Garshasp: The Monster Slayer
Encyclopedia
Garshasp: The Monster Slayer is a third person action-adventure
video game developed by Dead Mage Inc. for Microsoft Windows
and Linux
. The story and the game are based on the adventures of the mythological Persian monster-slayer Garshasp
. It was developed by Dead Mage based on an earlier project by the now defunct Fanafzar Sharif Game Studios.
Garshasp was released for Windows independently online on May 8, 2011, and was released through the Steam
and GamersGate
services a day later. Upon release the game received mixed reviews, although it was consistently praised as an ambitious endeavor for an independent developer
. Dead Mage are currently in the process of porting the game to Linux.
game, taking place in mythological ancient Persia, in a world occupied by monsters and Deevs. The game focuses mainly on combat with large weapons and heavy combo moves. Platforming and puzzle solving also play a major role in the game play style.
Garshasp has the ability to jump, double jump, and dodge as well as unleash light and heavy attacks. These attacks can be executed in certain orders allowing for several different maneuvers which vary in combat strength and character animation. As the game progresses Garshasp can also accumulate further levels of experience which can further unlock new attacks.
The more attacks the player engages in also subsequently raises Garshasp's Rage meter, enabling the player to execute stronger combos. Garshasp can also dispatch weaker enemies through an action resulting in an instant kill, which is useful for dispatching large amounts of enemies. Stronger foes can also be felled in this manner, although they first must be weakened by conventional attacks.
Damage to the player may be healed by various blue orbs mounted on pedestals that are scattered throughout the game environment. There are also red orbs that can grant the player experience boosts. The game offers no external control of the camera view, with the game itself programmed to orient the world based on the current action or event taking place.
The games puzzle solving element mostly consists of the player opening new areas by hitting switches or levers as well as several environmental challenges, including several scenes where Garshasp must use his sword to assist in a controlled descent down a vertical surface, as well as more traditional platformer elements.
) by Fereydun
in Mount Damavand
, the evil Deevs who were the commanders in the army of darkness led by Azhi Dahaka rose again in different parts of the ancient lands of Khunirath and rebelled against the humans who were celebrating the victory of the army of light. Each Deev formed a colony of its own and continued on bringing suffering to the human race.
Hitasp, the Golden Crown, who possessed numerous deadly magical skills, was among these Deevs and was seeking to build up its empire in the rocky lands of Faranbagh in Hara Berezaiti
. Siavoshgard, the legendary village that had been the home of many Pahlavans was raided by Hitasp and his followers and in the battle, Garshasp’s brother, Oroxia, was killed while defending his ancestral home.
Garshasp, the monster slayer and a grand son of Jamshid
, starts out pursuing revenge for his brother’s blood by a journey towards the Hitasp's stronghold only to find out that something much more important has been taken in the raid of Siavoshgard and Garshasp’s bravery is to play a big role in the destiny of the world...
ian developers under the name of Fanafzar Sharif Game Studios. Fanafzar used mainly free software
tools to develop Garshasp, including the OGRE engine, OpenAL
library, Boost C++ Libraries, and WxWidgets
. Development on the game was later moved out of Iran, with the game being completed by the Texan
studio Dead Mage. The game was unveiled with its new title, Garshasp: The Monster Slayer, in April 2011. The game was released online for Microsoft Windows
on May 8, 2011 and was made available through the Steam
and GamersGate
services on May 9, 2011. The developers are currently porting the game to Linux, and are also considering a port to the XBox Live Arcade
. A retail version is going to be made available on May 31, 2011 by the German
publisher Just A Game.
clone, he thought that the game was too easy and had a few rough edges, stating in conclusion that "imitating a great game does not make a great game". He did however note that it "does succeed in raising the bar on what an independent development studio is capable of delivering." GameSpot
gave the game a mediocre rating of only 5.0, stating that the game demonstrates "impressive feats for a $19.99 independent release" but also commenting that it's "price is attached to a four-hour game that only partially makes good on its potential." Rock, Paper, Shotgun
commented that Dead Mage had "obviously worked hard to get the game to this level" and that they "like the way the game is themed and presented", but also complained that it is "the kind of game that ends up looking weak by comparison to its high-budget peers."
