Overview
If you think your family has problems, you don't know the half of it. Twenty-three years ago, the Covenant children, led by oldest sibling Jeremiah, decided to take one of their father's tomes and perform an ancient ritual on a small island off the family estate, effectively dooming his family and anyone else unfortunate enough to become involved with them. Now on his deathbed, Jeremiah is the last of the living children and the sole person keeping the family curse at bay. Calling on his old military friend and occult expert Patrick Galloway, Jeremiah begs him to uncover the mysteries of the Covenant curse. Along the way, Galloway's own limits will be tested and the Covenant children all get their chance at killing him. Fortunately, all sorts of arcane magic and weapons of dubious nature are at Galloway's disposal.
Undying is a first person shooter set in the year 1922. The blood flows often and the gore is high as Patrick Galloway battles his way through the Covenant estate, cemetery, ancient monk temple, and the alternate universe 'Oneiros.' Each of the Covenant siblings might be dead, but they're not gone. Throw in an ancient spellcaster who's behind the curse and you've got yourself a mean game.
Clive Barker's Jericho is a terrifying squad-based horror First Person Shooter game based on an original concept and story by legendary horror writer and filmmaker Clive Barker, the creator of Hellraiser. An ancient evil has broken through into our world and is threatening to spread its taint across the whole of the earth unless it's stopped. Clive Barkers Undying game free Download for PC Full Version. Originally, the protagonist of the game was to be «Count Magnus Wolfram», a tattooed man with superhuman strength and supernatural abilities.
Gameplay, Controls, Interface
Undying is a first person shooter, but plays like a mystery. After arriving back in Ireland and going to the Covenant estate, Patrick Galloway meets up with Jeremiah Covenant for the first time since World War I and is asked to investigate the curse that has plagued the Covenant family and taken all of Jeremiah's siblings.
As the action starts (after watching several cut-scenes), Galloway first investigates the mystery surrounding the youngest sister, Lizbeth. It seems Lizbeth perished a couple of years back (thanks to the curse), yet many of the hired help have seen her walking the estate grounds. In typical first person shooter fashion, Galloway runs around the mansion speaking with the help, killing strange beasts called Howlers and finding passages of text. These passages are notes written by family members and are found throughout the game, some on loose paper, others in diaries, etc. They can be long, yet provide important clues and depth to the game since (I'm assuming) they were written by Clive Barker. The passages detail events that have occurred over the last 30 or so years including how the lady of the house gave birth to Lizbeth and subsequently died. It's a creepy and welcome addition to the game. With the investigation of Lizbeth, it is soon discovered that her penchant for evil during her living years made a profound impression on her in the afterlife. As near as I can tell, she has become sort of a banshee/vampire who leaps from rooftop to rooftop hurling magic. When Galloway defeats her, he goes on to investigate the mysteries of Aaron, Bethany, and Ambrose. Obviously, the game becomes more and more difficult (and having selected the 'nightmare' difficulty skill level didn't help) as the investigations continue with time running out.
As the game continues, Galloway is forced to learn magic in order to help deal with the most powerful of monsters. This was a definite plus in the game. For example, shooting skeletons can be difficult at a distance since both the shotgun and six shooter don't have a very good range. It is much more effective to activate the 'skull storm' and launch fiery skulls called up from the Earth to destroy them. And like all other magic, finding the amplifier stones scattered throughout the game will greatly increase the effectiveness of the magic. With regard to your arsenal, not only do you carry a bevy of eight weapons but also nine types of magic. Now, being a veteran of first person shooters, I found it difficult to scroll through and select my magic since I was used to using the mouse wheel to select my weapons. Sometimes the only effective way to deal with monsters was to combine the two weapon types (e.g. shoot with the shotgun and then the lightning magic) and although I became pretty good with it, I still found it difficult to dodge monsters, scroll through my weapons, scroll through my magic, and kill the monsters. My only suggestion would be to invent a two-wheeled mouse to alleviate the problem.
On the negative side, the weapons used in Undying were boring and weak. I felt that they were uninspired and not as powerful as they should have been -- some didn't even make sense. One oddity in particular was the spear gun, which I'm pretty sure in 1922 did not include a zoom scope. Even with the addition of silver bullets and phosphorus shells, I felt that the developers could have come up with better devices to deal with the inhabitants of the Undying world. The only bright spot was the Scythe of the Celt, a powerful weapon that could slice a moose in two and is the best weapon with which to fight the siblings. Unfortunately, it is big and slow when not engaged in its alternate use. The magic on the other hand was quite unusual and refreshing. I found the 'Scrye' spell to be the most unique. As Galloway runs though the game, a whispering 'look' can be heard. If you activate the scrye, Galloway can see things that others can't (e.g. ghosts and events from the past), it's pretty cool and creepy.
