MediEvil
Encyclopedia
MediEvil is a platform game
released in October 1, 1998 for the PlayStation in Europe and North America, and in June 1999 in Japan. The game was followed by MediEvil 2 in 2000. Then, in 2005, the original game was remade as MediEvil: Resurrection for the PlayStation Portable
. In 2007, the original PlayStation version was made available via the PlayStation Store
to be played on both the PlayStation 3
and PlayStation Portable
. In August 2010, the game was made available for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers.
The original PlayStation version of MediEvil was later re-released as a Platinum title.
Kingdom of Gallowmere. The game puts the player in control of Sir Daniel Fortesque: the reanimated skeletal remains of a deceased champion knight
whom history holds in high esteem, due to his supposed heroics in battle against the evil sorcerer Zarok who, in 1286, had raised an army of demons and set out to take over the kingdom. The legend has it that Fortesque lead the King's army into battle against Zarok's demonic hordes and that Sir Daniel himself killed the sorcerer during the battle - despite having actually been mortally wounded at the outset - cementing his posthumous status as the "Hero of Gallowmere".
This official version of events is later revealed as being vastly exaggerated and that Sir Dan's entire reputation is based on a lie. It turns out that Fortesque was not a hero at all and was in fact the first to die during the Battle of Gallowmere as he was hit in the eye by an arrow
while leading the first charge against Zarok's undead
armies. Although Sir Dan's troops still managed to go on and win the battle without him, Zarok was able to escape and went into hiding, leading everyone to assume that he was dead. The "fog of war and the shrouds of time" ultimately conspired to portray Fortesque as being the great hero of the battle.
One century later, in 1386, Zarok unexpectedly re-emerges from the shadows, robs the citizens in a nearby village of their souls and awakens his undead army. But the waves of necromantic
energy he has unleashed upon the countryside have unwittingly revitalized the skeletal corpse of Sir Fortesque, still missing the eye where he was hit and unable to speak clearly having lost his jawbone. Sir Dan pulls a cobweb out of his eye socket, shakes off the trauma and then grins at the player. Unable to go to the Hall of Heroes in death due to his failures in life, Sir Fortesque sets out from his crypt to exact his revenge upon Zarok and prove himself a true hero now that he has been given a second chance.
After finding a way out of the cemetery, getting through the rest of Gallowmere, making his way to the entrance of Zarok's lair and getting past every other obstacle the lair has, Dan finally makes his way to the lair's arena, where Zarok is waiting. There, Zarok sends out his fleet of skeletal warriors. But before doing this, Dan places one of the chalices he collected throughout the game onto the white circle in the middle of the arena. This summons the souls belonging to the soldiers who fought in the war a century ago. Seeing that they are all ghosts, their weapons will affect Zarok's warriors, so they charge straight towards them and start fighting while Dan keeps his side alive by zapping them with good lightning (if the player fails to do this, Zarok's side will knock Dan out, resulting in an immediate game over.)
Once Zarok's side loses, Dan's warriors cheer while turning into health vials that Dan collects to get as much energy back as possible (he loses it while using the good lightning on his side.) Zarok then summons his champion, Lord Kardok, a skeletal man wielding a mace riding a skeletal horse. After Dan defeats him, Zarok finally has enough of Dan getting in the way and goes to his lab
. There, he tries to turn himself into a monster capable of defeating Dan, while humorously having trouble casting the right spell. Zarok eventually gets it right and then goes downstairs while revealing himself to be a wingless dragon of some sorts. The two fight, with Dan ending up victorious. Zarok then explodes into his normal form, while admitting defeat.
Zarok then gets up and states that if he is to fail, then all shall perish and that Sir Dan is doomed to stay in his lair forever. He then zaps the ceiling with his trident
, which makes the roof cave in. While this happens, a big hunk of debris falls on top of Zarok with a humorous squeak. Dan then escapes and makes his way out to the arena entrance while the lair is falling apart. A small flying creature flies towards him, then the two get blown back by the explosion of a sundial
that was next to them. Dan manages to hang onto one of the floating cogs from The Time Device till he gets to a small cave. After brushing the dust off of his amour, Dan runs away from the fire caused from the lair blowing up and falls to his doom. Luckily, a vulture
who helped Dan out earlier, catches him and takes him back to his crypt while the stolen souls return to the people. The vulture then drops him, Dan goes back inside and returns to his eternal rest.
