Shadowgate 64: Trials of the Four Towers
Encyclopedia
Shadowgate 64: Trials of the Four Towers is a 1999 adventure game
for the Nintendo 64
developed by Infinite Ventures and published by Kemco
.
Unlike the extensive menu-based actions of the first game, Shadowgate 64 simplifies most of this actions down to two buttons, one as a generic action command, while other uses items.
where Lord Jair defeated Warlock, and claimed his position to the throne. However, as the time passed the kingdom started rotting into a gathering for thieves, bandits and other evil beings. The game takes the role of the mostly unseen Del Cottonwood, a halfling who traveled in a caravan but was imprisoned by the bandits when crossing Shadowgate while his traveling partners were murdered.
While in prison, Del finds a way to break free and embark on a quest that takes him through the Four Towers. Each one contains a different task Del must complete to proceed. Del utilizes books and the help of ghosts of deceased town members to learn the story of Shadowgate. Between his trials of the towers, Del explores the bleak and desolate castle town. Doing odd-jobs for the few villagers left, Del gains access to other towers and new areas, even is offered a way out of the castle walls but declines.
Saul: The boy of woman who lives in Shadowgate's now-ghost town. He had a partner who helped him uncover the legendary Staff of Ages. His whereabouts are unknown.
Lakmir: Also known as "Lakmir the Wise" or "The Good Master." He was one of the original members of the Circle of Twelve. He sent Jair on the original quest to stop the Warlock Lord from raising the Behemoth. Now he is a ghost that haunts the halls of his former academy. He will help guide you along the way.
Belzar: One of Lakmir's final students. He was far more promising in skill than most, but he turned his ways to dark magic. Now he seeks to revive the Warlock Lord.
Talimar: goes by many names. Originally one of the Circle of Twelve with Lakmir, he became "Talimar the Black," or more colloquially, the Warlock Lord. He is imprisoned in the Chamber of Holding.
Lord Jair: the hero of the original Shadowgate, he will help you at the end.
D'Narth: the last of long line of Dragon Keepers.
game developed by Infinite Ventures for the Nintendo 64
but was never released. Originally intended to be a sequel to Shadowgate 64: Trials of the Four Towers, the project was abandoned because the Nintendo 64 was soon to be replaced by the GameCube
.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
developed by Infinite Ventures and published by Kemco
KEMCO
, sometimes referred to as Kotobuki System Co., Ltd., is a Japanese video game developer and publisher established in 1984 as a subsidiary of Kotobuki Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd, located in: Seika, Japan....
.
Gameplay
Shadowgate 64 has the same first-person view of the first game, though this time the static screens were replaced by a full 3D roaming similar to that of the first-person shooters. Despite the change of perspective the core game is similar: the game relies mostly on solving puzzles and riddles rather than fighting enemies. The warden and dwarf-like guards are the only enemies to be found, and they have to be avoided. There are many instances in which Del can die, such as a fall from a moderate distance or dropping into deep water. The player must find ways around everything through interaction with the environment.Unlike the extensive menu-based actions of the first game, Shadowgate 64 simplifies most of this actions down to two buttons, one as a generic action command, while other uses items.
Story
The game takes place centuries after the first ShadowgateShadowgate
Shadowgate is a 1987 "point-and-click" adventure video game originally for the Apple Macintosh and is the most popular in the MacVenture series. It was also ported to the Atari ST home computer and was also released in 1989 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, where it garnered mild success. The...
where Lord Jair defeated Warlock, and claimed his position to the throne. However, as the time passed the kingdom started rotting into a gathering for thieves, bandits and other evil beings. The game takes the role of the mostly unseen Del Cottonwood, a halfling who traveled in a caravan but was imprisoned by the bandits when crossing Shadowgate while his traveling partners were murdered.
While in prison, Del finds a way to break free and embark on a quest that takes him through the Four Towers. Each one contains a different task Del must complete to proceed. Del utilizes books and the help of ghosts of deceased town members to learn the story of Shadowgate. Between his trials of the towers, Del explores the bleak and desolate castle town. Doing odd-jobs for the few villagers left, Del gains access to other towers and new areas, even is offered a way out of the castle walls but declines.
Characters
Del Cottenwood: you play the halfling adventurer, who is caught in a bandit raid. Having been brought to Shadowgate, he is caught up in a series of events that impact his own survival and that of the land.Saul: The boy of woman who lives in Shadowgate's now-ghost town. He had a partner who helped him uncover the legendary Staff of Ages. His whereabouts are unknown.
Lakmir: Also known as "Lakmir the Wise" or "The Good Master." He was one of the original members of the Circle of Twelve. He sent Jair on the original quest to stop the Warlock Lord from raising the Behemoth. Now he is a ghost that haunts the halls of his former academy. He will help guide you along the way.
Belzar: One of Lakmir's final students. He was far more promising in skill than most, but he turned his ways to dark magic. Now he seeks to revive the Warlock Lord.
Talimar: goes by many names. Originally one of the Circle of Twelve with Lakmir, he became "Talimar the Black," or more colloquially, the Warlock Lord. He is imprisoned in the Chamber of Holding.
Lord Jair: the hero of the original Shadowgate, he will help you at the end.
D'Narth: the last of long line of Dragon Keepers.
Sequel
Shadowgate Rising was an adventure gameAdventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
game developed by Infinite Ventures for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
but was never released. Originally intended to be a sequel to Shadowgate 64: Trials of the Four Towers, the project was abandoned because the Nintendo 64 was soon to be replaced by the 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...
.