Gauntlet: Dark Legacy
Encyclopedia
Gauntlet Dark Legacy, released in arcades in 2000 and in 2001 for PlayStation 2
and in 2002 for Game Boy Advance
, GameCube
and Xbox
, is an expansion of the previous title in the series, Gauntlet Legends
. The expansion adds four new character classes: Dwarf, Knight, Jester, and Sorceress, and five new levels: Dream Realm, Sky Realm, Forest Realm, Forsaken Province, and the Battlegrounds; with the old Town Realm (also known as Twinion) from Gauntlet Legends being broken down into Forsaken Province, and the Sky Realm. It also adds a large number of secret characters, some of which can be unlocked in the game, others only accessible by entering specific cheat codes.
The game is divided up into worlds, each containing a number of levels, all accessible from Sumner's tower.
The player's first objective is to beat all the levels, vanquishing the bosses of the 8 originally available worlds. The player must collect crystals scattered about the levels to deactivate Sumner's protective shielding and gain access to new worlds and more levels. Upon defeating the bosses, the stained-glass window is slowly restored, and the light pouring from it reveals a special portal in the tower. This portal takes the player to the 9th world, the Desecrated Temple. The player must fight his or her way through a single level packed with enemies. Upon exiting the player is automatically transported to Skorne's chamber, with no stop for break in between. Here the player has to defeat the demon Skorne. After defeating him, he retreats into the Underworld. The player must then collect 13 Runestones from the previous 8 worlds. Once that is accomplished, their power reveals another special portal in the tower, leading the player into the 10th world, the Underworld. There, after beating a single level, the player is automatically transported to the battle with True Skorne . The player defeats True Skorne, banishing him from the eight realms forever. But the war is not over. Garm absorbs the fading remnants of Skorne's power, becoming a huge, immensely powerful statue of Skorne. He forms an army and unleashes an assault upon Sumner's tower. The player's final goal is to beat the 11th and final world, the Battlegrounds. After beating the third level of this world and collecting the 13th Runestone that is hidden within it, the fourth and final special portal is revealed in the tower. This portal takes the player to Garm's Citadel, where the final battle of the game takes place.
In addition, each set of characters has a special power they can use when they use magic potions at a certain level of experience.
The wizard Sumner is also available to be played after being unlocked in one of the final levels of the game.
The way a player uses items is also relatively the same as in the first game. The player can gather items from the levels, and then activate them when they please. The items provide benefits and disappear within a set time. In Dark Legacy, items (with the exception of Magic Potions, items that allow the player to use magic in a radius or as a shield) are activated the moment they are obtained with the same duration needing intervention from the player to turn them off in the item menu. They can then be accessed at will. More items are available in the shop in Dark Legacy (with very high prices) and the old items' prices were changed. This places more emphasis on the decision of what item to buy, as usually the player can only afford one or two. Items bought in the shop between levels are activated as soon as the player enters another level and need to be toggled on or off at the players discretion.
In Dark Legacy, the player has the added abilities of blocking, charging, and strafing. Strafing allows the player to constantly face one direction and fire medium-speed attacks. Blocking causes the player's character to stand still in a defensive position for a second or two. Any melee attacks made against the player are negated or do significantly less damage. Charging makes the player run forward with his weapon functioning like a lance
while simultaneously blocking. The player can kill the enemies ahead of him while blocking their attacks. However, charging does consume a bit of the turbo gauge each time it is used.
However, the game still has identifiable roots with the original Gauntlet games. The way to go about most levels is to simply run along a designated path, decimating enemies before they can kill you. Like Gauntlet and Gauntlet II, enemies spawn from Generators. Only when the Generator is destroyed will the enemies stop spawning. Some Generators will take multiple hits to destroy; as the Generator is weakened, it will spawn less powerful enemies, until it is destroyed completely. There are some, but very few, levels that have a maze-like aspect to them, and are thus hard to navigate to the exit. Most levels however have the path to the end easily in sight, with separate side paths that are harder to access. Usually these side paths lead to important items, such as a lot of treasure, a Legendary Weapon, or a Runestone. Some levels, such as the first level of a realm, will have a short movie before the level loads. These can either serve to introduce the player to any new types of enemies appearing on that particular level, or to alert the player that a Legendary Weapon is hidden somewhere in the level. Runestones are not hinted at in movies. Food still recovers health in Dark Legacy as it did in Gauntlet II, with the type of food restoring different amounts of health. Treasure is also a rarity in Dark Legacy, as it is used to purchase items at the store. This is a difference from the earlier Gauntlet games, as in their levels treasure was everywhere, and it gave extra points, but it did not serve any other purpose.