There are two endings:
ed. As the captain of the King's guard, it was not long before Sir Dan was chosen to lead the King's armies against Zarok's undead horde of demons in 1286. Sir Dan's unit had the privilege to lead the first charge against Zarok's horde. When Sir Dan and his soldiers charged at Zarok's demons, Dan is mortally wounded straight through the eye with an arrow during the first defensive volley. With the remaining soldiers outnumbered and without Sir Dan to lead them, they continue the charge. Sir Dan is subsequently left for dead and dies on the battlefield. In the end despite suffering tremendous losses, King Peregrin’s forces are victorious in pushing back Zarok and his demons with the cost of Sir Dan's life. Over the years Sir Dan grows into something of a tall tale. Determined to make Sir Dan's memory last, people along with King Peregrin began to make up stories of their version of the battle, and with that made Sir Dan out to be a tremendous god like legend who single handedly defeated the demons only to then kill Zarok with his last dying breath. Songs were sung on how demons fell before Sir Dan like wheat before a scythe
while Sir Dan flung himself into the accursed multitude. Gallowmere's citizens built and laid Sir Dan to rest in an elaborate necropolis
with all the honors of a hero. 100 years later in 1386, Zarok comes out of hiding, and with him a special spell which awakens all those who are dead who in turn become the living undead. However, unbeknownst to Zarok, he also awakens his old dead enemy, Sir Dan. With Zarok wreaking havoc across the land the now resurrected Sir Dan is immediately aware of what he must do. Sir Dan has now been given another opportunity to defeat Zarok and prove that he is indeed a true hero, something he could not do in life. He was voiced by Jason Wilson in the English version, and by Kenyu Horiuchi in the Japanese version.
Zarok is the evil necromancer who uses a magic spell book to control all the bodies of Gallowmere. He has the intent to use necromantic power to bring the dead back to life, and also to hypnotize
the people of Gallowmere into attacking Sir Dan. Zarok has used science (referred to as "the darkest of all magics") to create The Time Device, a city of large and dangerous machinery controlled by complex cogs and levers, which merely seems to only calculate and manage time. Zarok has his own personal train
which has rails surrounding his lair. Zarok has some problems casting spells in the last level of the game, which, after transforming into a dragon
monster, cause him to cluck like a chicken
. Zarok gains control of the Stone Monsters and the Shadow Demons, which Sir Dan encounters. He is voiced by Paul Darrow
in English, and by Norio Wakamoto
in Japanese.
The boat man, a.k.a. Death
. This character ferries all the souls on their final journey to the world of the dead. Ever since Zarok raised the dead he is constantly going about his job a bit too much. He offers to take Sir Dan to Mellowmede once he has collected 8 souls in the level " the pools of the ancient dead".
Canny Tim is the first hero Dan encounters in the Hall of Heroes. He gives Dan the crossbow
he used to kill Lord Kardok in the battle of Gallowmere. When Dan sees him again, he gives him a health bottle.
s full of zombie
s, to a flying ghost ship full of undead
pirates and to a levitating game board in an enchanted forest with flying demons. There are also several collectible items found in the levels in order to proceed to further areas or levels. Some items collected early on are required in later levels.
There are several books placed upon stands all over areas in the game which may offer advice to Sir Dan, or generally the history of the area. Some of them are placed in hidden places, some contain humorous jokes, but most of the time they are found along the path that Sir Dan takes. They can be read if struck with a close range weapon. One example of a book says:
and Dan must play from where he last saved. The game will also be over if Dan fails certain objectives.
When attacked by an enemy, Dan's health reduces minimally, but when Dan falls into water or magma, or falls from a great height, he loses a whole life. If he has fallen, Dan will first lose a life, and his body will also be automatically returned to a safe position.
Dan's current life meter is placed at the top of the screen in the center, indicated by a moving green bar. If this bar has been emptied during battle, any remaining bottles and life points will automatically replace empty ones. Dan glows with green dust particles when he has been replenished with a new life bottle. Usually only one life bottle is found per level.