As I played Undying, I found the plot to be unique and surprising which in my opinion was amplified by reading all the notes Galloway discovers. One of my friends did not read the notes and I believe that he won't get the same level of enjoyment out of the game that I did. Undying is a very dark and bloody game and some of the notes found in the game can only be described as sick. This is after all, a Clive Barker game. Patrick Galloway is the original paranormal investigator and although surprised at what he finds in the Covenant household, he is not completely blown away by the events that unfold. He has, after all, seen plenty of weird things during his travels.
Multiplayer
Undying does not support multiplayer play, an unheard of option in this day and time. Strange, since there is a communication key and some of the levels look like they were made for deathmatch levels. Undoubtedly a patch or site will soon rectify the lacking multiplayer option.
Graphics
Undying utilizes the Unreal engine and boy does it shine. Frame rates can be jacked up to a fast 60 frames per second. Monsters move fast and look evil. The graphics are as good as anything on the market right now. I particularly liked the layout and look of the Covenant mansion. Rooms looked like real rooms that have been occupied by generations of family members. Chairs, couches, candles and pictures adorn the house and it isn't until you explore that you will realize the amount of effort put into the game by designers to make the environment work so well. Likewise with exploring the other locations, everything looks great. I literally jumped while playing this game and, while mostly caused by the monsters, an important part of it was because the environment was so creepy and it freaked me out. I couldn't tell you how many times I would stop playing and look over my shoulder because I felt something breathing on my neck. My recommendation is to play this game in the dark for full effect.
Audio
As good as the game looks, it's nothing compared to the audio. The music, which can best be described as gothic, was my favorite part of the game. It sounded awesome as it came through the computer's surround system. Monster grunts and noises were done well and the crack of the six shooter was crisp.
The voice acting was also done well as all characters spoke with varying degrees of Irish accents. Jeremiah Covenant was obviously a product of wealth and favor and spoke as a gentleman should, where Patrick Galloway spoke more as a man of the Earth coming from his roguish background. Any way you slice it: man, monsters, and music are all on par for perfection.
System Requirements
Recommended: Pentium III, 500 MHz or faster, 128 MB RAM, 32 MB Direct3D or Glide capable graphics card. 610 MB of free hard disc space with an audio card capable of environmental audio (EAX).
Reviewed on: Pentium III, 850 MHz, 394 MB RAM, and a VooDoo 5 graphics card.
Bottom Line
While Undying certainly won't redefine the genre, it has definitely raised the bar as far as first person shooters are concerned. The combination of magic and weapons is unique and, meshed with excellent graphics and sound, makes this a game a winner. The plot is strong and characters are fresh and exciting, and I honestly believe that a stronger selection of weapons would have made Undying a 'must buy.' The game has few faults and deserves credit for trying new and different approaches to a tiring genre. My hat's off to the team at EA and Clive Barker for making a scary and twisted game.
Overall rating: 7
Clive Barker's Jericho | |
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Developer(s) | MercurySteam Alchemic Productions |
Publisher(s) | Codemasters |
Director(s) | Enric J. Álvarez Benito |
Producer(s) | Rafael Martínez García |
Designer(s) | Luis Miguel Quijada Henares José Darío Halle Cano Ignacio Abad Donado-Mazarron |
Programmer(s) | Carlos Rodríguez Butragueño José Darío Halle Cano José Antonio Martín Armayones |
Artist(s) | Juan Antonio Alcázar Redondo |
Writer(s) | Clive Barker |
Composer(s) | Cris Velasco, Allister Brimble, Anthony N. Putson |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
Release |
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Genre(s) | First-person shooter, survival horror |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Clive Barker's Jericho is a first-person shootersurvival horrorvideo game with author Clive Barker providing the premise of the storyline. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2007.
- 2Plot
Gameplay[edit]
Jericho's core gameplay consists of leading the game's seven-man team codenamed Jericho, allowing control of all team members by jumping to each character during certain points in the game, through various environments that have been warped by the Firstborn while fighting off a variety of twisted creatures.
