Secret of Evermore
Encyclopedia
Secret of Evermore is a role-playing video game
for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
. It was released by Square Soft in North America on October 1, 1995. In February 1996
, it saw release in the PAL
territories of Europe and Australia. The story of Secret of Evermore follows a boy and his pet dog as they are inadvertently transported to a fantasy world
created by an eccentric inventor. The player guides both the boy and his shapeshifting
dog through Evermore, a world that is composed of separate realms, each resembling a different period of real-world history. The gameplay shares many similarities with Secret of Mana
, such as real-time battles, a ring-shaped menu system, and the ability to switch control between the two characters.
Secret of Evermore is unique in that it is the only game developed by Square designers in North America. The game received positive reviews upon its release due to its graphics and gameplay, but was criticized for not being up to the standards of what many reviewers were used to by its developer. It was believed that the release of Secret of Evermore prevented an English-language version of another game, Seiken Densetsu 3
, from being released, though this was not the case.
. The game mostly consists of an aerial view
setting, in which the boy and his dog negotiate the terrain and fend off hostile creatures. If the boy is currently selected as the player character
, his dog will be controlled by the artificial intelligence, and vice-versa. Both characters can find refuge in caves or a town, where they can regain their hit points or purchase restorative items and equipment. Upon collecting enough experience point
s in battle, either character can increase in level with improved stats such as strength and evasion. Options including changing equipment, casting alchemy spells, or checking status can be quickly performed by rotating through the game's Action Ring system. Combat takes place in real-time. Located below the players hit points is a percentage gauge that determines the amount of damage done to an enemy, as well as how far the player can run. Swinging a weapon or running causes the gauge to fall to 0% and then quickly recharges, allowing the character to attack at full strength or to run at full sprint once it is full. The gauge may also fill up to allowing the player to use charged attacks with equipped weapons.
The protagonist wields four different styles of weapons throughout the game: sword
, spear
, axe
, and bazooka
. Almost all swords, axes, and spears have four versions, and repeated use of them can increase their skill levels to a maximum of three, unlocking a new charged attack with each level. The range and power of each type of weapon increased the more it is used; for instance, spears at a high enough level may be thrown at an enemy across the screen, while the swords and axes can cut swathes of destruction around the boy's vicinity. With the exception of the Bone Crusher, all swords, axes, and spears can cut through vegetation
; some weapons are required to break rocks and other barriers.
In each of the four worlds of Secret of Evermore, the in-game currency will change. The shopkeepers in Prehistoria exchange talon
s; in Antiqua, gemstone
s; in Gothica, gold coin
s; and in Omnitopia, credits. There are individuals in each region who offer to convert the player's money to the local currency. In either of the game's two marketplaces (located in Antiqua and Gothica, respectively), the storekeepers offer to trade in goods instead of money. Certain goods, such as rice, spices, and tapestries, can be bought using the local currency, but others must be exchanged for other goods. Most vendors only specialize in one type of good, and some rare items require an extensive amount of trading to obtain.
. In order to cast magic, the boy must be given an "Alchemic Formula"
by one of many non-playable characters called "Alchemists". Some Alchemists make their home in out-of-the-way areas and will dispense rare formulas if the player manages to seek them out. Unlike some role-playing games, there are no magic point
s needed to cast spells. Alchemy Formulas require pairs of ingredients in order to be used; Some are available throughout the game, and others are only native to certain environments. In the primitive realms, ingredients appear as such items as wax
, limestone
, clay
, and gunpowder
. In the advanced realms, however, the ingredients become more complex, such as ethanol
and dry ice
.
A secondary function of the dog is to "sniff out" ingredients by putting his nose to the ground and smelling for items. The player can command the dog to search the ground at any time, including in huts and cities. If all goes well, the dog will lead his human companion to a certain spot on the map, where the player can uncover the unseen ingredients. With repeated use, Alchemy Formulas will increase in level
, enhancing their curative, offensive, or support effectiveness. Although there are dozens of Formulas available to be found within the game, only nine can be equipped at a time. To overcome this, there are several Alchemists scattered throughout the game who offer to manage the boy's current Alchemy list; any formula that has already been learned can be stored by the Alchemist for later use.
