The Shivah
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| The Shivah | |
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 In-game screenshot of The Shivah |
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| Developer(s) | Wadjet Eye Games |
| Designer(s) | Dave Gilbert |
| Engine | Adventure Game Studio |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release date | 2006 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Media | Internet download |
| Input methods | Mouse and keyboard |
The Shivah is a computer game designed and developed by Dave Gilbert with the assistance of others (such as voice actors and artists). The game was originally developed for the Monthly Adventure Game Studio 5th anniversary competition in June 2006, which it won[1]. The author, now publishing as Wadjet Eye Games, then improved the game: making it longer, with voice acting, DVD-style commentary and extra puzzles. In September 2006 the game was on sale via the Internet from the Wadjet Eye Games site or from Manifesto Games. The shift from free to pay-to-play met criticism from some members of the AGS community but settled down soon after.
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[edit] Gameplay
A point-and-click adventure game, in The Shivah players assume the role of Rabbi Russell Stone, who is visited by the police and informed that a murdered ex-member of his dilapidated New York synagogue has bequeathed him a large sum of money. Puzzled that a man with whom he had fallen out with many years before had given him money, Rabbi Stone sets out to clear his name and investigate the murder. This aspect of the game follows the "cleric as private investigator" theme of the Father Dowling mysteries.
Rabbi Stone begins by paying a Shivah visit to the widow of the murdered man and slowly uncovers a conspiracy and discovers who was behind the now multiple murders. The game also features a scene where two Rabbis fight with words, similar to the insult swordfighting of Monkey Island. The Shivah's unique use of a Rabbi as protagonist and exploration of Jewish themes has garnered the game press[2][3] and reviews.[4][5][6][7][8][9]
[edit] Reception
[edit] Awards
In the AGS Awards for games from 2006, The Shivah won Best Dialogue writing[10] and Dave won the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Shivah came 2nd in Game Tunnel's Sound award for 2006[11] and 3rd in their Adventure/Quest Game of the Year awards[12].
[edit] References
- ^ The Shivah wins MAGS 5th Anniversary contest (cited 18 December 2006)
- ^ CNN coverage of The Shivah (cited 18 December 2006)
- ^ Brief article on The Shivah at Kotaku (cited 18 December 2006)
- ^ Shivah Review at justadventure.com (cited 18 December 2006)
- ^ Shivah Review at adventuregamers.com (cited 18 December 2006)
- ^ Shivah Review at Faith Games (cited 18 December 2006)
- ^ Shivah #2 in gametunnel's Top 10 Indies for November 2006 (cited 18 December 2006)
- ^ Shivah Review at adventurelantern.com (cited 18 December 2006)
- ^ Shivah Review at tigsource.com
- ^ AGS Awards for 2006 games (cited 12 February 2007)
- ^ Game Tunnel Game of the Year: Sound (cited 12 February 2007)
- ^ GameTunnel Game of the Year: Adventure (cited 12 February 2007)
[edit] External links
- Official website of The Shivah at Wadjet Eye Games
- Interview with Dave Gilbert, the author, about The Shivah and other games
- Gamasutra article on The Shivah being a big hit at a New York IGDA meeting
- Hebrew Article in Maariv On-Line, for translation, see here
- Wired magazine article on The Shivah
- Jerusalem Post article on The Shivah