Dan can replenish his health by standing over a glowing "green eruption" of slime called a "Fountain of Rejuvenation" or "Health Fountain". This chimney will run out after 600 points, which will fill two life bottles. Once a fountain in one level has been used up, it will refill if the level is replayed.
Energy vials give Dan 225 health points, and are much thinner than the life bottle. Energy vials are usually found with one or two others as to replace a whole life quickly. If all of Sir Dan's life bottles are full, Dan will still take the energy vials, but will not gain any more health points from collecting it.
Chicken Drumsticks give Dan 20 health points.
Here is a list of all weapons in the game. They are aranged in Strength.
SWORDS:
Small Sword,
Broad Sword,
Magic Sword.
SHIELDS:
Copper Shield,
Silver Shield,
Gold Shield.
PROJECTILES:
Throwing Daggers,
Crossbow,
Longbow,
Flaming Longbow,
Majic Longbow,
Spears.
HEAVY:
Club,
WarHammer.
OTHER:
Arm,
Axe,
Dragon Potion,
Good Lightning,
Lightning.
In MediEvil: Resurrection, the Dragon Potion has been changed into a Dragon Armor; the effects are nearly identical.
s are large stone heads found upon the surface of walls. Gargoyles can be called upon by hitting them with weaponry. The game is paused when speaking to a gargoyle, so any enemies nearby cannot attack the player.
Green gargoyles tell of old stories about the history of Gallowmere. They usually speak in the collective first-person narration, and offer advice to Dan in his quest. However, generally all the gargoyles criticize Sir Dan and emphasise his failure in battle a century ago. They tend to be clairvoyant, and tell Dan exactly how to perform some tasks. Some of these gargoyles automatically start a conversation with Sir Dan when he walks in their view, depending on how important their speech is and if they have been listened to before.
Merchant gargoyles will offer Dan a variety of armour supplies and ammunition in his quest, for an unbelievable price. It is the player's responsibility within the game to collect as much money as possible in order to buy services and supplies. These gargoyles may also offer weapons that have been traded by the imp
s that steal from Sir Dan, categorised under "Second Hand Goods".
, by filling it up with the souls of his enemies. This mystical item enables him to visit the Hall of Heroes after the conclusion of the level. Dan can only collect the chalice in each level when he has dispatched enough "defeated adversaries" to reach 100%. Chalices are hidden well and are not always at the end of a level, so Dan must back-track to the beginning to find it. In the " Hall of Heroes", he can converse with past heroes, "await spiritual guidance" and receive useful items or weapons to help him in his quest. Collecting all the chalices allows the player to see the true ending.
Very simple weapons will require much use in order to finish off a single enemy. Some enemies can only be attacked either at certain times or using specific weapons, such as the Scarecrows. Many weapons, such as swords and throwing daggers, can be charged up to produce a more powerful attack to finish beasts off more quickly.
Magazine gave it a 91% while popular multimedia
site IGN
heralded it as "...a fun game and one of PlayStation's classics". Other awards include:
and choir
.
An album was made from this music and signed copies can be purchased from the artists' website.
MediEvil was one of the first games to support a DualShock
controller on the PlayStation.
On the reverse of this image are map instructions for the first four levels of the game. These include details of the locations of vials, the chalice, life bottles, rune stones, gargoyles, rune hands, bronze and silver shields, primary weapons and other secrets which may only be accessible after finding certain items or completing certain tasks.
The weapons that are described for the first few levels are: a small sword, throwing daggers, a crossbow and a club. There are several more weapons available.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
released in October 1, 1998 for the PlayStation in Europe and North America, and in June 1999 in Japan. The game was followed by MediEvil 2 in 2000. Then, in 2005, the original game was remade as MediEvil: Resurrection for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. In 2007, the original PlayStation version was made available via the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
to be played on both the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. In August 2010, the game was made available for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers.
The original PlayStation version of MediEvil was later re-released as a Platinum title.
Plot
The game starts with a flashback in the 13th century in the fictional EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Kingdom of Gallowmere. The game puts the player in control of Sir Daniel Fortesque: the reanimated skeletal remains of a deceased champion knight
Knight
A 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....
whom history holds in high esteem, due to his supposed heroics in battle against the evil sorcerer Zarok who, in 1286, had raised an army of demons and set out to take over the kingdom. The legend has it that Fortesque lead the King's army into battle against Zarok's demonic hordes and that Sir Daniel himself killed the sorcerer during the battle - despite having actually been mortally wounded at the outset - cementing his posthumous status as the "Hero of Gallowmere".