Player Affinity gave the game only a 4.0/10 score, defending the low rating by stating that the game is "an excellent first try from an up-and-coming studio, but it also manages to fall short on several key aspects. These problems, unfortunately, mortally handicap what could have been a moderately enjoyable experience." ZTGD rated the game with a slightly more optimistic 5.5/10 score, mostly complaining about gameplay and performance bugs, but also noted that Dead Mage were working on a patch to hopefully solve some of these issues. Game Interface gave the game a considerably more positive score of 7.5/10, commenting that "Garshasp is a great title for under $20" as well as stating that it is "evident Dead Mage were intent on putting out a quality product within their limitations. It certainly raises the bar for what indie game studios can produce, but still falls short of major studio releases in a couple areas." HalfBeard's HUD gave the game 3 out of 5 stars, stating that "Garshasp is a more than adequate representation of character action games and while it may not be anything special if you’re a fan of this genre you’ll get some enjoyment out of it.
Cross Platform Gamers described the game by saying that it was "an entertaining game even though some parts of the game made me want to toss it out the window." Digitally Downloaded enjoyed the game, but stressed the need for a gamepad
or similar console
styled controller, saying that it "really deserves to be played on a format that this kind of game was custom built for." Mobile Computing News decided that the game has "lots of potential, but only provides four hours of fun which can be hindered by some annoying glitches." Cheat Code Central
gave the game a rating of 2.7/5, although it did make a point of commenting that it is "a credit to Dead Mage Inc. that with a tiny staff and big ambitions, they created a $20 product that in some ways rivals big-budget hack-and-slash games." NoobFeed gave the game a rating of 65/100, warning about a few annoying aspects but also adding that "what Garshasp lacks in execution, at least it makes up for in gusto." In summing up, the reviewer also stated that he had high hopes for the game's developer, stating that "the real intrigue lays with the anticipation of Dead Mage Studio’s next game. Garshasp showed the world what they’re capable of, one can only imagine what that may result in time, with a lot more resources and effort put into it.
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game developed by Dead Mage Inc. for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
. The story and the game are based on the adventures of the mythological Persian monster-slayer Garshasp
Garshasp
Garshāsp is the name of a monster-slaying hero in Iranian mythology. The Avestan form of his name is Kərəsāspa and in Middle Persian his name is Kirsāsp.-Kərəsāspa / Kirsāsp in Zoroastrian literature:...
. It was developed by Dead Mage based on an earlier project by the now defunct Fanafzar Sharif Game Studios.
Garshasp was released for Windows independently online on May 8, 2011, and was released through the Steam
Steam (content delivery)
Steam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation. It is used to distribute games and related media online, from small independent developers to larger software houses...
and GamersGate
GamersGate
GamersGate AB is a Sweden-based online video game store offering PC games, Mac games and electronic guides via direct download. It is a competitor to online video game services such as Valve's Steam, Direct2Drive and Impulse....
services a day later. Upon release the game received mixed reviews, although it was consistently praised as an ambitious endeavor for an independent developer
Independent video game development
Independent video game development is the process of creating video games without the financial support of a video game publisher. While large firms can create independent games, they are usually designed by an individual or a small team of as many as ten people, depending on the complexity of the...
. Dead Mage are currently in the process of porting the game to Linux.
Gameplay
Garshasp: The Monster Slayer is a third person action-adventureAction-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
game, taking place in mythological ancient Persia, in a world occupied by monsters and Deevs. The game focuses mainly on combat with large weapons and heavy combo moves. Platforming and puzzle solving also play a major role in the game play style.
Garshasp has the ability to jump, double jump, and dodge as well as unleash light and heavy attacks. These attacks can be executed in certain orders allowing for several different maneuvers which vary in combat strength and character animation. As the game progresses Garshasp can also accumulate further levels of experience which can further unlock new attacks.
