MediEvil (1998)

This article is about the first game of the series. For general series information, see MediEvil (Series).

MediEvil (1998)
File:File: Medievil-front.jpg メディーバル 甦ったガロメアの勇者 MediEvil: Yomigaetta Guromia no Yuusha

MediEvil is the first game in the MediEvil series. It was released in October 1998 for the PlayStation in Europe and North America and in June 1999 in Japan. Due to it's success, the game was released in 1999 as a platinum title in Europe.

The game was followed by MediEvil 2 released in 2000. It was remade in 2005 as MediEvil: Resurrection for the PSP. The game was made available for download for the PSP and PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation store in 2007. In August 2010, the game was made available for free to European PlayStation Plus subscribers.

Gameplay

During the game, the player may go through several places, from zombies, to a flying ghost ship full of undead pirates and to a levitating game board in an enchanted forest with flying demons. There are also several collectible items found in the levels in order to proceed to further areas or levels. Some items collected early on are required in later levels. {C There are several books placed upon stands all over areas in the game which may offer advice to Sir Dan, or generally the history of the area. Some of them are placed in hidden places, some contain humorous jokes, but most of the time they are found along the path that Sir Dan takes. They can be read if struck with a close range weapon.

Weapons

Dan starts the game with just his detachable arm, which can be used as both a melee weapon and a projectile, but is incredibly weak. Soon however he obtains a small sword. The majority of weapons Dan encounters are received from the Hall of Heroes by collecting the Chalice in each level, and range from swords, axes and hammers to projectile weapons such as crossbows and spears. There are other weapons that Dan encounters through the course of the game, such as a club that can be used as a torch, but breaks after too much use; Dragon Potion that lets Dan breathe fire and protects him from flame attacks; and Chicken Drumsticks that can turn enemies into Roast Chicken for health recovery. Dan is also able to find a variety of shields to protect himself, ranging from copper to gold in strength.
In MediEvil: Resurrection, the Dragon Potion has been changed into a Dragon Armor; the effects are nearly identical.

Chalice of Souls

Throughout the levels Sir Dan is presented with an opportunity to collect that particular level's chalice, by filling it up with the souls of his enemies. This mystical item enables him to visit the Hall of Heroes after the conclusion of the level. Dan can only collect the chalice in each level when he has dispatched enough "defeated adversaries" to reach 100%. Chalices are hidden well and are not always at the end of a level, so Dan must back-track to the beginning to find it. In the " Hall of Heroes", he can converse with past heroes, "await spiritual guidance" and receive useful items or weapons to help him in his quest. Collecting all the chalices allows the player to see the true ending.

Enemies

Alongside certain weapons, there are also many colourful and varying enemies, though particularly zombies in the opening levels, which Dan must defeat. Later on through the epic journey through Gallowmere, Dan will encounter a number of other monsters and creatures, most of which are modelled after gothic demons associated with the time period (and a few made just for fun). Sticky-fingered Imps, demonic Scarecrows, and mechanical Cossack-type guards with Russian accents are but a few of the ghastly and varied monstrosities that inhabit the levels.
Very simple weapons will require much use in order to finish off a single enemy. Some enemies can only be attacked either at certain times or using specific weapons, such as the Scarecrows. Many weapons, such as swords and throwing daggers, can be charged up to produce a more powerful attack to finish beasts off more quickly.

Plot

Template:Spoilers The game begins with a retelling of the Great War of Gallowmere, where Sir Daniel Fortesque (the game's main protagonist) supposedly defeated the evil sorcerer Zarok, before dying himself. He was known as the Hero of Gallowmere since then. This is shown later shown to be just a lie made up by King Peregrin, however, since Daniel was killed by the very first wave of arrows fired.

Zarok, although believed to be dead, managed to escape the battlefield, fleeing into hiding. 100 years later, he returns. He steals the souls of the townsfolk and brings the dead and inanimate to life. Unknowningly, however, he also revives Dan, who retains his free will. Being the only one who can stop him, Daniel leaves his crypt and begins his journey through Gallowmere, which, if he succeeds, would make him the hero he had never became in life.