Of all the console versions of the game, the PlayStation 2 version was the most well-received, scoring an average of 70% on GameRankings. The Gamecube and Xbox versions, which were both built off the PS2 version and released a year later, received less favorable score averages of 61% and 52% on the same site. Even though these versions added new features to the game, such as the ability to save power-ups for later use, their number of glitches was reportedly greater. The GC version is especially notable in this factor, as it suffered major slowdown in large or highly-detailed areas, and did not show life bars for golems, gargoyles, and bosses.
The Game Boy Advance version's reception was very negative, with an average score of only 35% on GameRankings. One of the worst aspects of this particular version, according to GameSpot, was the absence of multi-player, which is a vital part of the Gauntlet franchise.
) released a novel
based upon the video game titled Gauntlet Dark Legacy - Book 1: Paths Of Evil by Richard C. White (ISBN 0-74349-305-2). The sequel Gauntlet Dark Legacy - Book 2: Paths Of Fear was written and was planned for a 2005 release, but due to the demise of both Byron Preiss Visual Productions
and the licensor, this never came to pass. As of 2007, the license for these stories had reverted to Midway Games
, and unless a new licensor commissions White to finish his tale, Book 1 will likely be the last of the Gauntlet series.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and in 2002 for Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, is an expansion of the previous title in the series, Gauntlet Legends
Gauntlet Legends
Gauntlet Legends is an arcade game released in 1998 by Atari Games. It is a fantasy themed hack and slash game, a sequel to 1985's popular Gauntlet and 1986's Gauntlet II and marks the final game in the series to be produced by Atari Games...
. The expansion adds four new character classes: Dwarf, Knight, Jester, and Sorceress, and five new levels: Dream Realm, Sky Realm, Forest Realm, Forsaken Province, and the Battlegrounds; with the old Town Realm (also known as Twinion) from Gauntlet Legends being broken down into Forsaken Province, and the Sky Realm. It also adds a large number of secret characters, some of which can be unlocked in the game, others only accessible by entering specific cheat codes.
Story
The manual included with the game elaborates on the story further, stating that Sumner is the good king of the 8 realms and presides over them from his tower. The tower contained portals to all the realms for his easy access to them. It also stated that Garm, his younger brother, jealous of his power and status, searched for years for the 13 Runestones. Upon finding 12 after much toil of searching, he became impatient, and released Skorne then and there. Unfortunately, he was not able to control the demon without the 13th Runestone. Skorne summoned his minions and sent them through the portals in the tower to conquer the realms. Sumner, who was away at the time, returned to the tower, only to see the demon Skorne using it for his own evil gain. This infuriated Sumner, and he angrily engaged in battle with Skorne after sealing all the portals. Skorne was "no match" for Sumner's power, according to the manual, and he retreated into a deserted temple through Sumner's tower. Skorne shattered the enchanted stained glass window that was the only gateway to the temple, and gave one shard to each of his most powerful minions (the bosses of the game). He also scattered the 12 assembled Runestones across the various worlds. The temple from that point on is referred to as the Desecrated Temple.The game is divided up into worlds, each containing a number of levels, all accessible from Sumner's tower.