: Prehistoria is rather self-explanatory, with cave men and dinosaurs; Antiqua boasts a Colosseum
and pyramid
theme; Gothica contains medieval castles and is populated by dragons; and Omnitopia is a futuristic space station
.
Throughout their travels, the boy, at the company of his dog, often quotes or mentions fictional B movie
s that relate to their current situation. For example, he compares himself to "Dandy" Don Carlisle in the film "Sink, Boat, Sink" after washing ashore at Crustacia. (For legal reasons, all references to movies and actors were fictional). In addition, the dog's body transforms in a manner that corresponds to the theme of the area in which players find themselves. In the world of Prehistoria, the small dog is transformed into a feral wolf
, in the Antiqua region he becomes a greyhound
, in Gothica he takes the form of a fancy poodle
, and in Omnitopia he becomes a robotic toaster-dog capable of shooting lasers.
to 1965, in a small town called Podunk
, USA. In a laboratory situated on the roof of a mansion, a malfunction occurs which floods the area with white light. Thirty years later, the game's young protagonist is leaving a theater when his pet dog chases after a cat in the street. The boy hurriedly follows after him, eventually reaching a large, abandoned mansion. He discovers the hidden laboratory with a large machine built in the center. When the dog begins to chew on some wires, the pair find themselves transported to the surreal world of Evermore, beginning in the space station Omnitopia. A butler
dressed in a white tuxedo
greets the boy when he appears, only to lock him in a room with several attack robots. The boy manages to escape in a shuttle pod, where he finds his dog holed up in the cockpit.
The shuttle crash-lands in a dense jungle on top of a plateau. When the boy emerges, he finds a ferocious-looking beast has replaced his dog. He decides to perform a test to see if the wolf and his pet dog are one and the same; he tosses a stick for the wolf to fetch, only to receive a giant bone instead. The boy shrugs this off and assumes that it is the same dog.
In each of the four realms, the boy encounters a citizen of Podunk involved in the original experiment gone awry 30 years ago. Professor Sidney Ruffleberg and his three companions were transported to Evermore, but are unable to leave. The boy quickly learns that the regions are manifestations of those citizens' personal utopia
s. Each of the three companions act as the ruler of his or her world: Elizabeth, the Professor's niece, is the tribal chief of Prehistoria; Horace Highwater, curator
of the Podunk Museum, oversees Antiqua; Camellia Bluegarden, a portly librarian, is the Queen of Gothica; and Professor Ruffleberg monitors everything from Omnitopia, with his android butler, Carltron, alongside him. Within Prehistoria, Antiqua, and Gothica, the boy and his canine companion aid Elizabeth, Horace, and Camellia in thwarting attempts by robotic clones of the Podunk citizens from ruling their respective areas.
The duo finally returns to Omnitopia and finds Ruffleberg, who explains everything. He and his butler Carltron once engaged in chess
matches. Ruffleberg outfitted him with an intelligence chip
to make him a more challenging opponent, but the upgrade backfired by making Carltron more malevolent. He sabotaged the transporter to Evermore and designed the hostile beasts roaming the game. With Ruffleberg's help, the boy and his canine companion break into Carltron's room. The area is guarded by android clones of the boy and his dog, along with a giant mecha
version of Carltron. At the last moment, Ruffleberg appears and deactivates Carltron, who promptly freezes in place.
With Carltron's defeat, the monsters plaguing Evermore disappear, but the world itself grows unstable. The boy returns to each of the worlds to collect Ruffleberg's companions, taking them back to the real world. In doing so, Evermore's destruction is averted and it continues to exist without them. After the credits roll, a final scene shows Professor Ruffleberg returning Carltron to his old task of cleaning the lab. Carltron grins and rubs his hands together, implying that he is not as docile as the professor believes.
Development on Secret of Evermore began in early 1994 at Square Soft, the Redmond, Washington
office of the Japanese parent company Square. The concept of a boy traveling with his dog through a world based on cheesy B movies was dictated from overseas, whereupon Square Soft began work on the detailed storyline. This resulted in popular culture
references and dialog that are distinctly American for a mainstream console RPG. The game's associate producer and writer, George Sinfield, decided that making such references would be familiar to American players.
