Info about Beyond Shadowgate:

Official game description:
**Overview**
The original design of the never-before seen point and click adventure is being brought to life after 30+ years in the vault - **Beyond Shadowgate!** This new PC game has been created by the designers of the original 8-bit hit Shadowgate and a leading 8-bit adventure studio!
With a world that is **over five times larger** than Shadowgate, Beyond Shadowgate captures the same look and feel as the 8-bit console version while including modern design sensibilities. Since the memory and color palette limitations are removed, Beyond Shadowgate is a **much longer and vibrant game**, with both retro and modern gameplay mechanics that give you the feel of the original! For players accustomed to the NES 8-bit version, the game features XInput controller support. The adventure is also completely playable by mouse and key binds.
Get ready for the **ultimate, official Shadowgate sequel**!
**Story**
35 years have passed since Jair defeated the Warlock Lord in the caverns beneath the living castle, Shadowgate. In that time, the land of Kal Torlin prospered and the events of Shadowgate were forgotten. But once again **evil is stirring**, scheming to bring the world to ruin.
In the dungeons of Gwynenthell, the capital city of Kal Torlin, a lowly Fenling by the name of **Del Thornburrow** awaits his fate. No stranger to a jail cell, Del soon frees himself from the dangers of the dungeon, only to begin a journey that will push him to the edge of his limits.
Lead Del as he travels through Gwynenthell, across the Torlin Forest, over the Gatekeeper Mountains, and **beyond**! Uncover plots to overthrow kingdoms that threaten to plunge the land into darkness! Interact with old friends and new, while protecting Del from the traps, hazards, monsters, and every other peril that may introduce him to the ever-present Grim Reaper.
**Features**
By the Numbers…
**Also featuring…**
A Side Quest based on Déjà vu: A Nightmare Comes True!
A Side Quest based on The Uninvited!
A Side Quest based on Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok!
*   40 Achievements!
*   Controller & mouse and keyboard!
*   A brand new Hint System!
*   A Quick Travel Map!
*   Lethal Puzzle Events!
*   Day/Night Progression!
*   A Death Indicator!

Release date: Sep 19, 2024

Categories: Point-and-click Adventure, Puzzle Solving, Narrative-driven Gameplay, Retro, Multiple Endings, Exploration, Choice-based Narrative, Nostalgia-driven Gameplay


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- True sequel to Shadowgate (weight 0.86): The game is a continuation and official sequel to the original Shadowgate, capturing the essence and style of the NES classic. It is considered a loving tribute and a worthy successor that fans of the original have long awaited.
- Great music and soundtrack (weight 0.73): The game's music and soundtrack are highly praised for being close to the original and for their high quality. The soundtrack is considered incredible and a standout feature.
- Engaging puzzles (weight 0.62): The game offers a variety of puzzles that are well-designed, challenging, and satisfying to solve. These puzzles are a highlight of the gameplay experience.
- Retro graphics and style (weight 0.51): The game features excellent retro graphics and a charming retro-inspired art style that evokes the nostalgia of the original NES game. The visuals are praised for their authenticity and appeal.
- Enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.33): Players report having a great time playing the game, describing it as fantastic and a joy to play. The gameplay is highlighted as a major strength.
- Positive developer engagement (weight 0.2): The developers are praised for their responsiveness and dedication, quickly fixing bugs and deserving high praise from the community.
- Nostalgic yet fresh (weight 0.17): The game successfully balances nostalgia with new elements, offering a fresh experience that also pays homage to the original.