This official version of events is later revealed as being vastly exaggerated and that Sir Dan's entire reputation is based on a lie. It turns out that Fortesque was not a hero at all and was in fact the first to die during the Battle of Gallowmere as he was hit in the eye by an arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
while leading the first charge against Zarok's 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...
armies. Although Sir Dan's troops still managed to go on and win the battle without him, Zarok was able to escape and went into hiding, leading everyone to assume that he was dead. The "fog of war and the shrouds of time" ultimately conspired to portray Fortesque as being the great hero of the battle.
One century later, in 1386, Zarok unexpectedly re-emerges from the shadows, robs the citizens in a nearby village of their souls and awakens his undead army. But the waves of necromantic
Necromancy
Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...
energy he has unleashed upon the countryside have unwittingly revitalized the skeletal corpse of Sir Fortesque, still missing the eye where he was hit and unable to speak clearly having lost his jawbone. Sir Dan pulls a cobweb out of his eye socket, shakes off the trauma and then grins at the player. Unable to go to the Hall of Heroes in death due to his failures in life, Sir Fortesque sets out from his crypt to exact his revenge upon Zarok and prove himself a true hero now that he has been given a second chance.
After finding a way out of the cemetery, getting through the rest of Gallowmere, making his way to the entrance of Zarok's lair and getting past every other obstacle the lair has, Dan finally makes his way to the lair's arena, where Zarok is waiting. There, Zarok sends out his fleet of skeletal warriors. But before doing this, Dan places one of the chalices he collected throughout the game onto the white circle in the middle of the arena. This summons the souls belonging to the soldiers who fought in the war a century ago. Seeing that they are all ghosts, their weapons will affect Zarok's warriors, so they charge straight towards them and start fighting while Dan keeps his side alive by zapping them with good lightning (if the player fails to do this, Zarok's side will knock Dan out, resulting in an immediate game over.)
Once Zarok's side loses, Dan's warriors cheer while turning into health vials that Dan collects to get as much energy back as possible (he loses it while using the good lightning on his side.) Zarok then summons his champion, Lord Kardok, a skeletal man wielding a mace riding a skeletal horse. After Dan defeats him, Zarok finally has enough of Dan getting in the way and goes to his lab
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
. There, he tries to turn himself into a monster capable of defeating Dan, while humorously having trouble casting the right spell. Zarok eventually gets it right and then goes downstairs while revealing himself to be a wingless dragon of some sorts. The two fight, with Dan ending up victorious. Zarok then explodes into his normal form, while admitting defeat.
Zarok then gets up and states that if he is to fail, then all shall perish and that Sir Dan is doomed to stay in his lair forever. He then zaps the ceiling with his trident
Trident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
, which makes the roof cave in. While this happens, a big hunk of debris falls on top of Zarok with a humorous squeak. Dan then escapes and makes his way out to the arena entrance while the lair is falling apart. A small flying creature flies towards him, then the two get blown back by the explosion of a sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
that was next to them. Dan manages to hang onto one of the floating cogs from The Time Device till he gets to a small cave. After brushing the dust off of his amour, Dan runs away from the fire caused from the lair blowing up and falls to his doom. Luckily, a vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
who helped Dan out earlier, catches him and takes him back to his crypt while the stolen souls return to the people. The vulture then drops him, Dan goes back inside and returns to his eternal rest.
There are two endings:
- Not all chalices collected: After Dan goes back to being dead, the camera will zoom into the eye socket where Dan wasn’t shot till the screen is completely black. The player is awarded with a simple "The End" message. Then the credits roll.
- All chalices collected: The same thing happens, only this time, Dan ends up going to the Hall of Heroes. When he arrives, the rest of the heroes have come to life (to the point where they're not even statues anymore) and are partying. They then notice that Dan has arrived and stop at once. Dan then does a few acrobatics on the table till he lands into a chair and catches a cup that he flipped into the air with his foot. One of the heroes fills it up with wine, Dan then unsuccessfully drinks it (he is still in his skeletal form, therefore he has no throat) and the other heroes applaud Dan for finally having the courage to defeat Zarok once and for all. The camera then zooms out of the Hall (it also shows that it was really on Earth, not in the heavens as suggested) and into outer space till it stops at a constellationConstellationIn modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
of Dan preparing to defend himself. The message from before pops up and the credits roll.