The player's first objective is to beat all the levels, vanquishing the bosses of the 8 originally available worlds. The player must collect crystals scattered about the levels to deactivate Sumner's protective shielding and gain access to new worlds and more levels. Upon defeating the bosses, the stained-glass window is slowly restored, and the light pouring from it reveals a special portal in the tower. This portal takes the player to the 9th world, the Desecrated Temple. The player must fight his or her way through a single level packed with enemies. Upon exiting the player is automatically transported to Skorne's chamber, with no stop for break in between. Here the player has to defeat the demon Skorne. After defeating him, he retreats into the Underworld. The player must then collect 13 Runestones from the previous 8 worlds. Once that is accomplished, their power reveals another special portal in the tower, leading the player into the 10th world, the Underworld. There, after beating a single level, the player is automatically transported to the battle with True Skorne . The player defeats True Skorne, banishing him from the eight realms forever. But the war is not over. Garm absorbs the fading remnants of Skorne's power, becoming a huge, immensely powerful statue of Skorne. He forms an army and unleashes an assault upon Sumner's tower. The player's final goal is to beat the 11th and final world, the Battlegrounds. After beating the third level of this world and collecting the 13th Runestone that is hidden within it, the fourth and final special portal is revealed in the tower. This portal takes the player to Garm's Citadel, where the final battle of the game takes place.
Playable characters
Each character has unmatched abilities in certain areas; specifically:| Area | Annotation |
|---|---|
| Magic | Increases the range of and damage inflicted from magic potion use. |
| Strength | Inflicts more damage to enemies when attacking. |
| Speed | Allows the character to move and attack more quickly. |
| Armor | Gives the character more durability when hit. |
In addition, each set of characters has a special power they can use when they use magic potions at a certain level of experience.
- WizardWizard (character class)The Wizard is a type of magical character class in certain role-playing games and computer role-playing games. Wizards are considered to be spellcasters who wield powerful spells, but are often physically weak as a trade-off. Wizards are commonly confused with similar offensive spellcasting...
/JackalJackalAlthough the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...
and SorceressMagician (fantasy)A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
/MedusaMedusaIn Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
have superior abilities in magicMagic (gaming)Some role-playing games or game systems can include a set of rules that are used to portray magic in the paranormal sense. These rules simulate the effects that magic would have within the game context, according to how the game designer intended the magic to be portrayed...
and with magic potions. Their magic potions cleanse poisoned fruit and meat. - KnightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
/UnicornUnicornThe unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
and ValkyrieValkyrieIn Norse mythology, a valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who decides who dies in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle , the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin...
/FalconFalconA falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
ess have superior abilities in armor and protection. Traps become disabled or destroyed when they use magic potions. - WarriorWarriorA warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
/MinotaurMinotaurIn Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
and Dwarf/OgreOgreAn ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
have superior abilities in strengthPhysical strengthPhysical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert force on physical objects using muscles. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.-Overview:...
. When they use magic potions nearby piles of junk transform into piles of silver and gold. - ArcherArcheryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
/Tigress and Jester/HyenaHyenaHyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
have superior abilities in speedSpeedIn kinematics, the speed of an object is the magnitude of its velocity ; it is thus a scalar quantity. The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance traveled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as...
and reflexes. Walls hiding secret areas are revealed or destroyed when they use magic potions.
The wizard Sumner is also available to be played after being unlocked in one of the final levels of the game.
Gameplay
Gauntlet Dark Legacy, although an expansion to Gauntlet Legends, is played much differently. In addition to the new characters, players can now fire both slow and fast attacks. The player has an option of performing a slow, strong attack, or a quick, weaker attack, as opposed to Legends, where there is only one type of attack. In Gauntlet Dark Legacy, the player can perform combos by using slow attacks and quick attacks in sequence. Combos are much stronger than normal attacks, and are usually capable of taking out several enemies at once. In Legends, each player has a turbo gauge that refills itself slowly and automatically. This turbo gauge allows the player to use turbo attacks, attacks that are stronger than the normal ones. When the turbo gauge is empty, no turbo attacks can be used until it filled up again. Dark Legacy keeps the turbo gauge, but expands on it, allows two players standing adjacent to each other to perform a combination turbo attack together, usually packing a lot of force (and draining half of the turbo gauge of the player that initiated the combination turbo).The way a player uses items is also relatively the same as in the first game. The player can gather items from the levels, and then activate them when they please. The items provide benefits and disappear within a set time. In Dark Legacy, items (with the exception of Magic Potions, items that allow the player to use magic in a radius or as a shield) are activated the moment they are obtained with the same duration needing intervention from the player to turn them off in the item menu. They can then be accessed at will. More items are available in the shop in Dark Legacy (with very high prices) and the old items' prices were changed. This places more emphasis on the decision of what item to buy, as usually the player can only afford one or two. Items bought in the shop between levels are activated as soon as the player enters another level and need to be toggled on or off at the players discretion.