Common complaints:
- Puzzle design issues (weight 0.39): The puzzles in the game are either too obvious or too obscure, and some of them are frustrating or make no sense. There are also issues with object combination puzzles and specific actions required for puzzles that can be missed.
- Music and theme shortcomings (weight 0.35): The music in the game is not as memorable or iconic as the original, and it lacks the horror and heartwarming themes that made the original stand out. Additionally, the music lacks urgency.
- Game design and pacing (weight 0.31): The game is more concerned with being meta than being good, and it goes off the rails in some parts. The pacing is uneven, and the game feels labored with traversal. There are also issues with the order of operations and stretch goals baked into the main game.
- Game mechanics and management (weight 0.29): Item management and descriptions are not helpful, and there are issues with door interactions and fan service segments. The game also lacks voice acting and has difficult English text.
- Game can be overly difficult (weight 0.25): The game offers a few gotcha-moments and head-scratchers, and players can get stuck in various parts of the game. Some screens contain obstacles that may end in premature death.
- Choice and logic problems (weight 0.22): Some choices in the game could be more flexible and less far-fetched. Additionally, there are issues with the logic of some enemies and old-school logic in puzzles.
- User interface issues (weight 0.22): There is no way to close the exit menu without choosing an option, which has led to lost progress for some players. The all-uppercase text is also hard to read, and clicking buttons can be annoying.
- Visual and exposition shortcomings (weight 0.17): The pixel art visuals could be more detailed, and the game feels vague and lacks exposition. The writing also falls short in some areas.
- Handles backer content poorly (weight 0.12): Backer content and side missions drag the game down and feel out of place. Detours into other games are requirements, which can be confusing and frustrating.

Gameplay feedback:
- Classic point-and-click adventure (weight 0.56): The game is a classic point-and-click adventure with puzzle-solving mechanics and a text-heavy gameplay style. It features a large number of rooms and areas to explore, more than other games in the genre.
- Challenging and well-designed puzzles (weight 0.52): The game includes a variety of puzzles that require thinking and occasional out-of-the-box solutions. Some puzzles have more than one solution and rarely require large leaps in logic.
- Retro graphics and modern improvements (weight 0.41): The game features retro 8-bit graphics and chip tunes, similar to the original, but also includes modern quality-of-life improvements and modernized graphics.
- Multiple endings based on choices (weight 0.31): The game offers multiple endings, with four different endings based on the choices made by the player throughout the game. There are multiple paths to reach these endings.
- Dark and engaging atmosphere (weight 0.29): The game has a dark, mysterious, and slightly scary atmosphere with dark sarcastic humor. It features creepy moments and scares, contributing to an engaging exploration experience.
- High-quality music and sound effects (weight 0.27): The game features high-quality chiptune style music and sound effects, with great tunes and an atmospheric soundtrack.
- Turn-based with timed events (weight 0.25): The game includes turn-based mechanics with timed events, where players must figure out what to do within a time limit or face consequences.
- Item management and combination puzzles (weight 0.24): The game features item management and object combination puzzles, requiring careful observation and item collection.
- Larger scope and additional content (weight 0.22): The game is larger in scope than the original, with over 250 locations to visit. It includes extra areas based on other games like Uninvited and Deja Vu, as well as side missions and Easter eggs.
- Modern design and intuitive gameplay (weight 0.19): The game includes modern design decisions and features, making it immediately intuitive and fun to play. It also has an autosave system and a limited in-game hint system.
- Charming protagonist and NPCs (weight 0.16): The game includes a charming protagonist and NPC characters, contributing to a captivating story with numerous NPCs throughout.
- Various gameplay actions and mechanics (weight 0.13): The game features various actions like TAKE, USE, OPEN, MOVE, and includes mechanics like right-click to clear action selection and left-click to automatically LOOK at things and OPEN/MOVE through unlocked doors.
- Minimal progress loss on death (weight 0.11): The game features death mechanics that reset to the last decision point, with minimal progress loss. Deaths are less frustrating compared to the original game.
- Speedrun achievements and fast travel (weight 0.1): The game includes speedrun achievements and a fast travel option, adding to the gameplay variety and convenience.