Characters
Sir Daniel Fortesque (Born in 1250, died 1286), a.k.a. Sir Dan, was King Peregrin's champion of Gallowmere. Sir Dan was apparently an adventurer and something of a braggart; he humored the King with entertaining and engrossing stories of his past heroics and deeds. He quickly became a favorite within the Kings court and was subsequently knightKnight
A 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....
ed. As the captain of the King's guard, it was not long before Sir Dan was chosen to lead the King's armies against Zarok's undead horde of demons in 1286. Sir Dan's unit had the privilege to lead the first charge against Zarok's horde. When Sir Dan and his soldiers charged at Zarok's demons, Dan is mortally wounded straight through the eye with an arrow during the first defensive volley. With the remaining soldiers outnumbered and without Sir Dan to lead them, they continue the charge. Sir Dan is subsequently left for dead and dies on the battlefield. In the end despite suffering tremendous losses, King Peregrin’s forces are victorious in pushing back Zarok and his demons with the cost of Sir Dan's life. Over the years Sir Dan grows into something of a tall tale. Determined to make Sir Dan's memory last, people along with King Peregrin began to make up stories of their version of the battle, and with that made Sir Dan out to be a tremendous god like legend who single handedly defeated the demons only to then kill Zarok with his last dying breath. Songs were sung on how demons fell before Sir Dan like wheat before a 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...
while Sir Dan flung himself into the accursed multitude. Gallowmere's citizens built and laid Sir Dan to rest in an elaborate necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
with all the honors of a hero. 100 years later in 1386, Zarok comes out of hiding, and with him a special spell which awakens all those who are dead who in turn become the living undead. However, unbeknownst to Zarok, he also awakens his old dead enemy, Sir Dan. With Zarok wreaking havoc across the land the now resurrected Sir Dan is immediately aware of what he must do. Sir Dan has now been given another opportunity to defeat Zarok and prove that he is indeed a true hero, something he could not do in life. He was voiced by Jason Wilson in the English version, and by Kenyu Horiuchi in the Japanese version.
Zarok is the evil necromancer who uses a magic spell book to control all the bodies of Gallowmere. He has the intent to use necromantic power to bring the dead back to life, and also to hypnotize
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
the people of Gallowmere into attacking Sir Dan. Zarok has used science (referred to as "the darkest of all magics") to create The Time Device, a city of large and dangerous machinery controlled by complex cogs and levers, which merely seems to only calculate and manage time. Zarok has his own personal train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
which has rails surrounding his lair. Zarok has some problems casting spells in the last level of the game, which, after transforming into a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
monster, cause him to cluck like a chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
. Zarok gains control of the Stone Monsters and the Shadow Demons, which Sir Dan encounters. He is voiced by Paul Darrow
Paul Darrow
Paul Darrow is an English actor best known for his portrayal of Kerr Avon in the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7...
in English, and by Norio Wakamoto
Norio Wakamoto
is a veteran male seiyū and budō expert affiliated with Sigma Seven. He was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from Waseda University...
in Japanese.
The boat man, a.k.a. Death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
. This character ferries all the souls on their final journey to the world of the dead. Ever since Zarok raised the dead he is constantly going about his job a bit too much. He offers to take Sir Dan to Mellowmede once he has collected 8 souls in the level " the pools of the ancient dead".
Canny Tim is the first hero Dan encounters in the Hall of Heroes. He gives Dan the crossbow
Crossbow
A crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
he used to kill Lord Kardok in the battle of Gallowmere. When Dan sees him again, he gives him a health bottle.
Gameplay
During the game, the player may go through several places, from graveyardGraveyard
A graveyard is any place set aside for long-term burial of the dead, with or without monuments such as headstones...
s full of zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
s, to a flying ghost ship full of 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...
pirates and to a levitating game board in an enchanted forest with flying demons. There are also several collectible items found in the levels in order to proceed to further areas or levels. Some items collected early on are required in later levels.