The game also features several quick time events where the player must press the corresponding buttons or keys shown on screen in order to successfully survive. Additionally, each team member has both a primary and a secondary attack, either in the form of an alternate fire such as a grenade launcher on a rifle, or a secondary weapon such as a sword or pistol that can be dual wielded. While the game is a first person shooter, the ability to control different members of one's squad adds a tactical element; players must determine which squad member is appropriate for each particular job. Not only does each squad member have different strengths and weaknesses, but they also each have a unique ability (or supernatural abilities in some cases). This allows the player freedom in choosing a playing style that suits them throughout much of the game. However, during certain instances, certain characters are unplayable.
The squad's supernatural abilities play a prominent role in the game. The character the player originally controls is a psychic healer (medic) with the ability to fully heal fallen comrades that are close to death. Other squad members have other powers, such as summoning a fire demon, slowing time, firing a guided bullet, and leeching life from enemies to add it to one's own.
Clive Barker Wiki
Plot[edit]
Premise[edit]
Certain depictions and ancient scriptures dictate a being created by God in His own image before the creation of Adam and Eve; according to legend, this being was abandoned by its own Creator. In the game's mythology, this being is called the 'Firstborn'. God was so disturbed by what He created that He banished it into the Abyss. God then started anew and went on to create mankind, giving the species two sexes, feelings, and love.
The Firstborn, too powerful for even God to keep from breaking into the mortal world, would make seven attempts to escape, each time taking back a piece of the earth to add to its domain and each time sent back to the Abyss. Fragments of time and space would form layers around this domain, linked to this world in the city Al Khali. These layers would entrap pieces of history within its walls, from the time of the ancient Sumerians to World War II. Over time, other great conquerors and civilizations would arrive to claim the city as their own. Eventually, the city was forgotten and buried by the sands of time.
The Department of Occult Warfare was created in the 1930s to combat the supernatural and unexplained. Another purpose was to meet Nazi Germany's own research into the paranormal. One of their most brilliant members, Arnold Leach, was recruited in 1962. However, his unscrupulous behavior and nature would eventually have him expelled. He was marked for assassination, and although the operation appeared to be successful, it seems that he may have survived.
The Jericho Squad is sent to Al-Khali to prevent Leach from opening the breach and unleashing the Firstborn upon mankind once again.[citation needed]
Story[edit]
The game's Jericho squad (l-r): Simone Cole, Abbey Black (crouching), Xavier Jones, Frank Delgado, Billie Church and Paul Rawlings
The game begins with General Arnold Leach, a high-ranking member of a secret U.S. organization called the Department of Occult Warfare (DOW), being contacted by the Firstborn, a being that was imprisoned by God at the beginning of time in a patch of reality called the Box. The Firstborn convinces Leach to help it escape from the Box. Leach leaves the DOW, and spends the next twenty years committing acts of great evil to build up evil energy to cause a breach in the Box.
Eventually, a breach is made, and the DOW sends in a Special Forces team called Jericho to seal the breach. The leader of the squad, Captain Devin Ross, is killed by Leach, but is still able to linger on as a ghost able to possess the other members of the squad. Being unable to seal it any other way, they enter the Box to close the breach from within.
Once inside, they must battle the souls of those who have breached the Box in the past; a Nazi officer, a fallen Catholic priest from the Middle Ages, a depraved Roman Governor, and six ancient Sumerian priests (Ninlil and Ki, Inanna and Enlil as well as Nanna and Utu, who were the first to banish the Firstborn but ultimately fell victim to its corruption). Jericho is aided by the souls of those who ultimately resealed the breach each time it was broken.
When they finally reach the point at which they can seal the breach, they decide that they should kill the Firstborn rather than try to reseal the breach, as resealing would just result in them being trapped in the Box and endlessly tortured until the breach was opened again. When Jericho passes into the Firstborn's cavern, they find the Firstborn in the middle of an island on a lake, with Leach tied to a wall. During the final battle between Jericho and the Firstborn, Leach breaks free of his bonds. Angered at the Firstborn's betrayal, he grabs it and carries it to a tunnel of light, with the fate of both left unknown.
The cavern soon begins to collapse. Jericho jumps into the water and swims as deep and far as they can. The game ends as they emerge from under the water in a vast ocean under an orange sky.