Performance notes:
- Stable and bug-free performance (weight 0.14): Many players reported that the game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs. This indicates a stable and well-optimized game.
- Compatible with various devices (weight 0.13): The game works perfectly on different devices such as Lenovo Legion Go and Steam Deck, indicating good compatibility and optimization across multiple platforms.
- Intuitive controls and clear text (weight 0.08): Players appreciated the good control scheme and clear text, which enhances the overall gaming experience by making it easy to navigate and understand.
- Controller and mouse compatibility (weight 0.07): Some players noted that if the mouse isn't working, unplugging the controller can resolve the issue. This suggests a potential conflict between controller and mouse inputs.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for original series fans (weight 0.32): This game is highly recommended for those who are fans of the original MacVenture series or similar titles. It is considered a must-pick for Shadowgate fans and a no-brainer for those who enjoyed the original games.
- Worthwhile for retro adventure fans (weight 0.18): The game is worth the time for fans of retro adventure games and is recommended for those who enjoy the genre. It offers a fun experience for retro gamers.
- Must-have for adventure fans (weight 0.13): The game is highly recommended for fans of adventure games or Choose Your Own Adventure style stories. It is considered a must-have for all adventure game enthusiasts.
- Suitable for newcomers (weight 0.12): The game is suggested for newcomers to the genre, making it accessible for those who are new to adventure games.
- Play original games first (weight 0.07): It is highly recommended to play the first Shadowgate, Deja Vu, and Uninvited games before playing Beyond Shadowgate to fully appreciate the experience.

Other player notes:
- Purchased on multiple platforms (weight 0.13): Players bought the game on both GoG and Steam for different benefits.
- Valuable DLC content (weight 0.07): The DLC includes a guidebook similar to 'Nintendo Power', adding significant value.
- Great performance on Deck (weight 0.07): The game runs smoothly and efficiently on the Steam Deck.
- Small game size (weight 0.07): The game's small file size of 20mb is impressive and appreciated.

Emotions:
- Nostalgia (weight 0.25): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's strong ties to the original Shadowgate on the NES, including its story, graphics, music, and atmosphere. The game's callbacks to the old point-and-click adventure games from the 80s, along with its puzzles and references to other MacVenture games, evoke memories of childhood and the classic gaming experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.13): The excitement stems from the game's immersive lore, puzzles, and the anticipation of discovering what lies behind specific doors. Players are also thrilled about the modern design decisions, the game's quality, and the developer's dedication, which makes the game hard to put down.
- Joy (weight 0.1): Joy is derived from the game's mix of nostalgia and new elements, making it enjoyable for both retro and modern audiences. The gameplay, reminiscent of the original but more user-friendly, along with great music and a wonderful NES-style aesthetic, contributes to a highly enjoyable experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Players feel satisfied with the game's distinct areas, unique musical themes, and its balance between nostalgia and modern quality-of-life improvements. The game's length and the experience of discovering new details and text also contribute to this satisfaction.
- Admiration (weight 0.05): Admiration comes from the game's excellent visuals, the protagonist Del, and the overall joy of playing. It is seen as the absolute best thing fans of the original Shadowgate could hope for.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Enjoyment is derived from the game's music, art style, and the overall experience of playing it. The humor and vibe of the game also contribute to a highly enjoyable experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.04): Frustration arises from the game's obscure puzzles, difficulty with puzzles leading to cheating, and the potential spoiler issue with a puzzle leading to a bad ending. Players also find the game's fetch quests and object combination puzzles challenging.
- Disappointment (weight 0.03): Disappointment stems from the game's focus on meta aspects and detours into other games, as well as comparisons to the original Shadowgate. Some players feel the game does not fill the void left by the original.
- Gratitude (weight 0.03): Gratitude is expressed towards the developers for making the game true to the original and for their dedication. Players appreciate the developers' efforts in bringing the game back after many years.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Hope is expressed for future releases and re-releases of classic games with modern treatments. Players hope for more Shadowgate entries and sequels to other classic games.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Anticipation is felt for getting back to the game after work and looking forward to future games from the developers. Players are eager to continue their gaming experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise comes from discovering that Beyond Shadowgate is a direct sequel with technological improvements. The variety of unique ways to meet the Reaper also adds to the surprise.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement is derived from the game's witty and comical text, as well as the absurdity of some puzzles. The humor and playful edge of the game contribute to a highly amusing experience.
- Awe (weight 0.01): Awe is felt from the game's lasting impact, continuing to haunt thoughts months after release. The game's atmosphere and world-building contribute to this sense of awe.
- Delight (weight 0.01): Delight comes from the variety of deaths and detailed descriptions in the game. The game's unique and detailed approach to deaths adds to the overall delight.
- Impressed (weight 0.01): Players are impressed by the amount of care taken in crafting the game. The game's attention to detail and dedication to quality contribute to this impression.}