Many of Secret of Evermores elements were copied from Secret of Mana because they had been proven to be effective. The size
of the game was an early issue. It was decided that the game would be single-player to preserve memory because it was originally planned to be only 12-megabits. However, the game would double to 24-megabits near the end of development. Various pieces of concept art were designed by Daniel Dociu
. Using computer software, including SGI Indy II
and Alias
workstations, the game's artwork and design were mapped out by three animators, four background artists, and a 3D rendering artist. It was put together using the company's SAGE (Square's Amazing Graphical Editor) program, led by programmer Brian Fehdrau. Rather than having to hand off their work to the programmers, the artists and designers were able to test their ideas directly using the SAGE program. Using another company program, SIGIL (Square Interpreted Game Intelligence Language), Secret of Evermore was made into a final product.
There is a persistent misconception that the game is, or was released in lieu of, a follow-up to Secret of Mana. Other Square titles such as Final Fantasy VI
and Chrono Trigger were being localized simultaneously with the production of Secret of Evermore. Fehdrau explained in an interview that Secret of Evermore was not created in place of Seiken Densetsu 3
and that the team that developed Secret of Evermore was assembled from newly-hired staff, and would otherwise never have been assembled. Several of the team members joined Humongous Entertainment
, which spawned Cavedog Entertainment
, while the rest of the team spread to other Seattle-area game studios like Electronic Arts
, Boss Game Studios
, Microsoft Game Studios
, and Gas Powered Games
, among others.
Secret of Evermore was released on October 1, 1995, in North America. In 1996, it was translated into French, German, and Spanish for the non-English-speaking market in some PAL territories, including Australia and New Zealand. Some PAL versions were packaged in a large box and included a strategy guide.
. While still in high school Soule was a large fan of video games and he felt that the scores in most games "lacked drama and intensity." After completing high school, Soule created an experimental demo showcasing what he felt video game scores should sound like. Soule was hired by Square Soft after reviewing the demo and was promptly given the task to score Secret of Evermore. The score is described by Soule as a mix of ambient
sounds and low-key music. The soundtrack was released on a CD containing 29 tracks, the first eight of which are arranged
versions of the original sound. The disc was published by Square and was only initially available to those who pre-ordered Secret of Evermore.
noted that the locales found in Secret of Evermore were detailed in a much more realistic way than other games of the genre. GamePro
was complimentary of its American art-style, but longed for the Japanese art found in other Square titles. Another highlight for many critics was gameplay, particularly aspects also found in Secret of Mana such as the ring menu.
Reviewers were more critical when concerning the game's sound. Although the musical score was appreciated for its overall quality, both RPGFan and RPGamer found that there were too few adequately long tracks, with mediocre ambient sound effects to fill the dead time. Critics were mixed on the issue of Secret of Evermore being the first game developed by Square in the United States. Super Play
found that the game was not up to the standards held by other Square games. Others noted that Secret of Evermore was a decent first attempt by the American team. GamePro dubbed the game "worthy of a sequel," while Game Players
anticipated another game from the same development team.
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. It was released by Square Soft in North America on October 1, 1995. In February 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
, it saw release in the PAL
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
territories of Europe and Australia. The story of Secret of Evermore follows a boy and his pet dog as they are inadvertently transported to a fantasy world
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
created by an eccentric inventor. The player guides both the boy and his shapeshifting
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
dog through Evermore, a world that is composed of separate realms, each resembling a different period of real-world history. The gameplay shares many similarities with Secret of Mana
Secret of Mana
Secret of Mana is an action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed and published by Square in 1993. The game was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in 2008, and was ported to Japanese mobile phones in 2009...
, such as real-time battles, a ring-shaped menu system, and the ability to switch control between the two characters.