Reception[edit]
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Clive Barker's Jericho received 'mixed' reviews on all platforms according to video game review aggregatorMetacritic.[18][19][20] Many critics praised the squad-based system, elaborate storyline and Clive Barker's dark style while criticizing the character AI, lack of scares, linear gameplay, abrupt ending and difficulty with certain game mechanics.
On the game's style, Eurogamer stated that 'Clive Barker's contribution to the concept and narrative direction of the game will certainly help get the attention of horror fans'[4] while GameSpot noted its 'gorgeously creepy visuals and sound.'[7]Official Xbox Magazine praised the choice of characters, being 'endless fun to switch tactics and experiment with different combinations of powers and weapons for crowd control.'[15] However, reviewers complained about the in-game mechanics. Among their criticisms were the poor AI, whereby teammates would die often, requiring the player to heal them regularly. IGN stated: 'If the Jericho members' intelligence level wasn't enough of a nuisance for you, there's the actual shooting itself';[13]Jolt Online Gaming commented that the maps were too linear and close.[21] Despite this, GamePro gave the Xbox 360 version a score of 4.5 out of 5, saying that the game's 'slick style, amazing graphics, and dark atmosphere really make it stand out.'[22]
After being denied a rating in Germany[23]Jericho's uncut version got an 18+ rating[24] for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. In 2010, UGO included the game as the #6 in the article 'The 11 Weirdest Game Endings'.[25]
Sequel[edit]
Rumours about a sequel to Jericho were confirmed when Clive Barker had announced his intention to make a sequel to the game.[26] In an interview, Barker let slip that plot details include 'an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean with exactly 666 children in its hold', and will reveal the fate of the remaining Jericho members, especially Ross, following the death of the Firstborn.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ^David Houghton (October 31, 2007). 'Destructoid review: Clive Barker's Jericho (PC)'. Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^Edge staff (December 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho (X360)'. Edge. No. 182. Future plc. p. 91.
- ^ abEGM staff (December 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho (PS3, X360)'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 222. Ziff Davis. p. 107.
- ^ abKristan Reed (October 24, 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho (Xbox 360)'. Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2007.
- ^ abcMatt Bertz (December 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho'. Game Informer. No. 176. GameStop. Archived from the original on January 7, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ abcJP Hurh (November 1, 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho Review'. Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ abcdKevin VanOrd (October 29, 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho Review'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^Gabe Graziani (November 15, 2007). 'GameSpy: Clive Barker's Jericho (PC)'. GameSpy. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^Gabe Graziani (October 26, 2007). 'GameSpy: Clive Barker's Jericho (X360)'. GameSpy. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ ab'Clive Berker's Jericho Review (PS3, X360)'. GameTrailers. Viacom. October 31, 2007. Archived from the original on November 2, 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^Michael Lafferty (October 22, 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho - PS3 - Review'. GameZone. Archived from the original on October 4, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^Steven Hopper (October 23, 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho - 360 - Review'. GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ abcdCharles Onyett (October 26, 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho Review'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^Rob Burman (October 19, 2007). 'Clive Barker's Jericho UK Review (X360)'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ abLogan Decker (December 25, 2007). 'Jericho'. Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. p. 66. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^'Clive Barker's Jericho'. PC Gamer. Future US. December 25, 2007. p. 84.
- ^'Review: Clive Barker's Jericho'. PlayStation: The Official Magazine. No. 1. Future plc. December 25, 2007. p. 85.
- ^ ab'Clive Barker's Jericho for PC Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- ^ ab'Clive Barker's Jericho for PlayStation 3 Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- ^ ab'Clive Barker's Jericho for Xbox 360 Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- ^'Review: Clive Barker's Jericho (multi) (Incomplete)'. Jolt Online Gaming. November 18, 2007. Archived from the original on November 19, 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^Andy Burt (October 24, 2007). 'Review: Clive Barker's Jericho (X360)'. GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 5, 2008. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^David Houghton (September 25, 2007). 'Surprise of the week: Jericho banned in Germany'. Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
- ^'Clive Barkers Jericho - USK erteilt Altersfreigabe'Archived 2009-01-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^K. Thor Jensen (December 3, 2010). 'The 11 Weirdest Video Game Endings (Page 2)'. UGO. IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^Tim Wapshott (October 27, 2007). 'Vintage violence'. The Times. News UK. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2016.(subscription required)
External links[edit]
- Clive Barker's Jericho at MobyGames
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