Clive Barker's Undying is a horror-themed first-person shooter

First-person shooter

First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...

 video game based on the Unreal Tournament game engine

Unreal Engine

The Unreal Engine is a game engine developed by Epic Games, first illustrated in the 1998 first-person shooter game Unreal. Although primarily developed for first-person shooters, it has been successfully used in a variety of other genres, including stealth, MMORPGs and RPGs...

. It was the last game developed by DreamWorks Interactive before becoming EA Los Angeles

EA Los Angeles

EA Los Angeles is a video game developer founded originally in 1995 as DreamWorks Interactive LLC, a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG....

, and released in 2001 by Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...

. Noted horror author Clive Barker

Clive Barker

Clive Barker is an English author, film director and visual artist best known for his work in both fantasy and horror fiction. Barker came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories which established him as a leading young horror writer...

 was consulted in shaping the game's plot and background story and also provided the voice of Ambrose, a character in the game.

Undying follows the adventures of 1920s Irish paranormal

Paranormal

Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...

 adventurer Patrick Galloway as he investigates the mysterious occult

Occult

The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...

 happenings at the estate of his friend Jeremiah Covenant.

Plot

The game begins in 1923, after World War I veteran Patrick Galloway receives an urgent letter from his friend Jeremiah Covenant. Covenant, well aware of Galloway's reputation for dealing with occult matters, is in failing health and raves about a curse that has destroyed his entire family. Galloway travels to the Covenant estate on the coast of Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 to visit his friend, who relates an outlandish tale of supernatural

Supernatural

The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...

 terrors.

Jeremiah Covenant is one of five children, along with his siblings Ambrose, Lizbeth, and twins Aaron and Bethany. As children, the Covenants found a strange occult

Occult

The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...

 book in their father's library and performed a ritual found within at an ancient set of standing stones located on an island on their family's extensive estate. This seemingly childish game however, brought the wrath of evil forces upon the family. After reaching adulthood, the Covenants fell one by one into madness and then death, eventually leaving Jeremiah as the only survivor. The power of the curse, however, has reanimated his fallen brothers and sisters as monsters of pure evil; they have been haunting Jeremiah and he fears that he will soon follow where they have gone.

Galloway decides to honor his friend's wishes by trying to stop whatever was set in motion long ago at the ancient stones where the ritual was performed. Through the Covenants' journals and Galloway's own memories, the player learns more about the nature of the curse and the creature behind it: The Undying King, a powerful demonic presence threatening to destroy the reality we inhabit.

While attempting to prevent the Undying King from entering our world, Patrick must face off against the four undead

Undead

Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...

 Covenant siblings as well as Otto Keisinger, an evil rival who simply wants to gain power from the demonic forces.

Characters

• Patrick Galloway - The protagonist of the game, and playable character. Galloway served along with his best friend Jeremiah Covenant during World War I, where Jeremiah saved his life. Repaying his life debt to Jeremiah, he visits the Covenant estate to learn the terrible secret of Jeremiah's siblings. He pursues, in turn, each of the siblings. First, he ventures after Lizbeth, then Ambrose, then Aaron and finally Bethany. After he battles each sibling, he beheads them with an ancient weapon "The Scythe of The Celt", apparently the only weapon which can permanently kill them. He also pursues his arch-nemesis, Count Otto Keisinger, who had Galloway exiled from his home land for reasons unknown. He is a heroic character, and extremely loyal to his dying friend. At the climax of the game, Galloway is deceived by Jeremiah, and he brutally executes him for his treachery, before facing the Guardian. At the end of the game, Galloway is mortally wounded from his encounter with the Guardian, but is in a way saved by a mysterious robed pagan (presumably Keisinger) who snatches the Gel'zibar stone, an ancient pagan artifact, from his neck, and leaves him to drift about the sea, back to the shores of the Covenant estate.

• Jeremiah - The oldest son of the Covenant family, he saved Patrick's life during World War I. He is partially responsible for the curse that plagues his family. His health is deteriorating rapidly. Jeremiah is the one who calls Patrick to his estate, in the hope that he will be able to lift the terrible curse from his family. He is Patrick Galloway's best friend. He is decapitated by Ambrose while bargaining the Gel'zibar stone from Patrick. However, in the climax of the game, he reveals that he died saving Patrick's life from Trsanti during the War but like his siblings succumbed to the family curse and became undead. In his after life form he seeks the Gel'zibar stone to drain the powers of the Undying King so that he can shape the world into his own image, only to be decapitated for his deception.

• Aaron - The artist of the family and Bethany's twin brother. He paints gruesome, dark paintings of twisted creatures and alien landscapes. Some of the places Patrick visits in the game are present in Aaron's paintings (ex.Oneiros). He was a well-traveled man, a worldly pleasure-seeker who took to using mind-altering drugs in an attempt to disassociate himself from the family curse. Aaron mysteriously disappeared from the estate and was presumed dead. Though the twins have a strong sibling rivalry, Bethany claimed she had nothing to do with her brother's disappearance though this is later revealed to be a lie when evidence clearly indicates that she murdered her brother and removed his jaw, which has led to Aaron's restless spirit wandering the manor. He is portrayed as a rotting corpse, or zombie, strung up by bladed chains and hooks. His cause of death is a mystery but it is suspected that Aaron was tortured to death - several comments made by Aaron during his chapter of the game hint that he was eaten alive by rats after having been skinned, tied and abandoned beneath the mansion. He also has the ability to create illusions, taunting Galloway with it throughout the game. Galloway battles with Aaron, first hacking off his arm, and finally decapitating him.