In Dark Legacy, the player has the added abilities of blocking, charging, and strafing. Strafing allows the player to constantly face one direction and fire medium-speed attacks. Blocking causes the player's character to stand still in a defensive position for a second or two. Any melee attacks made against the player are negated or do significantly less damage. Charging makes the player run forward with his weapon functioning like a lance
Lance
A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
while simultaneously blocking. The player can kill the enemies ahead of him while blocking their attacks. However, charging does consume a bit of the turbo gauge each time it is used.
However, the game still has identifiable roots with the original Gauntlet games. The way to go about most levels is to simply run along a designated path, decimating enemies before they can kill you. Like Gauntlet and Gauntlet II, enemies spawn from Generators. Only when the Generator is destroyed will the enemies stop spawning. Some Generators will take multiple hits to destroy; as the Generator is weakened, it will spawn less powerful enemies, until it is destroyed completely. There are some, but very few, levels that have a maze-like aspect to them, and are thus hard to navigate to the exit. Most levels however have the path to the end easily in sight, with separate side paths that are harder to access. Usually these side paths lead to important items, such as a lot of treasure, a Legendary Weapon, or a Runestone. Some levels, such as the first level of a realm, will have a short movie before the level loads. These can either serve to introduce the player to any new types of enemies appearing on that particular level, or to alert the player that a Legendary Weapon is hidden somewhere in the level. Runestones are not hinted at in movies. Food still recovers health in Dark Legacy as it did in Gauntlet II, with the type of food restoring different amounts of health. Treasure is also a rarity in Dark Legacy, as it is used to purchase items at the store. This is a difference from the earlier Gauntlet games, as in their levels treasure was everywhere, and it gave extra points, but it did not serve any other purpose.
Reception
Gauntlet Dark Legacy was met with good to mediocre reviews. Gerald Villoria of GameSpot stated that the game's extremely dated appearance and poor performance kept it from competing with other popular four-player games at the time.Of all the console versions of the game, the PlayStation 2 version was the most well-received, scoring an average of 70% on GameRankings. The Gamecube and Xbox versions, which were both built off the PS2 version and released a year later, received less favorable score averages of 61% and 52% on the same site. Even though these versions added new features to the game, such as the ability to save power-ups for later use, their number of glitches was reportedly greater. The GC version is especially notable in this factor, as it suffered major slowdown in large or highly-detailed areas, and did not show life bars for golems, gargoyles, and bosses.
The Game Boy Advance version's reception was very negative, with an average score of only 35% on GameRankings. One of the worst aspects of this particular version, according to GameSpot, was the absence of multi-player, which is a vital part of the Gauntlet franchise.
Tie-in media
In 2004, publisher iBooks (an imprint of Simon & SchusterSimon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
) released a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
based upon the video game titled Gauntlet Dark Legacy - Book 1: Paths Of Evil by Richard C. White (ISBN 0-74349-305-2). The sequel Gauntlet Dark Legacy - Book 2: Paths Of Fear was written and was planned for a 2005 release, but due to the demise of both Byron Preiss Visual Productions
Byron Preiss
Byron Preiss was an American writer, editor, and publisher. He founded and served as president of Byron Preiss Visual Publications, and later of iBooks.-Early life and career:...
and the licensor, this never came to pass. As of 2007, the license for these stories had reverted to Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
, and unless a new licensor commissions White to finish his tale, Book 1 will likely be the last of the Gauntlet series.