Dan makes his way through the Graveyard and into Cemetery Hill. After a short meeting with Zarok, Daniel proceeds exploring the area and finds a Witch Talisman. Then he continues to the Hilltop Mausoleum, where he fights the Stain Glass Demon for the key that unlocks the Graveyard's gates. He returns to the Graveyard and battles it's guardians for freedom. After defeat, they grant him the Daring Dash ability. When he finds his way out of the Scarecrow Fields, Dan travels through the Pumpkin Gorge, where he summons the Pumpkin Witch with his talisman. She promises to reward him with a Dragon Gem if he defeats the Pumpkin King. After defeating the King and getting the gem, Dan travels to Gallow's Town, which is soon overrun by Zarok's henchmen.

He learns that Zarok wants to find the shadow artefact and release the Shadow Demons from their tomb underneath the Enchanted Forest. Daniel manages to find the shadow artefact before Zarok, however. Daniel then leaves the town and enters the Asylum Grounds, where he encounters Jack of the Green, a gargoyle that claims that the labyrinth is his domain. He gives riddles to Dan, which he must answer if he wishes to find a way out of the grounds. Daniel eventually reaches the Asylum, where he finds the Town Mayor. After freeing him from his cell, he tells Dan to take the Dragon Gem Zarok left behind.

File:Livelli 6.jpg

Zarok entering the Graveyard.

Daniel then travels to the Enchanted Forest, where he may summon a witch and help her get her amber from the ant's nest. If Daniel chooses to help the witch, he will fight the Ant Queen and receive some magical Chicken Drumsticks from the witch as a reward. In the forest, he locates the Shadow Demon tomb and opens it with the Shadow Artifact. In order to access the later parts of Gallowmere, Daniel had to release the demons from the tomb. After defeating two Demonettes, Daniel makes his way to the Pools of the Ancient Dead - The place where the Great War took place. There, Daniel meets the Grim Reaper. He asks Dan to bring him 10 lost souls in exchange for rowing Dan to the sunken city of Mellowmede. In Mellowmede, Daniel finds a way to the Crystal Caves, where he awakens a dragon using the two dragon gems he collected. The Dragon gives Daniel the dragon potion after Dan defeats him.

Dan proceeds to The Gauntlet. He uses the Dragon potion to reach areas behind the Dragon gates. Finally, he reaches the Haunted Ruins--Once Gallowmere's seat of power. Within this keep, he frees 3 peasants and encounters the soul of King Peregrin. The King instructs him to unleash the lava behind the castle's floodgates in order to defeat the Shadow demons. Daniel does so, but it brings two stone golems to life. After defeating them, he quickly catapults himself out of the castle. He lands around a huge stone structure, similiar to Stone Henge, when a Jabberwocky darts out of nowhere. It chases Dan, until Daniel reaches a cliff. In the last minute, he is saved by a giant bird (presumably a dragon bird). The bird drops Dan on the Ghost Ship. Daniel makes his way to the ship's captain. He defeats him and takes control of the ship.

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Zarok's Lair

Using the ship, Daniel travels to Zarok's Castle. He explores it's Entrance Hall, until he finds a passage to Zarok's Time Device, a great city of cogs and clocks built by the darkest of magic - science. Within the city, he finds Zarok's newest invention, used by Zarok for easier transportation around the city - A train. Daniel uses it to reach Zarok's Lair. Finally, Daniel confronts Zarok. Zarok summons his troops to kill Dan, but Daniel uses the souls he had collected within the chalices to create his own skeletal army. The two forces battle, until Daniel emerges victorious. Zarok then calls upon his champion, Lord Kardok. Once again, Daniel wins. Zarok rages. He uses a spell to transform into a huge, dragon like creature. Daniel defeats him, Zarok falls to the ground. In a last attempt to defeat his enemy, he casts a spell that causes the lair to collapse. Zarok is squashed in the wreckage as Dan runs for the door.

The game's ending depends on the amount of chalices collected by the player.