• Bethany - The twin sister of Aaron, she is hungry for power and interested in magic and occultism. She accepted the help of Otto Keisinger, in order to learn more and develop, but he killed her after he gained enough power of his own and left for Oneiros. Bethany also had a greenhouse, in which she worked twisted experiments. Bethany is portrayed as a horned demonic witch residing in an alternate dimension known as Eternal Autumn. Galloway faces her last of the siblings, decapitating her.

• Lizbeth - The youngest and the most beautiful of the Covenants, she is very fond of literature. She is also considered to be the socialite of the family. Her mother died birthing her, and a servant reflects that Lizbeth has suffered since she never had a mother's influence. Lizbeth is killed by a wasting disease at the age of seventeen. In her afterlife form, she is accompanied by strange, beast-like animals called Howlers. Lizbeth is portrayed as a vampire in a shredded bridal-gown, and the first of the siblings to be slain. She is eventually decapitated by Galloway, and in a moment of humor, her still verbal head is slapped, lit on fire and thrown off the side of a cliff.

• Ambrose - He is considered to be the black sheep of the family. He had a passion for weapons, a powerful desire for independence from other authority, and an extremely quick temper, a mix which results in his childhood delinquency and eventual criminal habits. He killed his father with a pool cue and left to join a band of pirates. He supposedly jumped off a cliff to escape the police. Ambrose is the second to be slain by Galloway. Ambrose is shown as a pirate with peeling, hollow skin, though when united with the power of the Gezabar stone, he transforms into a gigantic, hideous ogre. He is also decapitated by Galloway. Ambrose is voiced by Clive Barker.

• Count Otto Keisinger - Galloway's arch-nemesis. He is a powerful pagan wizard who has claimed a new kingdom in the hellish plane of Oneiros, an airy realm of disconnected chunks of ancient ruins floating in an endless sky. He was responsible for Galloway's exile from his homeland. It is through Patrick's recollections and the occasional written document from Keisinger that Patrick's leaving Ireland is connected with the murder of a young girl, and it is implied that Otto may have committed the crime and framed Patrick for her death, forcing him to become a fugitive. Otto was tutor, lover and ultimately slayer of the now powerful and undead Bethany. His lair in Oneiros is somehow connected to the Covenant estate, and it is from here that certain kinds of the strange creatures infesting the Covenant estate invade. Galloway pursues Keisinger into Oneiros, where he confronts his old nemesis and battles to the death. Galloway manages to mortally wound him, and Keisinger plunges into the abyss of Oneiros to his supposed end. However, at the end of the game, a robed man lifts a wounded Patrick Galloway onto his boat and takes the Gel'zibar stone off him, saying they will meet again in a voice much like Keisinger's, indicating that he is presumably Keisinger. One of the game developers, in a Q&A session with fans, did confirm that the individual who saves Patrick at the end of the game is Keisinger.

• Eveline - The mother of the five Covenant children, she died giving birth to Lizbeth. She was a deep, reflective person, with great concern for all of her children. She is kept in an undead state in Lizbeth's lair and killing Lizbeth will allow Eveline to finally pass away into the other world and rest in peace, but not before she opens a secret door in Lizbeth's tomb to help Patrick out on his mission.

• Sedgewick - The lighthouse keeper on the island, whose son Conor was killed by the Trsanti, who he assisted breaking into the Covenant manor so as to save his own life. When confronted, he will give Patrick some supplies and some info on where he can find the Trsanti, leading to Patrick's first encounter with Ambrose. It is revealed through journal entries that his son Conor was actually the best friend of Ambrose while growing up, and in a moment when Conor tried to oppose Ambrose, Ambrose killed him.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Undying in general follows the precepts of the first-person shooter

First-person shooter

First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...

 genre. The game simulates the main character's

Player character

A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...

 (Patrick Galloway's) point of view for the player, who utilizes a variety of weapons to defeat enemies within the game while making his or her way through a series of levels. As with most FPSs, Galloway has a certain amount of health, represented by a cross symbol and corresponding number at the bottom center-left of the screen. Each time the player is hurt by an enemy the health number is continually reduced until it reaches zero, at which point Galloway dies - an event which is usually marked by a third-person cut scene which shows his gruesome final moments. To prevent this, health can be replenished when low using health packs. Patrick's maximum health can also be permanently increased at certain points during the game.

