Deathkeep

Keep Death is an action role-playing game from the developer studio Lion Entertainment. The first time in November 1995 released for the game console 3DO game is the sequel to Slayer and the last 35 games, published by the American computer game company SSI 1988-1995, based on the role-playing rules Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. At the same time, it is a creative low point of the long-standing partnership between SSI and TSR. The game was also ported to Windows 1996.

Action

The plot of the game is linear, with little depth. The player character has the task to pursue a vicious necromancer, who has escaped from his prison. In order to defeat him, the player must find three balls.

Gameplay

Keep Death is a featured from the first-person 3D dungeon crawler that mixes the gameplay of FPS games like Doom or Descent with elements of role-playing games. The player has the choice of whether he wants to play as a dwarven fighter, female half-elf fighter / mage or elven mage at the beginning. The game consists of 25 dungeons, each with eight levels. In the levels, it is similar to Doom or Descent matter of each to find several keys that access to the next level can be opened. The levels are guarded by AD & D typical, hostile creatures, even the weapons are based on the RPG rules, continuing role-playing aspects such as collecting experience points, in-depth dialogue or an evolution of the character, however, are lacking. Hampered the progress in addition to the adversaries through secret doors, traps, and jump puzzle is similar to Ultima VIII: Pagan. Also terrain textures as icy surface hinder the player in his usual way of locomotion. For orientation, the program maintains a Automap ready to be shown on the previously visited game sections. If a level successfully mastered, followed by an evaluation screen where the player's performance is assessed with points, and the player is to save the chance.

Development

The game was originally released in November 1995 for the 3DO game console and ported to Windows in May 1996. In the same year of the console releases as well as the exclusive licensing agreement between SSI and TSR ran out. Instead of continuing to award a total license, the financially ailing difficult RPG publisher decided in future to license its various campaign worlds individually. However, the decreasing success of SSI productions are considered reason for the end of the partnership.

Reception

The evaluations of Death Keep on the 3DO and for Windows diverged greatly. While the game was taken more positive on the console, it received from PC magazines mostly negative reviews.

Sandrie Suleiman the German console Magazine Mega Fun praised the title for its " excellent graphics ", the " mood music ", " realistic sounds " and an " overwhelming variety and the dungeon dimension ". They criticized only " a slight jerk " and the especially high already at the beginning of difficulty. But you 've only found once in the game, it would provide plenty of excitement and " motivation for entertaining times ".

Andy Butcher tested the PC version of Death Keep for the magazine Arcane and awarded only 2 out of 10. He noted that software developers would follow a trend towards simplification of computer role-playing games, which he commented on the fact that Death Keep must have superficially sounded like a good idea, " a traditional AD & D Dungeon Klopper with the agile action of the current wave of 3D has to combine games from the first-person perspective that id Software's Doom caused ". He further stated: " The original version of the 3DO console was more than uninspired and these below-average conversion on PC is even less than that." His verdict: "Unfortunately, suffers Death Keep under his terrible graphics, poor sound quality and a little inspiring gameplay, what zusammgenommen in one of the worst games results, published in some time for the PC. Try it as many times you want, there's nothing in what you might recommend. If you are looking for a quick fantasy game that works combat -heavy and with few rules, then witches is infinitely better than this. " A similar conclusion also came Petra Schlunk of the Computer Gaming World.

Looking back, the game was considered a failure. After Allen Rausch from gamespy was Death Keep " the last Dungeons & Dragons game for SSI and it was pretty shameful end for a pretty outstanding series ," Matt Barton of Gamasutra referred to it along with its predecessor Slayer as " pathetic " and occasion for TSR, not to renew the license agreement with SSI. Even Andrew Park and Elliott Chin GameSpot evaluated Death Keep as " inglorious " and " one of the worst games of SSI at all ", which had " stained " the AD & D legacy. Both games press and fans were very disappointed.

"SSI 's once- glorious run of AD & D games ended on a note of bitter disappointment for fans. After this game, SSI ceased to have the AD & D license, and it Looked like AD & D was gone from the PC, at least for the immediate future. Fans were left to wonder what SSI Whether it 's poor showing of recent AD & D games or TSR 's own financial troubles did led to this quiet end of the AD & D franchise. "

" SSI's once glorious series of AD & D games ended in a bitter disappointment for the fans. After this game, SSI lost the AD & D license and it seemed that AD & D was lost for the PC, at least for the near future. The fans were left with the question of whether it was their own financial problems SSI weak performance in the last AD & D games or TSRs that led to this soundless end of the AD & D franchises. "

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