Beyond Time aka Shadow of the Obelisk: Delve Into the Corridors of Time is a 1997 full motion video adventure game developed by Jones and Jones Multimedia and published by DreamCatcher Interactive.
| Beyond Time | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Jones and Jones Multimedia |
| Publisher(s) | DreamCatcher Interactive |
| Release | November 1997 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Development
editThe background of Jones and Jones Multimedia employees included theatre, fiction, literature, and art, and the company's video game output (including this game) combined these aspects together. They aimed to include genuine art and historical information to make it appealing and long-lasting. They set the game in locations that had an air of mystery and fascination. The team spent more than a year doing art history research to have a better understanding of the architectural worlds which were being created in the game. They turned their research into 3D representations; while they didn't recreate existing structures, they incorporated elements that they observed. The team aimed to add 2D animation and sound effects to as many screens as possible to give a sense of a lived-in world, for instance a bird flying across the sky. A unique game engine was made for the title.[1]
Critical reception
editQuandary thought the game's short length let it down.[3] Just Adventure and Adventure Gamers described the game as a watered-down Timelapse-type experience.[4][5] Game Revolution thought the graphics were underwhelming.[6] Adventure Classic Gaming criticised the game's "plodding, chatty, confused storyline".[7] Computer Gaming World said it "wants to be Myst" and fails at it.[8] PC PowerPlay deemed the game a "dry, humorless, dull, and pretty monotonous" Myst-clone.[9] It received a score of 78 from FamilyPC.[10]
Awards and nominations
editThe game was the Runner-up for the "Coaster of the Year" award in the April 1999 issue of Computer Gaming World.[11]
References
edit- ^ fmvgamer2010 (2012-03-16), Beyond Time (1997) aka Shadow of the Obelisk PC FMV game intro and making of, retrieved 2017-12-30
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Morris, Daniel (April 10, 1998). "Beyond Time". PC Games. Archived from the original on August 30, 1999.
- ^ "Beyond Time Review by Quandary". 2007-04-18. Archived from the original on 2007-04-18. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
- ^ "Review: Beyond Time". 2003-06-04. Archived from the original on 2003-06-04. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
- ^ "Beyond Time Review". Adventure Gamers. 19 May 2002. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
- ^ "Beyond Time Review". 2015-02-17. Archived from the original on 2015-02-17. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
- ^ "Beyond Time - Obelisk - Review - Adventure Classic Gaming - ACG - Adventure Games, Interactive Fiction Games - Reviews, Interviews, Features, Previews, Cheats, Galleries, Forums". 2015-03-15. Archived from the original on 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
- ^ Computer Gaming World Issue 166. May 1998. p. 172.
- ^ Next Publishing Pty Ltd (November 1998). PC Powerplay Issue 030.
- ^ "GameSpot presents FamilyPC's Beyond Time review". Archived from the original on 1999-10-05. Retrieved 2019-06-08.
- ^ Staff (April 1999). "Computer Gaming World's 1999 Premier Awards; CGW Presents the Best Games of 1998". Computer Gaming World. No. 177. pp. 91, 93, 96–105.