There are several books placed upon stands all over areas in the game which may offer advice to Sir Dan, or generally the history of the area. Some of them are placed in hidden places, some contain humorous jokes, but most of the time they are found along the path that Sir Dan takes. They can be read if struck with a close range weapon. One example of a book says:
Life
Gameplay starts in Dan's crypt, which starts Sir Dan off with Dan's Arm and no green life bottles. One life bottle counts as 300 health points, and the maximum amount of life bottles is 9. When a life bottle is depleted after damage from an enemy or the environment, Dan loses a life. Life bottles are collected in the game and can be replenished using energy vials or green fountains that emanate energy. If Dan loses all his life, it is game overGame over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
and Dan must play from where he last saved. The game will also be over if Dan fails certain objectives.
When attacked by an enemy, Dan's health reduces minimally, but when Dan falls into water or magma, or falls from a great height, he loses a whole life. If he has fallen, Dan will first lose a life, and his body will also be automatically returned to a safe position.
Dan's current life meter is placed at the top of the screen in the center, indicated by a moving green bar. If this bar has been emptied during battle, any remaining bottles and life points will automatically replace empty ones. Dan glows with green dust particles when he has been replenished with a new life bottle. Usually only one life bottle is found per level.
Dan can replenish his health by standing over a glowing "green eruption" of slime called a "Fountain of Rejuvenation" or "Health Fountain". This chimney will run out after 600 points, which will fill two life bottles. Once a fountain in one level has been used up, it will refill if the level is replayed.
Energy vials give Dan 225 health points, and are much thinner than the life bottle. Energy vials are usually found with one or two others as to replace a whole life quickly. If all of Sir Dan's life bottles are full, Dan will still take the energy vials, but will not gain any more health points from collecting it.
Chicken Drumsticks give Dan 20 health points.
Weapons
Dan starts the game with just his detachable arm, which can be used as both a melee weapon and a projectile, but is incredibly weak. Soon however he obtains a small sword. The majority of weapons Dan encounters are received from the Hall of Heroes by collecting the Chalice in each level, and range from swords, axes and hammers to projectile weapons such as crossbows and spears. There are other weapons that Dan encounters through the course of the game, such as a club that can be used as a torch, but breaks after too much use; Dragon Potion that lets Dan breathe fire and protects him from flame attacks; and Chicken Drumsticks that can turn enemies into Roast Chicken for health recovery. Dan is also able to find a variety of shields to protect himself, ranging from copper to gold in strength.Here is a list of all weapons in the game. They are aranged in Strength.
SWORDS:
Small Sword,
Broad Sword,
Magic Sword.
SHIELDS:
Copper Shield,
Silver Shield,
Gold Shield.
PROJECTILES:
Throwing Daggers,
Crossbow,
Longbow,
Flaming Longbow,
Majic Longbow,
Spears.
HEAVY:
Club,
WarHammer.
OTHER:
Arm,
Axe,
Dragon Potion,
Good Lightning,
Lightning.
In MediEvil: Resurrection, the Dragon Potion has been changed into a Dragon Armor; the effects are nearly identical.
Money
Dan can also collect money, which can be used to buy products or services from merchant gargoyles. Money comes in the forms of red bags, which give Dan 10G; Kill Rats or Hands, which give Dan 1G or 2G; and golden treasure chests, which give Dan 50G. Red money bags appear often during early levels, and golden treasure chests appear if long tasks are completed as a large reward. Parts of buildings that are initially concealed also contain several chests.Gargoyles
GargoyleGargoyle
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
s are large stone heads found upon the surface of walls. Gargoyles can be called upon by hitting them with weaponry. The game is paused when speaking to a gargoyle, so any enemies nearby cannot attack the player.
Green gargoyles tell of old stories about the history of Gallowmere. They usually speak in the collective first-person narration, and offer advice to Dan in his quest. However, generally all the gargoyles criticize Sir Dan and emphasise his failure in battle a century ago. They tend to be clairvoyant, and tell Dan exactly how to perform some tasks. Some of these gargoyles automatically start a conversation with Sir Dan when he walks in their view, depending on how important their speech is and if they have been listened to before.