Secret of Evermore is unique in that it is the only game developed by Square designers in North America. The game received positive reviews upon its release due to its graphics and gameplay, but was criticized for not being up to the standards of what many reviewers were used to by its developer. It was believed that the release of Secret of Evermore prevented an English-language version of another game, Seiken Densetsu 3
Seiken Densetsu 3
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square for Nintendo's Super Famicom as a part of the Mana series.The game features three lengthy main plotlines, six different characters, each with their own storylines, and a wide range of classes to choose from, which provides each...
, from being released, though this was not the case.
Gameplay
Secret of Evermore takes many of its interface and gameplay aspects from the unrelated Japanese Square title Secret of ManaSecret of Mana
Secret of Mana is an action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed and published by Square in 1993. The game was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in 2008, and was ported to Japanese mobile phones in 2009...
. The game mostly consists of an aerial view
Bird's-eye view
A bird's-eye view is an elevated view of an object from above, with a perspective as though the observer were a bird, often used in the making of blueprints, floor plans and maps.It can be an aerial photograph, but also a drawing...
setting, in which the boy and his dog negotiate the terrain and fend off hostile creatures. If the boy is currently selected as the player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
, his dog will be controlled by the artificial intelligence, and vice-versa. Both characters can find refuge in caves or a town, where they can regain their hit points or purchase restorative items and equipment. Upon collecting enough experience point
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s in battle, either character can increase in level with improved stats such as strength and evasion. Options including changing equipment, casting alchemy spells, or checking status can be quickly performed by rotating through the game's Action Ring system. Combat takes place in real-time. Located below the players hit points is a percentage gauge that determines the amount of damage done to an enemy, as well as how far the player can run. Swinging a weapon or running causes the gauge to fall to 0% and then quickly recharges, allowing the character to attack at full strength or to run at full sprint once it is full. The gauge may also fill up to allowing the player to use charged attacks with equipped weapons.
The protagonist wields four different styles of weapons throughout the game: sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
, spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
, axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
, and bazooka
Shoulder-launched missile weapon
A shoulder-fired missile, shoulder-launched missile or man-portable missile is a projectile fired at a target, small enough to be carried by a single person, and fired while held on one's shoulder...
. Almost all swords, axes, and spears have four versions, and repeated use of them can increase their skill levels to a maximum of three, unlocking a new charged attack with each level. The range and power of each type of weapon increased the more it is used; for instance, spears at a high enough level may be thrown at an enemy across the screen, while the swords and axes can cut swathes of destruction around the boy's vicinity. With the exception of the Bone Crusher, all swords, axes, and spears can cut through vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
; some weapons are required to break rocks and other barriers.
Talon
A talon is a sharp claw of an animal, especially a bird of prey, such as the eagle, hawk, falcon, owl, or buzzard. It may also refer to:Places:* Talon, Nièvre, a commune in the Nièvre département in France...
s; in Antiqua, gemstone
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
s; in Gothica, gold coin
Gold coin
A gold coin is a coin made mostly or entirely of gold. Gold has been used for coins practically since the invention of coinage, originally because of gold's intrinsic value...
s; and in Omnitopia, credits. There are individuals in each region who offer to convert the player's money to the local currency. In either of the game's two marketplaces (located in Antiqua and Gothica, respectively), the storekeepers offer to trade in goods instead of money. Certain goods, such as rice, spices, and tapestries, can be bought using the local currency, but others must be exchanged for other goods. Most vendors only specialize in one type of good, and some rare items require an extensive amount of trading to obtain.
Alchemy
A unique element to Secret of Evermore is its system of 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...
. In order to cast magic, the boy must be given an "Alchemic Formula"
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
by one of many non-playable characters called "Alchemists". Some Alchemists make their home in out-of-the-way areas and will dispense rare formulas if the player manages to seek them out. Unlike some role-playing games, there are no magic point
Magic point
Magic points are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games as an expendable resource that is needed to pay for magic spells and other abilities, such as special attacks...
s needed to cast spells. Alchemy Formulas require pairs of ingredients in order to be used; Some are available throughout the game, and others are only native to certain environments. In the primitive realms, ingredients appear as such items as wax
Wax
thumb|right|[[Cetyl palmitate]], a typical wax ester.Wax refers to a class of chemical compounds that are plastic near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents...
, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, and gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
. In the advanced realms, however, the ingredients become more complex, such as ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
and dry ice
Dry ice
Dry ice, sometimes referred to as "Cardice" or as "card ice" , is the solid form of carbon dioxide. It is used primarily as a cooling agent. Its advantages include lower temperature than that of water ice and not leaving any residue...
.
A secondary function of the dog is to "sniff out" ingredients by putting his nose to the ground and smelling for items. The player can command the dog to search the ground at any time, including in huts and cities. If all goes well, the dog will lead his human companion to a certain spot on the map, where the player can uncover the unseen ingredients. With repeated use, Alchemy Formulas will increase in level
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
, enhancing their curative, offensive, or support effectiveness. Although there are dozens of Formulas available to be found within the game, only nine can be equipped at a time. To overcome this, there are several Alchemists scattered throughout the game who offer to manage the boy's current Alchemy list; any formula that has already been learned can be stored by the Alchemist for later use.
Setting
The plot revolves around an anonymous teenage boy and his dog, to whom the player must assign names. Most of the game takes place in the fictional world of Evermore. The player explores four main areas within this world, many corresponding to different historical erasHistory of Earth
The history of the Earth describes the most important events and fundamental stages in the development of the planet Earth from its formation 4.578 billion years ago to the present day. Nearly all branches of natural science have contributed to the understanding of the main events of the Earth's...
: Prehistoria is rather self-explanatory, with cave men and dinosaurs; Antiqua boasts a Colosseum
Colosseum
The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre , is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire...
and pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
theme; Gothica contains medieval castles and is populated by dragons; and Omnitopia is a futuristic space station
Space station
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
.
Throughout their travels, the boy, at the company of his dog, often quotes or mentions fictional B movie
B movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
s that relate to their current situation. For example, he compares himself to "Dandy" Don Carlisle in the film "Sink, Boat, Sink" after washing ashore at Crustacia. (For legal reasons, all references to movies and actors were fictional). In addition, the dog's body transforms in a manner that corresponds to the theme of the area in which players find themselves. In the world of Prehistoria, the small dog is transformed into a feral wolf
Canidae
Canidae is the biological family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals that includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and domestic dogs. A member of this family is called a canid . The Canidae family is divided into two tribes: Canini and Vulpini...
, in the Antiqua region he becomes a greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
, in Gothica he takes the form of a fancy poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
, and in Omnitopia he becomes a robotic toaster-dog capable of shooting lasers.
Story
The story of Secret of Evermore begins with a black and white flashbackFlashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
to 1965, in a small town called Podunk
Podunk
In American English, Podunk, podunk, or Podunk Hollow denotes or describes a place of small size or "in the middle of nowhere", and is often used in the upper case as a placeholder name in a context of dismissing significance or importance....
, USA. In a laboratory situated on the roof of a mansion, a malfunction occurs which floods the area with white light. Thirty years later, the game's young protagonist is leaving a theater when his pet dog chases after a cat in the street. The boy hurriedly follows after him, eventually reaching a large, abandoned mansion. He discovers the hidden laboratory with a large machine built in the center. When the dog begins to chew on some wires, the pair find themselves transported to the surreal world of Evermore, beginning in the space station Omnitopia. A butler
Butler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
dressed in a white tuxedo
Tuxedo
A tuxedo is a type of semi-formal dress for men.Tuxedo may also refer to:-Places:Canada* Tuxedo, Winnipeg, Manitoba, a city neighborhood** Tuxedo , a provincial electoral district in Manitoba...
greets the boy when he appears, only to lock him in a room with several attack robots. The boy manages to escape in a shuttle pod, where he finds his dog holed up in the cockpit.
The shuttle crash-lands in a dense jungle on top of a plateau. When the boy emerges, he finds a ferocious-looking beast has replaced his dog. He decides to perform a test to see if the wolf and his pet dog are one and the same; he tosses a stick for the wolf to fetch, only to receive a giant bone instead. The boy shrugs this off and assumes that it is the same dog.
