Crapshoot: Realms of the Haunting, the FMV horror game that's not all badAug 18, 2019 - PC GamerFrom 2010 to 2014 Richard Cobbett wrote Crapshoot, a column about bringing random obscure games back into the light. Here he heads out in search of some chills in one of the quirkiest horror games that almost nobody played, and a ghost story that's out of this world. As a self-proclaimed wuss, horror's never really been my genre. I don't like jump-scares. I'm squeamish about gore effects. I don't get any enjoyment from watching people being sliced open. I don't understand why the world needs so many Saw films, or how the villains have managed to avoid suffering from psychopath's block. After so many sadistic puzzles, even the cleverest serial killer would be forgiven for just wheeling out a bear-trap and slapping on a Post-It that says "Stick Face Here". Despite this, when I think back to the games that deserved a better reception, Realms of the Haunting is one of the first that jumps into my mind. It was amazing. It was terrible. It was clever. It was insane. It merged adventuring and shooting in a way that no other game has ever really tried—including its semi-spiritual sequel Clive Barker's Undying. It was an exquisitely crafted experience and one of the sloppiest games ever all at once. It was beautiful in its chaos, and I loved it, pustular warts and all. At first glance, Realms of the Haunting is the most cliched kind of horror story. You play Adam Randall, a young man drawn into a big spooky mansion by nightmares, the death of his father, and a box of broken seals. As soon as you get inside, the doors slam behind you, revealing doors locked by magic sigils, typewriters rattling off spooky messages, and carefully planted books with names like 'Look Homeward Angel' hammering home the dark atmosphere. It's all very generic, but oddly effective considering the Doom level engine (that was at least two years out of date when ROTH hit the shelves in 1996), largely due to phenomenal audio direction on everything from dead rats being crunched underfoot to the satisfying 'kachunk' of picking up a box of ammo. It's never a particularly pretty game, although it does some clever things with contrast that mean certain areas impress, but it still has its charms. What really makes it work is that ROTH is a very smart game, especially when it comes to its characters. Adam is one of the best everymen in gaming history. Right in the intro when we see that he's not entering the situation blind. He doesn't know he's about to set foot in a house full of angry demons, but he's done what research he could, and at least tried to prepare himself. Where other characters would take the words of a spooky priest on faith, Adam's called around and confirmed what he said was a complete lie. He's grabbed some textbooks and tried to find out about the broken seals, even if he's come up blank. Throughout the long taxi journey that makes up most of ...Could someone remake my favourite 90s games please?Apr 30, 2017 - Rock, Paper, ShotgunWith Full Throttle’s remastering out yesterday, it sets me off to thinking about what games I’d really like to see receive a similar treatment. It’s pretty easy to list off a bunch of other LucasArts adventures, because I would ADORE to see the wonderful The Dig in big pretties, or have Sam & Max in gorgeous clear stereo sound. (Imagine the songs without the hissing!) But that was a decade packed with games I loved that I know I’ll never play again, because I can’t be arsed fighting with DOSBox and ancient controls to play in a small corner of my screen. … Could someone remake my favourite 90s games please?Apr 19, 2017 - Rock, Paper, ShotgunWith Full Throttle’s remastering out yesterday, it sets me off to thinking about what games I’d really like to see receive a similar treatment. It’s pretty easy to list off a bunch of other LucasArts adventures, because I would ADORE to see the wonderful The Dig in big pretties, or have Sam & Max in gorgeous clear stereo sound. (Imagine the songs without the hissing!) But that was a decade packed with games I loved that I know I’ll never play again, because I can’t be arsed fighting with DOSBox and ancient controls to play in a small corner of my screen. … Have You Played Realms of the Haunting?Jul 22, 2015 - Rock, Paper, ShotgunHave You Played? is an endless stream of game recommendations. One a day, every day of the year, perhaps for all time.Realms of the Haunting should be better known. It’s one of my favourite horror games ever to sell about four copies and be forgotten. Hurrah for digital second chances. … Now Available on Steam - Realms of the Haunting, 50% off!Apr 24, 2014 - Product ReleaseRealms of the Haunting is Now Available on Steam and is 50% off!* Forged in the Beginning and protected by the Seven Seals, there lies a place where thought and creation intertwine. The center for all realms of existence, it is the balancing force between good and evil, man and spirit. A focal point for all energies, and the one element that has kept the consuming nature of darkness at bay... Until now. *Offer ends May 1 at 10AM Pacific Time