• Not all chalices collected: Daniel is saved by the Dragon bird before falling to his death. He sees Zarok's magic revert - The souls contained within his staff are released, the villagers once again have their own souls. The bird drops Dan by his crypt and flies away. Daniel lies down upon his bed and dies.
• All chalices collected: The same as above, but after he lies upon his bed and dies, he is shown joining the heroes in the Hall of Heroes.

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Characters

• Sir Daniel Fortesque - The game's protagonist and playable character. He was King Peregrin's champion when he was alive. He was also one of the first men to die in the battle against Zarok and his Shadow Demons and was proclaimed Hero of Gallowmere by the king, so that the people of the land would feel safe. When Zarok returns to raise an army of dead, he also raises Sir Dan by mistake. Being given a second chance, Dan can finally prove himself a hero that he wasn't in his life by defeating Zarok.
• Zarok the Sorcerer - The game's antagonist. He was King Peregrin's advisor and mage, until he began dabbling in Necromancy, which led the King to exiling him from the land. Embittered and filled with wrath, he led an army of Shadowy demons into battle against the King. His army was defeated, however, by the King's militia and soon he was proclaimed killed by Sir Dan. In truth, Zarok went into hiding, only to return 100 years later to try and take over the land once again.
• King Peregrin - The past King of Gallowmere. He appointed Sir Dan a knight and banished Zarok from the land. He aids Dan in his quest by telling him how to defeat the Shadow Demons.
• Heroes - Canny Tim, Stanyer Iron Hewer, Bloodmonath Skull Cleaver, Woden the Mighty, Karl Sturnguard, Dirk Steadfast, RavenHooves the Archer, Imanzi Shongama and Megwynne Stormbinder, all aid Dan in his quest by giving him their weapons and other useful items.

Cover art and CDs

PAL (European)

• SCES-00311-F-ALL.jpg

  Front Cover

• 1332136-medievilplat eu ps front super.jpg

  Platinum Front Cover

• CD.png

  CD

• MediEvil - Back Cover PAL.JPG

  Back Cover

• SCES-00311-B-ALL.jpg

  Alternate Back Cover

NTSC (American)

• MediEvil - Front Cover NTSC.jpg

  Front cover.

• MediEvil - Back Cover NTSC.jpg

  Back cover

• NTSC CD.png

  CD

NTSC-J (Japanese)

• Medievil jp 0001.jpg

  Front cover

• SCPS-10081-B-ALL.jpg

  Back cover

• Medievil jp 0000.jpg

  CD

Additional content

Inside original copies of the game's PlayStation box was a poster featuring an insight into MediEvil's sequel, MediEvil 2. This detailed new characters and levels, set in 19th century London.

On the reverse of this image are map instructions for the first four levels of the game. These include details of the locations of vials, the chalice, life bottles, rune stones, gargoyles, rune hands, bronze and silver shields, primary weapons and other secrets which may only be accessible after finding certain items or completing certain tasks.

Soundtrack

The original soundtrack of this game was made using electronic synthesizers to simulate an entire orchestra and organ. The tracks were composed by Paul Arnold and Andrew Barnabas. Although there's no official soundtrack release, the 71st issue of the french magazine Joypad featured a CD named Les musiques de Medievil which contains 10 tracks from the game and is the only 'soundtrack' released for it.

Reception

The game received positive reviews. Game Magazine gave it a 91% while popular multimedia site IGN heralded it as "A fun game and one of PlayStation's classics". Other awards include:

• Best PlayStation Game - Gaming Expo
• Best Platinum Seller 1999 - PlayStation Magazine
• Gold Award - PlayStation Magazine
• Silver Award - Monthly Games
• Token Prize - Network Games

Trivia

• MediEvil was one of the first games to support a DualShock controller on the PlayStation.
• On the game's official website, it is said that the game takes place in 847, but this is proven to be untrue in the game's sequel, where the year 1386 is shown to be the true year of the game's events.

External links

Wikipedia also has an article on

MediEvil at Wikipedia