resurrection is really a remake of the first one with some elements from the second. It is however, quite a different game, made primarily for PSP. It is worth exploring, although it did loose some of its fantasy charm due primarily to an effort to make it funnier, I think.
I should really talk about a series of games really. The first MediEvil is from 1998, developed exclusively to the PSX console. It is a combination of many things that makes it unique. The story in a nutshell is as follows. Sir Daniel Fortesque, the hero of the story is a skeleton night, who was resurrected by his old enemy, the evil sorcerer Zarok around 1300. Fortesque then has to go through various levels to find and kill Zarok. Now, so far it may sound nothing special, but it as always, the devil hides in the detail. It is the details of realisation that are unique. The story is a medieval fantasy mixed with a gentle Gothic horror style similar perhaps to that of Tim Burton. It is also humorous sometimes, and never excessively morbid or overly depressive like a Lovecraftian horror game might be. The genre to my mind is just ideal. Labeled action-adventure, it is a mixture of both and at the same time without some of the disadvantages of either. Many action games focus on body count without any real atmosphere, while many adventure games are centred on the story and atmosphere without anything particular to do other than visiting locations and talking to other characters. MediEvil has everything that I find attractive in a fantasy of this kind and at the same time it does have a "platformer" side with some nice puzzles and quite a few zombies to slash. The characters include a wide selection of foes and allies combined into MediEvil's own mythology. It also has a very nice music and graphics. The letter is especially evident compared to any other PSX games I know, some of which may be technically more advanced, but I venture that few others use their resources as well as MediEvil does.
The last game in the series, MediEvil: Resurrection is really a remake of the first one with some elements from the second. It is however, quite a different game, made primarily for PSP. It is worth exploring, although it did loose some of its fantasy charm due primarily to an effort to make it funnier, I think.