The more attacks the player engages in also subsequently raises Garshasp's Rage meter, enabling the player to execute stronger combos. Garshasp can also dispatch weaker enemies through an action resulting in an instant kill, which is useful for dispatching large amounts of enemies. Stronger foes can also be felled in this manner, although they first must be weakened by conventional attacks.
Damage to the player may be healed by various blue orbs mounted on pedestals that are scattered throughout the game environment. There are also red orbs that can grant the player experience boosts. The game offers no external control of the camera view, with the game itself programmed to orient the world based on the current action or event taking place.
The games puzzle solving element mostly consists of the player opening new areas by hitting switches or levers as well as several environmental challenges, including several scenes where Garshasp must use his sword to assist in a controlled descent down a vertical surface, as well as more traditional platformer elements.
Story
Years after the confinement of Azhi Dahaka (ZahhakZahhak
Zahhāk or Zohhāk is an evil figure in Iranian mythology, evident in ancient Iranian folklore as Aži Dahāka, the name by which he also appears in the texts of the Avesta...
) by Fereydun
Fereydun
Fereydūn also pronounced Farīdūn or Afrīdūn , also called Apam Napat, "Son of the Waters", is the name of an Iranian mythical king and hero who is an emblem of victory, justice and generosity in the Persian literature.-Etymology:All of the forms of...
in Mount Damavand
Mount Damavand
Mount Damāvand also known as Donbavand, a potentially active volcano and the highest peak in Iran, has a special place in Persian mythology and folklore...
, the evil Deevs who were the commanders in the army of darkness led by Azhi Dahaka rose again in different parts of the ancient lands of Khunirath and rebelled against the humans who were celebrating the victory of the army of light. Each Deev formed a colony of its own and continued on bringing suffering to the human race.
Hitasp, the Golden Crown, who possessed numerous deadly magical skills, was among these Deevs and was seeking to build up its empire in the rocky lands of Faranbagh in Hara Berezaiti
Hara Berezaiti
Harā Bərəzaitī, literally meaning "High Watchpost", is the name given in the Avestan language to a legendary mountain around which the stars and planets revolve.-Etymology and derived names:...
. Siavoshgard, the legendary village that had been the home of many Pahlavans was raided by Hitasp and his followers and in the battle, Garshasp’s brother, Oroxia, was killed while defending his ancestral home.
Garshasp, the monster slayer and a grand son of Jamshid
Jamshid
Jamshid is a mythological figure of Greater Iranian culture and tradition.In tradition and folklore, Jamshid is described as having been the fourth and greatest king of the epigraphically unattested Pishdadian dynasty . This role is already alluded to in Zoroastrian scripture Jamshid (Middle-...
, starts out pursuing revenge for his brother’s blood by a journey towards the Hitasp's stronghold only to find out that something much more important has been taken in the raid of Siavoshgard and Garshasp’s bravery is to play a big role in the destiny of the world...
Development
Development on the game took place over three years originally by a team of IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian developers under the name of Fanafzar Sharif Game Studios. Fanafzar used mainly free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
tools to develop Garshasp, including the OGRE engine, OpenAL
OpenAL
OpenAL is a cross-platform audio API. It is designed for efficient rendering of multichannel three dimensional positional audio. Its API style and conventions deliberately resemble those of OpenGL.- History :...
library, Boost C++ Libraries, and WxWidgets
WxWidgets
wxWidgets is a widget toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces for cross-platform applications. wxWidgets enables a program's GUI code to compile and run on several computer platforms with minimal or no code changes...
. Development on the game was later moved out of Iran, with the game being completed by the Texan
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
studio Dead Mage. The game was unveiled with its new title, Garshasp: The Monster Slayer, in April 2011. The game was released online for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
on May 8, 2011 and was made available through the Steam
Steam (content delivery)
Steam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation. It is used to distribute games and related media online, from small independent developers to larger software houses...
and GamersGate
GamersGate
GamersGate AB is a Sweden-based online video game store offering PC games, Mac games and electronic guides via direct download. It is a competitor to online video game services such as Valve's Steam, Direct2Drive and Impulse....
services on May 9, 2011. The developers are currently porting the game to Linux, and are also considering a port to the XBox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
. A retail version is going to be made available on May 31, 2011 by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
publisher Just A Game.
