DeathKeep
| DeathKeep | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Lion Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Strategic Simulations |
| Platform(s) | 3DO, Windows |
| Release date(s) | November 1995 |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing |
DeathKeep is a video game based on the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is the sequel to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Slayer.
Plot
The player character enters a vast castle which has been taken over by an evil necromancer, and must explore the place in search of three orbs which are used to defeat the powerful spellcaster.[1]
Gameplay
DeathKeep is a first-person dungeon crawler where the player can choose to play a fighter, fighter/mage, or mage.[2] At the beginning of the game, the player chooses from one of three characters - a dwarven fighter, an elven mage, or a half-elf fighter-mage.[1]
Publication history
The game was originally released for the 3DO console, and later converted to the PC.[1]
Reception
Andy Butcher reviewed the PC version of Deathkeep for Arcane magazine, rating it a 2 out of 10 overall.[1] He notes the trend of software companies making computer roleplaying games less complicated, commenting that "On the surface, then, Deathkeep must have seemed like a good idea, combining a traditional AD&D dungeon bash with the fast-moving action of the current rash of first-person 3D games spawned by id Software's Doom."[1] He concludes, however, that "the original version for the 3D0 console was less than inspiring, and this substandard conversion to the PC is even less so".[1] Butcher concludes his review by saying, "Unfortunately, Deathkeep suffers from awful graphics, low-quality sound and uninspiring gameplay, all of which combine to create one of the worst games released on the PC in some time. Try as you might, there's simply nothing you can find to recommend it. If you want a fast-paced fantasy game that's heavy on the combat and light on the rules, Hexen is infinitely better than this".[1]
According to GameSpy, DeathKeep was "the last Dungeons & Dragons game for SSI, and it was pretty ignominious end for a pretty distinguished run".[2]
References
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