Developed by Abstraction Games
Original Games by Icom Simulations/Kemco
Released for Xbox One (10/2017)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4
8-Bit Adventure Anthology: Volume One features the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) versions of three different point & click adventure classics: Déjà Vu, Uninvited and Shadowgate. These were all originally developed by ICOM Simulations and released for the Macintosh in the '80's. Kemco Seika would later port these titles over to the Famicom/NES, and these ports are the versions offered here in this collection. The games are all presented in their 8-bit glory, pretty much exactly how you would have played them on your NES back in the day.
When you first boot the game up you'll be greeted with some nice chiptune music and a menu where you'll choose which game you'd like to play. There is also a settings menu which allows to use a few different filters and adjust the volume. The available display options are CRT, old TV, terminal and black/white filters. Saving and loading your games are done within each title, giving you the option to come back later and resume from where you left off (this was still a pretty rare feature back in those days).
Gameplay-wise, all three titles in 8-Bit Adventure Anthology play similarly and feature the same user interface. On the bottom of the screen you have a list of commands, the upper left shows the current location and the upper right shows your inventory. While these games obviously play most intuitively with a mouse, Kemco Seika did a commendable job setting everything up for a controller, especially considering how long ago these were released. The cursor movement still feels a bit clunky, but there aren't really any quick reactions required that make it much of an issue. The analog stick moves the cursor quickly while the d-pad is slow making it easy to line up your pointer. I found the analog stick difficult to use and the d-pad, while slow, definitely made everything a bit easier. There are also some shortcut commands new to this version, making it easy to quickly open doors and move without having to access the open and move commands at the bottom of the screen.
Déjà Vu begins with your character awakening in a toilet stall with blood on his hands and complete amnesia. The story will slowly unravel as you explore the environment around you. There's some excellent chiptune music, which is important as you will hear the same handful of songs repeatedly throughout your time with the game. There's not much for sound effects except for a few here and there, but the music does a good job of setting the mood. There's a good variety of locations to explore and lots of items/people to interact with. The game is a bit easier than the other two featured in the compilation, but is still quite challenging if not resorting to a guide or walkthrough. The game is also a bit more grounded in reality than the other two games and I feel is a good entry point for somebody who wants to check out these style of games.
Uninvited has your character start out in a crashed car with his sister missing. Now it's up to you to explore the area and find out what happened to her. The game features some unsettling music and some genuinely creepy moments. Some of the puzzles here are a bit tough and I don't think I'd ever have figured some of these without a guide. There's quite a bit to see and do in this one and I always enjoyed figuring out what the next gruesome way to die would be. The game deals a lot with the supernatural, and your character will even learn spells he can cast in the game! This one's a good time and there are some gruesome deaths you can get yourself into.
Shadowgate is the third and final title included in the anthology, and this is another one that's really tough to crack without a guide of some sort. I remember thinking this game was impossible as a youth when I only had access to a few hints in an issue of Nintendo Power. Now playing through it with a guide makes it feasible, but it's pretty insane the amount of stuff the developers assumed the player would be able to figure out. One unique feature to Shadowgate is the fact that you have to carry around a lit torch and if at any point the torch goes out you die. It sounds much worse than it actually is, since there are ample torches available for pickup and even if you die you can just continue from the previous screen with a freshly lit torch. This is yet another solid port from Kemco and probably the hardest, most involved of the three.
These point 'n click titles were a niche genre back when these originally came out (especially on the NES) and still remain as such to this day. I think most people can tell pretty quick if they're going to have the patience for these types of games. These being such text-heavy games also require the use of your imagination quite a bit and I know that's something many people just don't want to mess with these days. However, if you're the type that enjoys a good retro point 'n click adventure you definitely want to get this one! I'm interested to see if they intend to release a volume two of this anthology, and wonder what could be included? Deja Vu 2 was ported to the Game Boy Color later on down the road, so I suppose that's a possibility.
Final Verdict: If you're looking for some 8-Bit point 'n click adventure style retro gaming goodness, 8-Bit Adventure Anthology Volume One should fill that void.
Related Links:
Buy 8-Bit Adventure Anthology - Microsoft Store
8-Bit Adventure Anthology - GameFAQs
Abstraction Games - Official Site
8-Bit Adventure Anthology Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
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