Merchant gargoyles will offer Dan a variety of armour supplies and ammunition in his quest, for an unbelievable price. It is the player's responsibility within the game to collect as much money as possible in order to buy services and supplies. These gargoyles may also offer weapons that have been traded by the imp
Imp
An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.-Folklore:...
s that steal from Sir Dan, categorised under "Second Hand Goods".
Chalices
Throughout the levels Sir Dan is presented with an opportunity to collect that particular level's chaliceChalice (cup)
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for drinking during a ceremony.-Christian:...
, by filling it up with the souls of his enemies. This mystical item enables him to visit the Hall of Heroes after the conclusion of the level. Dan can only collect the chalice in each level when he has dispatched enough "defeated adversaries" to reach 100%. Chalices are hidden well and are not always at the end of a level, so Dan must back-track to the beginning to find it. In the " Hall of Heroes", he can converse with past heroes, "await spiritual guidance" and receive useful items or weapons to help him in his quest. Collecting all the chalices allows the player to see the true ending.
Rune Stones
In order for Dan to access different areas of the levels, he must use a range of collectible runes that are found in awkward places or revealed in secret areas. Each rune, which may be Chaos (red), Moon (blue), Earth (green), Time (silver), or Star (gold), will either open a door or gate or activate part of a sequence in order to proceed to the next scene or room. Runes are placed upon stone hands, where they remain for the rest of the level.Enemies
Alongside certain weapons, there are also many colourful and varying enemies, though particularly zombies in the opening levels, which Dan must defeat. Later on through the epic journey through Gallowmere, Dan will encounter a number of other monsters and creatures, most of which are modelled after gothic demons associated with the time period (and a few made just for fun). Sticky-fingered Imps, demonic Scarecrows, and mechanical Cossack-type guards with Russian accents are but a few of the ghastly and varied monstrosities that inhabit the levels.Very simple weapons will require much use in order to finish off a single enemy. Some enemies can only be attacked either at certain times or using specific weapons, such as the Scarecrows. Many weapons, such as swords and throwing daggers, can be charged up to produce a more powerful attack to finish beasts off more quickly.
Reception
MediEvil received positive reviews. GameGame
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
Magazine gave it a 91% while popular multimedia
Multimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
site IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
heralded it as "...a fun game and one of PlayStation's classics". Other awards include:
- Best PlayStation Game - Gaming Expo
- Best Platinum Seller 1999 - PlayStation Magazine
- Gold Award - PlayStation MagazinePlayStation MagazineThis is the page related to the Italian video game magazine. PlayStation Magazine is also the former name of PlayStation: The Official MagazinePlayStation Magazine, also known by the acronym PSM, is an Italian video game magazine specializing in all Sony video game consoles and handheld gaming...
- Silver Award - Monthly Games
- Token Prize - NetworkComputer networkA computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
Games
Soundtrack
The original soundtrack of this game was made using electronic synthesizers to simulate an entire orchestra and organ. The 2005 PlayStation Portable (PSP) game MediEvil: Resurrection used parts of the Medievil score along with original elements composed by the artists Bob and Barn and performed by a live orchestraOrchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
.
An album was made from this music and signed copies can be purchased from the artists' website.
Other information
The official MediEvil website, designed to contain several flash elements, information about the game, and free downloads, has been shut down. However, the site for the game's sequel still exists but is not updated anymore.MediEvil was one of the first games to support a DualShock
DualShock
The DualShock is a line of vibration-feedback gamepads by Sony for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 video game consoles. The DualShock was introduced in Japan in late 1997, and launched in the North American market in May 1998...
controller on the PlayStation.
Additional content
Inside original copies of the MediEvil PlayStation box was a poster featuring an insight into MediEvil's sequel, MediEvil 2. This detailed new characters and levels, set in 19th century London.On the reverse of this image are map instructions for the first four levels of the game. These include details of the locations of vials, the chalice, life bottles, rune stones, gargoyles, rune hands, bronze and silver shields, primary weapons and other secrets which may only be accessible after finding certain items or completing certain tasks.
The weapons that are described for the first few levels are: a small sword, throwing daggers, a crossbow and a club. There are several more weapons available.
External links
- MediEvil Fan Forum
- MediEvil at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- MediEvil at Game RankingsGame RankingsGameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
- "passage in russian for Medievil" (in 3-6 issues of the journal Re-player) at Retrobit