Azrael's Tear
Encyclopedia
Azrael's Tear is a first-person computer role-playing adventure game
published by Mindscape
and developed by Intelligent Games
. Taking place in 2001, the player takes on the role of a futuristic grave robber/archaeologist called a "raptor", who has come to explore a recently opened cavern in Scotland rumored to contain the Holy Grail
.
Ken Haywood produced the original concept for the game and worked with Intelligent Games's own Richard Guy on the final design. It was a richly detailed and atmospheric world with challenging puzzles.
The original design called for a Myst-style pre-rendered environment. As development progressed, the team switched to real-time 3D. The game features music written by Ray Shulman
and Kerry Minnear
, both former members of Gentle Giant
.
Just Adventure's Ray Ivey describes the game thus: "As I began to explore Aeternis, I was quickly mesmerized, thrilled, intrigued, and saddened by the incredible atmosphere in this creepy place. I explored mines, chapels, cathedrals, laboratories, libraries, and living quarters, all accompanied by a beautiful and evocative soundtrack that had a strong liturgical flavor (not to mention an extremely detailed and informative sound design)." Other reviewers criticised the game for having a complicated, difficult-to-learn user interface and for making some of the puzzles too difficult to complete.
Released in the UK the same week as Quake and, perhaps, suffering from an unmemorable name and a challenging user interface, Azrael's Tear was not a commercial success. However, project leader Matthew Stibbe said, in a presentation on the history of games, that it is the only game he produced that got fan mail.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
published by Mindscape
Mindscape
Mindscape is an international software publishing company, previously part of The Learning Company. They are now affiliated with EA . As of 2004, the group has offices in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. It has an annual turnover of €38 million and employs 150 people. Mindscape...
and developed by Intelligent Games
Intelligent Games
Intelligent Games was a UK-based video game developer. The company was founded by Matthew Stibbe in 1988. He left IG in July 2000. The company closed at the end of 2002.- Published titles :* Imperium * Nam 1965-1975...
. Taking place in 2001, the player takes on the role of a futuristic grave robber/archaeologist called a "raptor", who has come to explore a recently opened cavern in Scotland rumored to contain the Holy Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
.
Ken Haywood produced the original concept for the game and worked with Intelligent Games's own Richard Guy on the final design. It was a richly detailed and atmospheric world with challenging puzzles.
The original design called for a Myst-style pre-rendered environment. As development progressed, the team switched to real-time 3D. The game features music written by Ray Shulman
Ray Shulman
Raymond Shulman is a British musician, and the youngest of three brothers in progressive rock band, Gentle Giant.Born in Portsmouth, Shulman's father was a trumpet player in a jazz band, and that was the first instrument he learned to play...
and Kerry Minnear
Kerry Minnear
Kerry Minnear is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who played in the innovative progressive rock band Gentle Giant during the 1970s....
, both former members of Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant
Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band was known for the complexity and sophistication of its music and for the varied musical skills of its members. All of the band members, except the first two drummers, were multi-instrumentalists...
.
Just Adventure's Ray Ivey describes the game thus: "As I began to explore Aeternis, I was quickly mesmerized, thrilled, intrigued, and saddened by the incredible atmosphere in this creepy place. I explored mines, chapels, cathedrals, laboratories, libraries, and living quarters, all accompanied by a beautiful and evocative soundtrack that had a strong liturgical flavor (not to mention an extremely detailed and informative sound design)." Other reviewers criticised the game for having a complicated, difficult-to-learn user interface and for making some of the puzzles too difficult to complete.
Released in the UK the same week as Quake and, perhaps, suffering from an unmemorable name and a challenging user interface, Azrael's Tear was not a commercial success. However, project leader Matthew Stibbe said, in a presentation on the history of games, that it is the only game he produced that got fan mail.