In each of the four realms, the boy encounters a citizen of Podunk involved in the original experiment gone awry 30 years ago. Professor Sidney Ruffleberg and his three companions were transported to Evermore, but are unable to leave. The boy quickly learns that the regions are manifestations of those citizens' personal utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
s. Each of the three companions act as the ruler of his or her world: Elizabeth, the Professor's niece, is the tribal chief of Prehistoria; Horace Highwater, curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of the Podunk Museum, oversees Antiqua; Camellia Bluegarden, a portly librarian, is the Queen of Gothica; and Professor Ruffleberg monitors everything from Omnitopia, with his android butler, Carltron, alongside him. Within Prehistoria, Antiqua, and Gothica, the boy and his canine companion aid Elizabeth, Horace, and Camellia in thwarting attempts by robotic clones of the Podunk citizens from ruling their respective areas.
The duo finally returns to Omnitopia and finds Ruffleberg, who explains everything. He and his butler Carltron once engaged in chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
matches. Ruffleberg outfitted him with an intelligence chip
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
to make him a more challenging opponent, but the upgrade backfired by making Carltron more malevolent. He sabotaged the transporter to Evermore and designed the hostile beasts roaming the game. With Ruffleberg's help, the boy and his canine companion break into Carltron's room. The area is guarded by android clones of the boy and his dog, along with a giant mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
version of Carltron. At the last moment, Ruffleberg appears and deactivates Carltron, who promptly freezes in place.
With Carltron's defeat, the monsters plaguing Evermore disappear, but the world itself grows unstable. The boy returns to each of the worlds to collect Ruffleberg's companions, taking them back to the real world. In doing so, Evermore's destruction is averted and it continues to exist without them. After the credits roll, a final scene shows Professor Ruffleberg returning Carltron to his old task of cleaning the lab. Carltron grins and rubs his hands together, implying that he is not as docile as the professor believes.
Development
Redmond, Washington
Redmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....
office of the Japanese parent company Square. The concept of a boy traveling with his dog through a world based on cheesy B movies was dictated from overseas, whereupon Square Soft began work on the detailed storyline. This resulted in popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
references and dialog that are distinctly American for a mainstream console RPG. The game's associate producer and writer, George Sinfield, decided that making such references would be familiar to American players.
Many of Secret of Evermores elements were copied from Secret of Mana because they had been proven to be effective. The size
Megabit
The megabit is a multiple of the unit bit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix mega is defined in the International System of Units as a multiplier of 106 , and therefore...
of the game was an early issue. It was decided that the game would be single-player to preserve memory because it was originally planned to be only 12-megabits. However, the game would double to 24-megabits near the end of development. Various pieces of concept art were designed by Daniel Dociu
Daniel Dociu
Daniel Dociu is a video game art director and concept artist. He is the chief art director for NCsoft North America and also works for its subsidiary ArenaNet....
. Using computer software, including SGI Indy II
SGI Indy
The Indy, code-named "Guinness", is a low-end workstation introduced on 12 July 1993. Developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics Incorporated , it was the result of their attempt to obtain a share of the low-end computer-aided design market, which was dominated at the time by other workstation...
and Alias
Alias Systems Corporation
Alias Systems Corporation , headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was a software company that produced high-end 3D graphics software. The company was formed in 1995 when Silicon Graphics bought Alias Research, which was founded in 1983, and Wavefront Technologies, founded in 1984, then merged...
workstations, the game's artwork and design were mapped out by three animators, four background artists, and a 3D rendering artist. It was put together using the company's SAGE (Square's Amazing Graphical Editor) program, led by programmer Brian Fehdrau. Rather than having to hand off their work to the programmers, the artists and designers were able to test their ideas directly using the SAGE program. Using another company program, SIGIL (Square Interpreted Game Intelligence Language), Secret of Evermore was made into a final product.
