Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness
Encyclopedia
Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness is an adventure game
/role-playing video game
hybrid. It is the fourth installment of the Quest for Glory
computer game series by Sierra Entertainment
.
Since the floppy version had no device-intrusted copyright protection, the player was asked to do a certain amount of actions at the beginning of each game. The CD version simply required the disk to play the game.
Upon its final release in 1994, the game itself featured some improvements to the gameplay. The title screen, which featured an initially black background in the floppy version, was updated with a picture of a castle layout in pale moonlight and featured a wolf-like howl as the title was appearing. Some other sound effects were added in the game too, such as door sounds, etc. The CD version also featured a complete soundtrack with actors voicing, for the first time in the series. The player was then able to choose between the text boxes and the vocals in option screen.
A feature called "Auto-combat", where the computer would fight the enemies in battles (to pinpoint the strategic feel of the game, as opposed to the action feel) was also improved upon release.
pastiche
, and most likely a reference to the Slavic deity Chernobog
) to manifest in Mordavia's world. Naturally, the Hero is freed from this control and thwarts their plan, destroying Ad Avis in the process. During the celebration of the Hero's somewhat pyrrhic victory
, the wizard Erasmus appears, summoning the Hero to the land of Silmaria.
. Additionally, the game featured a largely original sound track by Aubrey Hodges – although it did feature a reprise of the Hero’s Theme from previous games and a rendition of Anitra's Dance by Edvard Grieg
which played as background music in the Hotel Mordavia.
According to an InterAction magazine article, John Rhys-Davies' part took more than three weeks to record, causing him to refer to the game as the 'CD-ROM from Hell'.
The dub of a trio of local farmers is conspicuous for its emphasis on quips and banter, and its indifference to what actually reads on their text boxes.
or a Windows 95 emulator. There is also a bug near the end which cannot be avoided while playing in DOSBox. The bug occurs after the player throws the spear at Ad Avis. The spear will revert back into Erana's staff and float back to the player as usual, but as it does, the staff erroneously turns back into Ad Avis, who throws a fire ball at the player. This kills him with the same outcome if the player did not take out Erana's staff fast enough. Nevertheless, the game continues as if the bug didn't happen. The best counter for this bug is to save before the cut-scene. Also, the bug is more likely to happen when the Speed and Detail settings on the options menu are high. Players with throwing ability can overcome this bug if they throw their dagger instead of Erana's staff at Ad Avis.
Among the other bugs is the second appearance of peasant girl Tanya: if Hero, having saved her already from undeath, pays another visit to her room back in the Castle, he can see her in undead form again, although this time without her guardian monster Toby by her side.
cards. The images used for the game were taken from the Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg[1], a Rider-Waite-Smith clone deck, and the layout used appears to be unique to the game.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
/role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
hybrid. It is the fourth installment of the Quest for Glory
Quest for Glory
Quest for Glory is a series of hybrid role-playing/adventure computer games designed by Corey and Lori Ann Cole. The series combined humor, puzzle elements, themes and characters borrowed from various legends, puns, and memorable characters, creating a 5-part series of the Sierra stable.Although...
computer game series by Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
.
Release
Initially, the game was released in March 1993 on nine 3.5" floppy diskettes to accommodate those gamers who didn't have a CD-ROM drive at the time (as were many other of Sierra adventures). However, the main release was planned in 1994, in a jewel box that included the game CD, the game manual, a store catalogue and legalities. The floppy version also included the manual, only smaller and less detailed.Since the floppy version had no device-intrusted copyright protection, the player was asked to do a certain amount of actions at the beginning of each game. The CD version simply required the disk to play the game.
Upon its final release in 1994, the game itself featured some improvements to the gameplay. The title screen, which featured an initially black background in the floppy version, was updated with a picture of a castle layout in pale moonlight and featured a wolf-like howl as the title was appearing. Some other sound effects were added in the game too, such as door sounds, etc. The CD version also featured a complete soundtrack with actors voicing, for the first time in the series. The player was then able to choose between the text boxes and the vocals in option screen.
A feature called "Auto-combat", where the computer would fight the enemies in battles (to pinpoint the strategic feel of the game, as opposed to the action feel) was also improved upon release.