Another aspect of the gameplay of Undying - and one which makes it somewhat similar in terms of ambience to traditional computer role-playing games - is that along with its set of offensive weapons, the player is able to utilize a wide range of magical spells. Spells consume a certain amount of Galloway's magical energy, or "Mana

Mana

Mana is an indigenous Pacific islander concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people, animals, and inanimate objects. The word is a cognate in many Oceanic languages, including Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian....

", which is represented by a flask

Laboratory flask

Laboratory flasks are vessels which fall into the category of laboratory equipment known as glassware. In laboratory and other scientific settings, they are usually referred to simply as flasks...

 icon and corresponding number on the bottom center-right of the screen. This energy slowly regenerates itself over time. Magical tatto pickups called "Arcane Whorls" permanently increase mana regeneration rate, while amulets called "Mana Wells" increase maximum mana by 10 up to 200. Once the player acquires a spell, it may be boosted in power each time the gamer finds an "Amplifier Stone", which are purple glowing crystals scattered throughout levels of the game. The player can simultaneously wield weapons in his left hand and cast magical spells with his right; the power of both the weapons and the spells increase accordingly as the game progresses.

Also, as is common with first-person shooters, combat is interspersed with simple puzzle-solving elements which usually involve overcoming an obstacle (such as a locked door) which impedes the player's progress through the game. Along with the usual "find the key" solution, the player is also often required to engage in conversation with non-player characters, or utilize a certain spell (usually the "Scrye" spell) in order to find out how to proceed.

Weapons

The weapon

Weapon

A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...

s in Undying are quite varied, ranging from standard first-person shooter fare to the supernatural. The more conventional weaponry include such standbys as a revolver

Revolver

A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...

, double-barreled shotgun

Double-barreled shotgun

A double-barreled shotgun is a shotgun or combination gun with two parallel barrels, allowing two shots to be fired in quick succession.-Construction:...

, and Molotov cocktails. Along with these, the player is also given access to a number of more fantastic weapons, such as Phoenix eggs

Phoenix (mythology)

The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....

 (which release explosive missile

Missile

Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...

-like birds), the powerful demonic melee

Mêlée

Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....

 weapon called the "Scythe

Scythe

A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...

 of the Celt", and the dragon-like "Tibet

Tibet

Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...

an War Cannon

Cannon

A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...

".

Notably, most weapons feature both primary and secondary firing settings (e.g. the secondary fire of the speargun

Speargun

A speargun is an underwater fishing implement designed to fire a spear at fish.The basic components of a speargun are:A spear, a stock/barrel, and a handle/grip containing a trigger mechanism...

 is a zoom

Zoom lens

A zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements for which the focal length can be varied, as opposed to a fixed focal length lens...

ed mode similar to a sniper rifle

Sniper rifle

In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...

). Some weapons also feature more than one kind of ammunition

Ammunition

Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...

, such as the revolver, which is able to use both standard lead cartridges, as well as silver bullet

Silver bullet

In folklore, the silver bullet is supposed to be the only kind of bullet for firearms that is effective against a werewolf, witch, or other monsters...

s for added damage.

Spells

Along with its many weapons, Undying also features a number of spells, both offensive and defensive, useful for defeating in-game enemies. These include ranged attack spells such as "Ectoplasm" and "Skull Storm", the latter of which unleashes a number of burning skull

Skull

The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...

s at an enemy. Non-combat magic abilities include such powers as "Haste", which greatly increases player speed, "Shield

Shield

A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....

" which envelops the player in a protective translucent screen, and "Scrye", a clairvoyant ability which enables Galloway to psychically see past events and other visions.

All spells can be upgraded throughout the game using amplifier crystals found throughout most levels. Spells are also boosted by one level when the player wields the Gel'ziabar Stone while casting.

Multiplayer

Undying lacks any form of multiplayer, including cooperative play

Cooperative gameplay

Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...

 or online play. The game was originally planned to ship with a multiplayer aspect, but given time constraints it was later to be relegated to a post-release patch. With the poor sales performance of Undying, however, even this belated implementation was never realized.

Development

Originally, the protagonist of the game was to be "Count Magnus Wolfram", a tattoo

Tattoo

A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...

ed man with superhuman strength and supernatural abilities. Barker himself rejected this idea, noting that the more normal, down-to-earth Patrick Galloway would be easier to relate to for the average gamer. Wolfram's character model plays a small part in the finished product, however. He is the Trsanti shaman who attacks a younger Galloway with the Gel'ziabar Stone in the opening cutscene flashback.

Critical response

Clive Barker's Undying was in general very well received by critics, with it receiving an average of 85 on Metacritic

Metacritic

Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...

. The game won GameSpot

GameSpot

GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...

's "Best game that no one played" award.

Sales

Undying was critically well-received, but sold poorly with sales so low that announced plans for a multiplayer

Multiplayer game

A multiplayer video game is one which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time. Unlike most other games, computer and video games are often single-player activities that put the player against preprogrammed challenges and/or AI-controlled opponents, which often...

patch were abandoned. Console versions of the game were also cancelled, and EA and Brady Bell reportedly shelved the idea of a sequel.

External links

• Standing Stones a fansite
• www.clivebarker.com
• http://www.undyingitalia.it/public/