Home Games Technology Movies Retro

Friday, December 24, 2010

Retro Holiday Gaming, Part I: Death Gate


These days, after seeing some of the old games offered at the steam sale, I got a bit nostalgic and decided to dig around my old games and replay a couple of my very favorite adventures. First up is Death Gate, a 1994 fantasy adventure game by Legend Entertainment loosely based on a book series called The Death Gate Cycle. In order to run such an old game on Windows 7, I of course used DOSBox and everything worked like a charm.

In Death Gate two races of magicians, the Sartans and the Patryns, battled for supremacy and rule over the inferior races (humans, elves and dwarfs). The Sartans, sensing that they were losing the battle, devised a plan to gain the upper hand: using magic, they sundered the world into 5 smaller worlds, four based on the elements (air, fire, earth and water) and a fifth one called The Labyrinth in which they trapped all the Patryans. You play the role of Haplo, a Patryan that has just escaped the Labyrinth, two millennia after the sundering. With the guidance of a powerful Patryan, Lord Xar, you set out to the other worlds to gather information and avenge your race.

Arianus, the world of air

Death Gate is probably the most dialog heavy game I have ever played, but the story is so good that it completely absorbs you. The voice acting of the cd version and the music are also very nice which adds to the enjoyment of the story. The graphics of the game are beautiful, although they are mostly static images with subtle animations and a few 3D cut-scenes. The interface is simple but effective. Your inventory is at the bottom of the screen and at it's left are the use magic button and other people in your party. On the left side of the screen are some key action words and some that change depending on what you are doing and below that is a compass which you can use to move around.

The interface is very intuitive

Magic plays a very important role in the game and is used in a unique way. You cast spells by tracing your finger in the air to create line designs. In order to construct a spell you use various runes that you combine together. As you progress you will learn more runes and more spells. This system provides the basis for some very interesting puzzles in the game.

The rune magic system

Death Gate is available for download at Abandonia (sadly not the CD version with the voice acting). If you like adventure games do yourself a favor and give Death Gate a try. I promise you, you will be rewarded.

Merry Christmas!

27 comments:

mastorak said...

I must admit I 've never tried this one. It was not very popular back in the day and you didn't hear many people going on about it. I will give it a try though cause the spell system integrated into puzzles reminds me of Loom

Jack son said...

In addition on the off chance that regardless you aren't sure, all expert amusement lovers are utilizing these hardware too these days, specifically if your Computer is essentially intended for gaming. best graphics card 2016

markson said...

At the end of the day, every last bit of it is connected. When you pick one viewpoint, you need to contrast it with others with make sure of your decision.Bonuses

seo boss said...

These profiles also can be kept inside the gaming console itself or into the console's driver programming. http://www.shadowfight2hacks.com/

Danielius Annbjørg said...

Right here is the right website for anyone who wishes to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a brand new spin on a subject which has been written about for decades. Excellent stuff, just wonderful, see it here!

Unknown said...

If we talk about modern games, I can agree with the statement that they have incredible graphics, interesting physics and similar things. But personally I lack the uniqueness that was in retro games. I prefer to use roms http://romsmania.com/ and enjoy the games of my childhood.

Matias said...

For a long time me & my friend were searching for informative blogs, but now I am on the right place guys, you have made a room in my heart! OceanOfGames

howtolosebellyfat said...

Retro Games have existed for a long while, as well as Metroid Roms and Super Metroid Roms. And Don't Forget to check on my blog

olivermir said...

Simply appreciating your work and thinking about how you dealt with this blog so well. It's striking to such an extent that I can't stand to not experience this important data at whatever point I surf the web! 해외배팅사이트

olivermir said...

Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me. 에볼루션카지노

olivermir said...

I expected to thank you for this amazing read!! I obviously venerated every single bit of it. I have you bookmarked your site to take a gander at the new stuff you post. 먹튀신고

Mia Ethan said...

Interesting site. A great deal of web journals I see nowadays don't generally give whatever I'm keen on, however I'm undoubtedly inspired by this one. Recently imagined that I would post and tell you 넷마블 먹튀

Farhan.Jee said...

Armrests are often in the way, too close together, or frankly uncomfortable when utilized. There is no size flexibility. At the end of the day, a bean bag chair is the better choice. Homall gaming chair

shane lee said...

I was surfing net and fortunately came across this site and found very interesting stuff here. Its really fun to read. I enjoyed a lot. Thanks for sharing this wonderful information. wm casino

Tino Best said...

the fundamental elements of search optimization are essentially the same, regardless of language. 현금바둑이

Viktoriya said...

This familiarizes you with the online casino and helps you a chances to win real money without having to deposit anything on your part. Multiplayer standard slots are referred to as the best suited examples of free online slots chiefly because you can play this game agen5

Troy Farmer said...

Its my extraordinary delight to visit your blog and to make the most of your incredible posts here. I like it a great deal. I can feel that you gave much consideration for those articles, as every one of them bode well and are exceptionally valuable. visit this page

Seo said...

https://advancefamilydental.blogspot.com/2012/03/dental-implants-replacement-teeth-that.html?showComment=1624364777024#c4692516780982174184

Turkish Visit Visa said...

I visit some sites and sites everyday to read articles, however this website offers feature based posts. If you need a visa to enter Turkey, you may apply for a Turkish Visit Visa and fill visa application form e visa Turkey. It is way easy and quick to get a Turkish e-Visa by following three simple steps.

MartenJames said...

This game is for you if you are a game lover, its features give you many levels that you gonna play. Our Professional Patios Services in California gives your outdoor sitting a better look you all need for parties like birthdays, BBQ, and even get together with your family and friends.

Jone Martin said...

In summer vacations, I was bored. Then, I spent time to read your blog. More, If you are worried from resolve your issues, I am getting you Roofing Services in Sacramento CA and fix your errors.

Kenya evisa application said...

Nice work. Thank you for this informative post. All the tourist who wish to travel to Kenya for tourism are requested to check the tourist visa policy for Kenya evisa application online.

Jone Martin said...

You make my holidays joyful. I did a lot of fun playing your game.
Digital marketing company in Dubai latest tech News Website Link

Jone Martin said...

Birthday Party in Dubai | Website Link | Website Link

requirements for azerbaijan visa said...

Great work.. Thanks for this post. Foreign travelers who wish to apply for Azerbaijan visa must check the requirements for azerbaijan visa before filling the application.

kit roymond said...


Hello, I am Albert. This is an excellent article blog, How to apply for India visa online? You can apply for an online e visa India 2022 within 5 to 10 minutes. You can get your India Visa within 3 to 5 business days. Read more information about Visa on our India Visa Blog

Alia parker said...

I recently organized an event in Denver, and finding the right furniture was a breeze with event furniture rental services. The variety and quality they offered truly elevated the ambiance. Highly recommend it for anyone planning an event in the area! Event furniture rental denver