Plot
Drawn without warning from victory in Tarna, the Hero arrives without equipment or explanation in the middle of the hazardous Dark Caves in the distant land of Mordavia. Upon escaping from the closing cave mouth, he meets a mysterious young woman named Katrina who assists him again several times in his journey. He encounters several old foes, including the not-quite-dead Ad Avis and the ogress Baba Yaga, and makes several bizarre new allies. The Hero is ultimately coerced into assisting Ad Avis' Dark Master (who turns out to be Katrina) in collecting the Dark Rituals that will allow Avoozl the Dark One (an obvious CthulhuCthulhu
Cthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
pastiche
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
, and most likely a reference to the Slavic deity Chernobog
Chernobog
Chernobog is a Slavic deity, about whom much has been speculated but little can be said definitively. The name may also be given as Crnobog, Czernobóg, Černobog, Црнобог, Zernebog and Чернобог, meaning black god...
) to manifest in Mordavia's world. Naturally, the Hero is freed from this control and thwarts their plan, destroying Ad Avis in the process. During the celebration of the Hero's somewhat pyrrhic victory
Pyrrhic victory
A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with such a devastating cost to the victor that it carries the implication that another such victory will ultimately cause defeat.-Origin:...
, the wizard Erasmus appears, summoning the Hero to the land of Silmaria.
Name
Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness is the first and only game of the series to have no numeral attached to its name within the game (other than Hero's Quest). Most materials related to Quest for Glory: Shadow of Darkness, show no title number. The only reference related to the game being the fourth scenario in the series is through its installation folder, QFG4, and it's executable QFG4CD.exe. The title screen and about screens either refer to the game as Quest for Glory: Shadow of Darkness, or Shadows of Darkness. The original manuals referred to the game simply as Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness. It was later called Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness in the Quest for Glory Anthology collection manual. Previously the end of Quest for Glory III referred to it as Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness.Content
Quest for Glory IV features far darker themes while maintaining the humor of previous games through such methods as incorporating Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre parodies. Revolving around a dark cult summoning an unfathomably large evil, the game was a far cry from earlier villains such as Baba Yaga. Additionally, the undead and Lovecraftian monsters differed significantly from the lighter monsters of earlier games (there were, however, vampyric rabbits reminiscent of Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail). Moreover, to fight the new monsters, Quest for Glory IV implemented an entirely new fighting system. While sometimes criticized as clunky, the new system was undeniably different.Sound
The CD-ROM version of Quest for Glory IV is the first game in the series to feature voice actors and an audible narrator, John Rhys-DaviesJohn Rhys-Davies
John Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
. Additionally, the game featured a largely original sound track by Aubrey Hodges – although it did feature a reprise of the Hero’s Theme from previous games and a rendition of Anitra's Dance by Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
which played as background music in the Hotel Mordavia.
According to an InterAction magazine article, John Rhys-Davies' part took more than three weeks to record, causing him to refer to the game as the 'CD-ROM from Hell'.
The dub of a trio of local farmers is conspicuous for its emphasis on quips and banter, and its indifference to what actually reads on their text boxes.
Cast
- John Rhys-DaviesJohn Rhys-DaviesJohn Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
- Narrator
- Jennifer HaleJennifer HaleJennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...
- Katrina
- Gregg BergerGregg BergerGreggory "Gregg" Berger is an American voice actor, who is known for his longtime role as Odie the dog from the Garfield franchise...
- Dmitri Ivanov aka the Burgomeister
- Jeff BennettJeff BennettJeffrey Glenn "Jeff" Bennett is an American voice actor and musician, listed "among the top names in the voice-over field", best known as the voice of Johnny Bravo in the series of the same name...
- Ad Avis / Bonehead / Dr. Cranium / Igor
- Cathianne Blore - Anna
- Hamilton CampHamilton CampHamilton Camp was an English-American singer, songwriter, actor and voice actor.-Early life:Camp was born in London, England, and was evacuated during World War II to the United States as a child with his mother and sister. He became a child actor in films and onstage...
