Total Eclipse (1988 video game)
Encyclopedia
Total Eclipse is a first person
adventure game
released for the Amiga
, Atari ST
, Amstrad CPC
, Commodore 64
, PC
and ZX Spectrum
computers in 1988
. It can also be considered an early example of a First-person shooter
.
The game starts with you having just left your biplane parked outside the pyramid you are about to enter. Besides dying of dehydration, if you do not keep your water bottle topped up, you can also die of a heart attack caused by falling off ledges, getting crushed by falling stones and taking too many hits from poison dart traps. If the damage isn't immediately lethal, you can calm your heartbeat by resting (there's an accelerate time feature) but remember the time limit! (from Zzap! July 1989)
games developed by Incentive Software
, Total Eclipse takes place from the point of view of the main character, who can move freely within the 3D environment of the game. This time, however, the emphasis is more on adventure, puzzle-solving and survival; with multi-level environments to move around and explore.
The survival elements consist of a water jar, which you must keep topped up with water found around the levels, and a heart-rate monitor, which you must keep below a certain level by 'resting'. Another new feature for the player to carry is a flash-light, with a limited battery-life, which allows you to explore some of the darker areas of the game. You can't spend too long exploring and resting, however, as the game has a two hour time-limit before the sun reaches total eclipse and the pyramid comes crashing down.
You also have a pistol equipped, but this is used for the most part as a method for opening doors, chests and other mechanisms throughout the pyramid, rather than shooting enemies (of which there are very few).
engine, which allowed the production of full three-dimensional environments using filled polygons in which the player could move around freely. However, the engine was improved for this release, adding spheres to collection of shapes used for building the 3D environments.
Like the previous Freescape
-based games, it also gave the player the ability to 'crouch', and look up and down, as well as rotate left and right, something which was rare amongst 3D games of the time. The same engine was used for its sequel, Total Eclipse II: The Sphinx Jinx.
gave Total Eclipse a score of 78% in its July issue of 1989, bemoaning the similarity to previous Freescape
games as its biggest downfall. The reviewer, Gary Barett, concluded, "Do not misunderstand me, though, Total Eclipse is the best of Freescape games, but the originality has gone" .
Zzap! awarded a higher score of 84%, praising the game's moody music and claustrophobic feel, and stating that "Dark Side comes close in terms of realism but to my mind Total Eclipse has a lot better atmosphere".
First person (video games)
In video games, first person refers to a graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player character. In many cases, this may be the viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle. Many different genres have made use of first-person perspectives, ranging from adventure games to flight...
adventure game
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,...
released for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
and ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
computers in 1988
1988 in video gaming
-Events:*June — Nintendo releases the last issue of "Nintendo fun club news";*July — Nintendo releases the first issue of Nintendo Power magazine.-Notable releases:*January 8, Konami releases Super Contra....
. It can also be considered an early example of a First-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
.
Story
In ancient times a curse was put on a massive pyramid dedicated to the Sun God, Ra, and if ever a total eclipse happened over Egypt the Moon would explode, devastating the Earth with its debris. On October 26 1930 said eclipse is about to happen and you've a mere two hours to penetrate the pyramid and destroy the pyramid shrine to prevent destruction.The game starts with you having just left your biplane parked outside the pyramid you are about to enter. Besides dying of dehydration, if you do not keep your water bottle topped up, you can also die of a heart attack caused by falling off ledges, getting crushed by falling stones and taking too many hits from poison dart traps. If the damage isn't immediately lethal, you can calm your heartbeat by resting (there's an accelerate time feature) but remember the time limit! (from Zzap! July 1989)
Gameplay
Like the previous FreescapeFreescape
thumb|The Freescape logo.The Freescape engine was an early 3D game engine used in games such as 1987's Driller.-History:Developed in-house by Incentive Software, Freescape is considered to be one of the first proprietary 3D engines to be used in computer games, although the engine was not used...
games developed by Incentive Software
Incentive Software
Incentive Software Ltd. was a British video game developer and publisher founded by Ian Andrew in 1983. Programmers included Sean Ellis, Stephen Northcott and Ian's brother Chris Andrew. Later games were based around the company's Freescape rendering engine...
, Total Eclipse takes place from the point of view of the main character, who can move freely within the 3D environment of the game. This time, however, the emphasis is more on adventure, puzzle-solving and survival; with multi-level environments to move around and explore.
The survival elements consist of a water jar, which you must keep topped up with water found around the levels, and a heart-rate monitor, which you must keep below a certain level by 'resting'. Another new feature for the player to carry is a flash-light, with a limited battery-life, which allows you to explore some of the darker areas of the game. You can't spend too long exploring and resting, however, as the game has a two hour time-limit before the sun reaches total eclipse and the pyramid comes crashing down.
You also have a pistol equipped, but this is used for the most part as a method for opening doors, chests and other mechanisms throughout the pyramid, rather than shooting enemies (of which there are very few).
Engine
Total Eclipse was the third game to use the FreescapeFreescape
thumb|The Freescape logo.The Freescape engine was an early 3D game engine used in games such as 1987's Driller.-History:Developed in-house by Incentive Software, Freescape is considered to be one of the first proprietary 3D engines to be used in computer games, although the engine was not used...
engine, which allowed the production of full three-dimensional environments using filled polygons in which the player could move around freely. However, the engine was improved for this release, adding spheres to collection of shapes used for building the 3D environments.
Like the previous Freescape
Freescape
thumb|The Freescape logo.The Freescape engine was an early 3D game engine used in games such as 1987's Driller.-History:Developed in-house by Incentive Software, Freescape is considered to be one of the first proprietary 3D engines to be used in computer games, although the engine was not used...
-based games, it also gave the player the ability to 'crouch', and look up and down, as well as rotate left and right, something which was rare amongst 3D games of the time. The same engine was used for its sequel, Total Eclipse II: The Sphinx Jinx.
Critical response
Amiga/ST FormatAmiga Format
Amiga Format was a British computer magazine for Amiga computers, published by Future Publishing. The magazine lasted 136 issues from 1989 to 2000. The magazine was formed when, in the wake of selling ACE to EMAP, Future split the dual-format title ST/Amiga Format into two separate publications...
gave Total Eclipse a score of 78% in its July issue of 1989, bemoaning the similarity to previous Freescape
Freescape
thumb|The Freescape logo.The Freescape engine was an early 3D game engine used in games such as 1987's Driller.-History:Developed in-house by Incentive Software, Freescape is considered to be one of the first proprietary 3D engines to be used in computer games, although the engine was not used...
games as its biggest downfall. The reviewer, Gary Barett, concluded, "Do not misunderstand me, though, Total Eclipse is the best of Freescape games, but the originality has gone" .
Zzap! awarded a higher score of 84%, praising the game's moody music and claustrophobic feel, and stating that "Dark Side comes close in terms of realism but to my mind Total Eclipse has a lot better atmosphere".