Beyond Shadowgate is set to release next month. This sequel is inspired by an undeveloped design document that was left behind 34 years ago when the original creators of the game, ICOM Simulations, shifted focus from original projects to licensed properties. The project was originally crowdfunded on Kickstarter last year and will be available for PC (via GOG & Steam) starting September 19th.
Developed by Zojoi LLC, a studio founded by the creators of the original Macintosh version (Dave Marsh and Karl Roelofs), Beyond Shadowgate promises to carry the legacy of its predecessor. The game continues the story of Jair’s battle against evil in a world that once knew peace but is now threatened once more. Players will guide Del Thornburrow, a lowly Fenling character who must journey through Gwynenthell and beyond, uncovering plots and battling perils to save the land of Kal Torlin.
Developed with nostalgia in mind, Beyond Shadowgate will offer a traditional first-person follow-up, similar to the original MacVenture and its various ports. This sequel aims to bring back the essence of the classic dungeon crawler.
For fans eager to experience this new adventure, you can wishlist the game on Steam or GOG now.
How important is it for developers to strike a balance between staying true to the original spirit and incorporating new elements?
I backed this pretty much the instant it was announced. The first thing to know is that it’s much larger in scope than the original games, while keeping the NES-style visuals and interface. There are also callbacks to Deja Vu, Uninvited, and other titles. It really does seem to be shaping up to feel like a true sequel, with the writing front and center.
It also seems to be a do-over of the TurboGrafx CD game of the same name: some similar story elements, but not the same plot.
That game was decently well-reviewed but never felt like a true sequel, since it was an example of first-sequel experimentation: it swapped the first-person dungeon crawler perspective and writing for a point-and-click adventure perspective with very little writing. More like Zelda 2 in variation from the original than Mario 2 (USA).