- Lorre Petrovich aka The Chief / Punny Bones
- Cam ClarkeCam ClarkeCameron Arthur "Cam" Clarke is a prolific American voice actor and singer, well known for his work in animation and video games. Clarke is well known for providing the voices of Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Shotaro Kaneda in the 1989 original English-dub of Akira. He often voices...
- Domovoi / Gypsy Davy / Nikolai
- Jim CummingsJim CummingsJames Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal...
- Boris Stovich / Hans
- Bill FarmerBill FarmerWilliam "Bill" Farmer is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar.-Early life:...
- Leshy
- Joan GerberJoan GerberJoan Gerber is an American voice actress for a variety of cartoons.- Filmography :* 1959: Matty's Funday Funnies : Additional Voices...
- Magda
- Jess HarnellJess HarnellJess Q. Harnell is an American voice actor and singer, best known for voicing Wakko Warner on Animaniacs. Harnell has been the announcer for America's Funniest Home Videos since 1998.-Life and acting career:...
- Franz
- Mitzi McCallMitzi McCallMitzi McCall is an American actress married to actor Charlie Brill. She performed on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Other credits include guest appearances on Life Goes On, The Twilight Zone, Silk Stalkings , and voice work on many cartoons...
- Bella Markarov
- Diane PershingDiane PershingDiane Pershing, born and raised in Queens, New York, is a romance novelist, television writer and voice actor.She wrote episodes for the television series The Love Boat and What's Happening Now!!...
- Erana / Rusalka
- Stu Rosen - Yuri Markarov
- Neil RossNeil RossTheodoric Neilson "Neil" Ross is an English voice actor and announcer, born in London, England and now resident and working in Los Angeles, in the United States. He has provided voices for in many American cartoons, particularly those based on Hasbro products and Marvel Comics, and numerous...
- Erasmus / Ivan
- Susan SiloSusan SiloSusan Silo is an American actress and voice actress.-Early life and career:She was born in New York City, New York. Her acting career started in television on an episode of The Jack Benny Show. Silo also co-starred with Larry Blyden, Dawn Nickerson, and Diahn Williams in the NBC sitcom Harry's...
- Baba YagaBaba YagaBaba Yaga or Baba Roga is a haggish or witchlike character in Slavic folklore. She flies around on a giant pestle, kidnaps small children, and lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs...
/ Fenris / Olga Stovich / Tatiana the Queen of the Faery Folk
- Russi TaylorRussi TaylorRussi Taylor is an American voice actress. She is the current voice actress of Disney's Minnie Mouse character. She has held this role since 1986, longer than any other voice actress...
- Tanya Markarov
Bugs
Error 52 occurred mostly when running the game on newer machines. Appearing during one of the games later battles against a Chernovy, the bug precluded victory. Another notable bug “Error 47” occurred under similar conditions, however it appeared earlier in the game. This bug also made the game unwinnable. An effective method to avoid the bug is to run DOSBoxDOSBox
DOSBox is emulator software that emulates an IBM PC compatible computer running MS-DOS. It is intended especially for use with old PC games. DOSBox is free software....
or a Windows 95 emulator. There is also a bug near the end which cannot be avoided while playing in DOSBox. The bug occurs after the player throws the spear at Ad Avis. The spear will revert back into Erana's staff and float back to the player as usual, but as it does, the staff erroneously turns back into Ad Avis, who throws a fire ball at the player. This kills him with the same outcome if the player did not take out Erana's staff fast enough. Nevertheless, the game continues as if the bug didn't happen. The best counter for this bug is to save before the cut-scene. Also, the bug is more likely to happen when the Speed and Detail settings on the options menu are high. Players with throwing ability can overcome this bug if they throw their dagger instead of Erana's staff at Ad Avis.
Among the other bugs is the second appearance of peasant girl Tanya: if Hero, having saved her already from undeath, pays another visit to her room back in the Castle, he can see her in undead form again, although this time without her guardian monster Toby by her side.
Tarot Sequence
A particularly detailed sequence in the game involved the Gypsy Magda gathering information about the hero's future and his possible enemies or allies using a deck of TarotTarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
cards. The images used for the game were taken from the Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg[1], a Rider-Waite-Smith clone deck, and the layout used appears to be unique to the game.