There is a persistent misconception that the game is, or was released in lieu of, a follow-up to Secret of Mana. Other Square titles such as Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square , released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a part of the Final Fantasy series. Set in a fantasy world with a technology level equivalent to that of the Second Industrial Revolution, the game's story focuses on a...
and Chrono Trigger were being localized simultaneously with the production of Secret of Evermore. Fehdrau explained in an interview that Secret of Evermore was not created in place of Seiken Densetsu 3
Seiken Densetsu 3
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square for Nintendo's Super Famicom as a part of the Mana series.The game features three lengthy main plotlines, six different characters, each with their own storylines, and a wide range of classes to choose from, which provides each...
and that the team that developed Secret of Evermore was assembled from newly-hired staff, and would otherwise never have been assembled. Several of the team members joined Humongous Entertainment
Humongous (game developer)
Humongous Inc. is an American video game developer. The company is known for its line of educational games for children. Atari now owns Humongous Inc.-History:...
, which spawned Cavedog Entertainment
Cavedog Entertainment
Cavedog Entertainment, or Cavedog, was a video game developer based in Bothell, Washington. Cavedog gained the attention of gamers and the gaming press alike with the 1997 release of Total Annihilation , winning many accolades such as multiple Game of the Year honors or being one of The Greatest...
, while the rest of the team spread to other Seattle-area game studios like Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
, Boss Game Studios
Boss Game Studios
Boss Game Studio is a defunct video game developer specializing in Nintendo 64 games. The company was formed as an independent offshoot of Boss Film Studios...
, Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Game Studios
Microsoft Studios is the video game production wing for Microsoft, responsible for the development and publishing of games for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Games for Windows and Windows Phone platforms. They were established in 2002 as Microsoft Game Studios to coincide with the release of the Xbox, before...
, and Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games
Gas Powered Games is a video game developer located in Redmond, Washington. The development studio was started in May 1998 by Chris Taylor, creator of Total Annihilation, and several other ex-Cavedog Entertainment employees....
, among others.
Secret of Evermore was released on October 1, 1995, in North America. In 1996, it was translated into French, German, and Spanish for the non-English-speaking market in some PAL territories, including Australia and New Zealand. Some PAL versions were packaged in a large box and included a strategy guide.
Music
The score for Secret of Evermore was composed by Jeremy SouleJeremy Soule
Jeremy Soule is an American composer of soundtracks for film, television and video games. He has won multiple awards and has been described as the "John Williams of video game music" and "a model of success" for Western composers. He has composed soundtracks for over 60 games and over a dozen...
. While still in high school Soule was a large fan of video games and he felt that the scores in most games "lacked drama and intensity." After completing high school, Soule created an experimental demo showcasing what he felt video game scores should sound like. Soule was hired by Square Soft after reviewing the demo and was promptly given the task to score Secret of Evermore. The score is described by Soule as a mix of ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
sounds and low-key music. The soundtrack was released on a CD containing 29 tracks, the first eight of which are arranged
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
versions of the original sound. The disc was published by Square and was only initially available to those who pre-ordered Secret of Evermore.
Reception
Secret of Evermore received positive reviews from most media outlets. Most publications praised its graphics. For instance, RPGFan called the game a "wonderful visual experience," applauding its use of color, animation, and background. Zachary Lewis of RPGamerRPGamer
RPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
noted that the locales found in Secret of Evermore were detailed in a much more realistic way than other games of the genre. GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
was complimentary of its American art-style, but longed for the Japanese art found in other Square titles. Another highlight for many critics was gameplay, particularly aspects also found in Secret of Mana such as the ring menu.
Reviewers were more critical when concerning the game's sound. Although the musical score was appreciated for its overall quality, both RPGFan and RPGamer found that there were too few adequately long tracks, with mediocre ambient sound effects to fill the dead time. Critics were mixed on the issue of Secret of Evermore being the first game developed by Square in the United States. Super Play
Super Play
Super Play was a UK based Super Nintendo Entertainment System magazine which ran from November 1992 to September 1996.Super Play was notable for a number of reasons. Firstly, it covered in great detail the console role-playing game genre...
found that the game was not up to the standards held by other Square games. Others noted that Secret of Evermore was a decent first attempt by the American team. GamePro dubbed the game "worthy of a sequel," while Game Players
Game Players
Game Players was a monthly video game magazine founded by Robert C. Lock and published by Signal Research, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The original publication was titled Game Players Strategy to Nintendo Games...
anticipated another game from the same development team.