Shannara (1995)

And who is this person?

Being a huge fantasy geek I came across the Shannara-series by Terry Brooks and found them really interesting. Much later I understod the controversies around the books as being clearly rewritten parts of Lord of the Rings, albeit simpler and still with rather interesting ideas hear and there and some books (like The Elfstones of Shannara) clearly steps out of the Lord of the Rings mold. I still liked the series and the more I read about it it became more interesting. For example, the world is set in an post-apocalyptic Earth were magic has come back, humans mutated to gnomes, dwarfs and trolls while old fey creatures like elves returned. Yet you can find old machines of our time. I know something similar appeared in Robert Jordans Wheel of Time, but Brookes wrote most of his book in the 70's and 80's. Why bring this up? Because I found an adventure game from 1995 that I just had to try by the name alone.

The setting is the generation between The Sword of Shannara and The Elfstone of Shannara, not actively putting something new in the mix and instead just be fanservice. Cause that is what is it biggest draws. If you read the books you will like the nods here and there together with a visual representation of the characters for the first time, like Alannon. Some can be quite jarring. Like whats the deal with Brona, the first big bad of the series?

Strange, you don't look like the guy on the cover!

That doesn't look like the deceitful spirit of an ancient druid who just didn't believe he couldn't die, more like every undead lord ever. It's not very challenging since the puzzles and riddles are fairly straight forward and the mandatory battles are few and rather automated. Together with a undo option if you die makes it rather easy. But of course I suck at these games so I got stuck in Arborlon trying to find the earth sign. And as usual it stares right at my face, pixel hunting on a dirty road.

Story-wise you are Shea Omhsfords son Jak that are fishing in the woods and suddenly attacked by a monster, saved by Allanon who sends you away. You meet Menion Leahs daughter and travel to the kingdom of Leah where Menion Leah's been poisoned by the gardener... and then he kills the healer forcing you to search for the herbs. Again, damn pixel hunting. Doesn't help that the guard let the gardener away outside even though they are surrounded by monsters. Then again, the murderer seems to be a shape shifter remarkably alike the chameleon demon in Elfstones. You save Leah, gets to Tyrsis who are overrun by the dead, you get the sword of Shannara which is broken so you set out to find one from each race and a magic item to fix it. You basically travels around all the places of importance from the series... a pity they don't have a map so I can easily find them while travelling on the road with monsters everywhere.

I'm travelling apparently

Now to the spoilers of the game, which is a rather common theme in the books. The death of main characters. Surprise surprise, Shella Leah, your first companion is also the first to bit the dust, saving you from the shapeshifter. What is rather unique is that the game forces you to kill her in order to not make Brona take her soul. You have to push a blade through her body and cast a spell over her. And even sadder is the other dialoges like "I can't kill you, I love you", "we can think of something" or "what if we use the elf stones to heal her". The last part causes a game over, thanks for that game. Then we have the fairly standard gauntlet of death. Each and everyone of your companions seems to die saving you. The troll stays behind fighting the armies of monster, as do Allannon and the dwarf. The elf actually dies while killing of the shapeshifter with the elf stones that disintegrate them both. And the gnome... well, he died while stealing some clearly cursed items and you basicly forced him to come so no tears lost there. And the ending of course turned into a Ni No Kuni situation where I hoped some unforeseen magic power would bring Shella back to life... but no. Probably for the better since I know Jak Ohmsford granddaughter end up with another Leah which might not be the best for genetic reason.

Lastly, while enjoying the game for it's fanservice I had some problem playing it. I used Boxer witch is a dosbox program and it runs the game, but either without sound or without voices. Both and the game doesn't start. Playing without sound is rather boring for the most part and the voices is needed for the cgi cutscenes which pushes the plot a bit, sadly I don't get it since there is no freaking subtitles in it's stead. If someone knows how to fix it I would be thrilled since the final confrontation with Brona is a bit anticlimatic when you don't know what he says.

By the way, this is Swedish cover of The Sword of Shannara my father own

This is from The Elfstones of Shannara

And this is Wishsong of Shannara, do you see something special in all those covers?

It's the same freaking cover they cut in three, good work swedish editors or whoever calls the shots for the covers. Well at least it was a cover from a Shannara bok and you could argue each cut of the cover fit the "hero" of each book, think if they put the girl at the Sword of Shannara HAHA....

Oh for the love of god!!!