Wednesday 27 February 2008

Gods (Bitmap Brothers game)



Gods is an unusual title, in both senses. Its look is classic Bitmap Brothers - solid, shiny metallic sprites, firepower that soon becomes a meaningless blizzard, and quirky new interpretations of videogame steretypes. Back in 1991, platform games didn't need to be novel to go down well, but the tantalising classical elements to the plot may help to explain how it stormed across every available platform.




The avatar, who may or may not be Hercules (that catch-all mythical hero), has entered the domain of the gods in order to challenge their power. He fights through four worlds entitled City, Temple, Labyrinth and Underworld. Here's the manual text in full. It sounds post-apocalyptic or high-fantasy barbarian (for a decade, all Western-style warriors were Conan the Barbarian clones), but note the coy ambiguousness. Timeless means absolute; this is one way to achieve the videogame-hero imperative of making the player's actions the focus of the entire game-world's attention.


From the SNES manual:
A city lost in legend
An unconquered warrior seeking reward
A challenge laid down by the Gods
The greatest prize of all - immortality
4 great events combine to bring forth a burning legend
Relive that legend
Who would have thought that a man would be so foolish or so daring as to accept a challenge set down by the Gods? And yet one came forward to claim the right to test his skills and strengths against a city so legendary its name alone struck fear in the hearts of all who heard it spoken.
Firstly, let us talk of this city.
None can be sure that the city even exists for no one has ever seen it. It was build by the Gods, a plaything, great temples, hidden underworlds, fiendish labyrinths and soaring towers. It is a city stolen by the forces of darkness, the abode of nightmare hosts, the dwelling of fearsome monsters, the dominion of four great guardians.
Secondly, who is the hero?
Has anyone matched him in battle? No. Has he ever turned aside from his sole quest? Never. Is he not therefore a hero among heroes? Undoubtedly.
In his travels our warrior has become skilled in all the weapons of war; he is strong and unflinching. What of all the prizes of the world does he seek? He wishes to join those fickle masters of the human race - the Gods themselves.
Thirdly, I shall recount the challenge of the Gods. Were the Gods only joking when they laid their challenge? Uncaring and unthinking on Mount Olympus, they thought that no one would hear their rash words.
Any man may earn through skill and courage a single favor of the Gods, if he will face the fear of the ancient city and slay the four great guardians who have stolen our citadel from us.
Through their contempt for man did they not bring about their own undoing? For never before had such an untamed reward been offered to the mortals. But who from the ranks of man would face destruction at such odds? Surely none.
Only One.
Finally, what did the hero ask of the Gods.

Immortality breeds contempt and the Gods, so long uncaring for the events of man, know nothing of the exploits of our hero. He stands before them showing neither fear nor disdain and asks the Gods that should he return, fulfilling completely their quest, he will join them as an equal and a brother.
The horror, the impertinence, the mistake realized too late, the gateway lies open to their domain where no mortal man has ever trod before.
But the world of the Gods may not be broken and only the hope of the hero's failure comforts them as the warrior departs for the City of Legends, preparing to carve one more story on its walls...

Theseis

A number of games either set in, or themed on, the mythology of ancient Greece were in production in late 2007. Some didn't make it, and perhaps others are still to be picked out of the river during their arduous voyage to the spawning-grounds.

Let's hope that Theseis goes all the way. It's set in the present, with a mythical past drawing two hapless siblings into a land of adventure, featuring Charon, evil Romans, and a tough-looking Minotaur.



What sets this game apart (other than the discrepancy between its glorious FMV and clunky cut-scenes) is that it is being made in Greece. I have never heard of a blockbuster videogame from Greece. The dialogue is in Greek (ancient or modern? please tell me) and Latin.

If only the things that make this game shine weren't the things that endanger its marketability.