Reception
Garshasp: The Monster Slayer received a rating of 6.5/10 from Default Prime. While the reviewer praised it as a competent God of WarGod of War (series)
God of War is a series of action-adventure video games based on Greek mythology.The main trilogy—God of War I, II, & III—in the series were developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division , with Ready at Dawn Studios developing the PSP and Javaground the mobile phone installment...
clone, he thought that the game was too easy and had a few rough edges, stating in conclusion that "imitating a great game does not make a great game". He did however note that it "does succeed in raising the bar on what an independent development studio is capable of delivering." 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...
gave the game a mediocre rating of only 5.0, stating that the game demonstrates "impressive feats for a $19.99 independent release" but also commenting that it's "price is attached to a four-hour game that only partially makes good on its potential." Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
Rock, Paper, Shotgun is a UK-based PC gaming blog written by Alec Meer, Jim Rossignol, John Walker, and previously Kieron Gillen and Quintin Smith. Rock, Paper, Shotgun launched in July 2007. In 2010 the website partnered with Eurogamer...
commented that Dead Mage had "obviously worked hard to get the game to this level" and that they "like the way the game is themed and presented", but also complained that it is "the kind of game that ends up looking weak by comparison to its high-budget peers."
Player Affinity gave the game only a 4.0/10 score, defending the low rating by stating that the game is "an excellent first try from an up-and-coming studio, but it also manages to fall short on several key aspects. These problems, unfortunately, mortally handicap what could have been a moderately enjoyable experience." ZTGD rated the game with a slightly more optimistic 5.5/10 score, mostly complaining about gameplay and performance bugs, but also noted that Dead Mage were working on a patch to hopefully solve some of these issues. Game Interface gave the game a considerably more positive score of 7.5/10, commenting that "Garshasp is a great title for under $20" as well as stating that it is "evident Dead Mage were intent on putting out a quality product within their limitations. It certainly raises the bar for what indie game studios can produce, but still falls short of major studio releases in a couple areas." HalfBeard's HUD gave the game 3 out of 5 stars, stating that "Garshasp is a more than adequate representation of character action games and while it may not be anything special if you’re a fan of this genre you’ll get some enjoyment out of it.
Cross Platform Gamers described the game by saying that it was "an entertaining game even though some parts of the game made me want to toss it out the window." Digitally Downloaded enjoyed the game, but stressed the need for a gamepad
Gamepad
A gamepad , is a type of game controller held in two hands, where the digits are used to provide input. Gamepads generally feature a set of action buttons handled with the right thumb and a direction controller handled with the left...
or similar console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
styled controller, saying that it "really deserves to be played on a format that this kind of game was custom built for." Mobile Computing News decided that the game has "lots of potential, but only provides four hours of fun which can be hindered by some annoying glitches." Cheat Code Central
Cheat Code Central
Cheat Code Central is a video game website primarily known for its extensive list of cheat codes. Cheat Code Central, also known as CCC and CheatCC, offers previews, reviews, news, and various articles on the gaming industry...
gave the game a rating of 2.7/5, although it did make a point of commenting that it is "a credit to Dead Mage Inc. that with a tiny staff and big ambitions, they created a $20 product that in some ways rivals big-budget hack-and-slash games." NoobFeed gave the game a rating of 65/100, warning about a few annoying aspects but also adding that "what Garshasp lacks in execution, at least it makes up for in gusto." In summing up, the reviewer also stated that he had high hopes for the game's developer, stating that "the real intrigue lays with the anticipation of Dead Mage Studio’s next game. Garshasp showed the world what they’re capable of, one can only imagine what that may result in time, with a lot more resources and effort put into it.