Review: Shadowgate (NES)

I’m going to break a rule and post a review for a game that’s outside my current backlog generation. Last month, when I was browsing through my list to find a good spooky game for my annual Halloween review, I came across an interesting title that somehow never managed to land on my radar. The game in question is Shadowgate. Those of you familiar with it are probably shocked to learn that I had never heard of this game before. And having now played it, I have to admit that it is a small miracle that I am just now discovering this gem. It’s certainly something that I would have been obsessed with when I was a kid. Thankfully, I have now experienced this incredible game and I want to tell you what I think about it.

Shadowgate is a classic point-and-click adventure game. I don’t think I’ve actually ever posted a review for this type of game before. Which is a bit surprising, considering how much I loved this style of game when I was younger. In case you are not familiar with the genre, point-and-click adventures were extremely popular on the old Apple Macintosh platform. The games consisted of various screens (usually depicting a room) with a number of interactive objects that you could click on with your mouse. These objects might be doors, buttons, or even items. A large portion of these games involve exploring and solving puzzles. Some notable examples from my youth are games like Enchanted Scepters or Transylvania. Shadowgate also got its start on the Mac, but over the years it has been ported to the PC, NES, and even the Game Boy. This brings us to the ultimate question, which version should you play?

When it comes to this game, there’s no easy answer. Every release of Shadowgate is drastically different and has its own strengths and weaknesses. Despite being the oldest version, the original black and white Mac release of the game has a certain charm that can’t be replicated. The graphics are simple, yet the monochrome colors of the Mac leave the game feeling atmospheric and extremely detailed. The PC versions are more colorful, but sometimes the gameplay feels a little laggy and unintuitive. The NES port is extremely accessible, it boasts great music and graphics, but it doesn’t exactly capture the same creepy feel that the original Mac version tends to convey. So in the end, it’s really up to you. I’ll admit, I had trouble making up my mind when picking which version to play. But one thing managed to sway me. Over the years, there have been a number of sequels to Shadowgate. These sequels have been developed by various different companies. In fact, some of them have very little in common with the original game. But recently, the original developers crowdfunded an official sequel called Beyond Shadowgate (not to be confused with a prior game of the same name). This official sequel was designed to match the look and feel of the NES port – a version of the game that the original devs give their personal stamp of approval. This new sequel was designed using their original notes and plans for the 1993 Beyond Shadowgate, before its development was taken over by another team. In the eyes of many, including myself, this new Beyond Shadowgate sequel is the true continuation of the original game. So, with this in mind, I decided that the NES version is the one I would take a look at first.

Now, if you don’t have access to an old NES. Fear not! The NES release of this game (and several others from the same studio) is available on the PC as part of the 8-Bit Adventure Anthology. It is this version of Shadowgate that I played for this review. So, I guess you could say I ended up playing a PC game, that was ported to the NES, then ported back to PC…

In the paragraph above, I explained a little bit about how Shadowgate is played. The game is presented in the first person through a series of interactive screens. In this game, you play a nameless king tasked with infiltrating Castle Shadowgate – home of the notorious Warlock Lord. When the game begins, you are standing just outside the castle’s main entrance. As you proceed, the game presents you with the next scene. Details are provided both visually and by text. Players are able to investigate their surroundings by selecting various actions via a menu. Through investigating, players can uncover things like hidden doors, or they can pick up objects that might prove useful. An example of the gameplay might go something like this: “In this room, you see a table with a drawer. There is a door on the east wall”. When players “inspect” the door, they learn that it is locked. However, if they “inspect” the drawer on the table, they discover a key. Players can then collect the key and “use” it on the door. This will unlock the door and allow the player to proceed. Of course, this is a very basic explanation. Most of the puzzles in this game are not this simple. Items that you may find early in the game might not come into play until much later (if they are even useful at all).

Another important mechanic to keep in mind is torchlight. Castle Shadowgate is shrouded in darkness. The player must constantly maintain a lit torch at all times. If the torch ever goes out, they will stumble into a trap and die. In this sense, the game technically has a time limit. Although, there’s more than enough torches scattered around the castle than most players would need. This instant death mechanic, however, is something that remains a constant in Shadowgate.

When playing Shadowgate, you will die. A lot. That’s part of the experience. There’s no warning, and there’s rarely any way to avoid it. To explain what I mean, you are exploring the castle when you find a hatch on the floor. After opening the hatch, you discover a ladder leading down. So, you decide to climb down the ladder. But, as you do, the rungs break under your weight, and you plummet to your death. Just like that. Now you either have to reload a previously saved game or start over from the beginning. Of course, the next time you get to this room, you’ll know better than to try to climb down the ladder.

This is the way Shadowgate works. You try something, you die, you learn – in that order. Eventually, you’ll learn from your experiences and manage to make it to the end of the game. But yes, this can be a frustrating experience at first. My first playthrough took me several hours that were filled with trial and error. At times, I felt completely stumped. Not all the solutions are obvious. However, once you’ve figured everything out, you can complete the game from start to finish in a matter of minutes. Shadowgate is a game that’s more about the journey than it is about the goal. In this regard, it’s an absolutely wonderful experience. Even if this sort of game isn’t your usual genre. I highly recommend giving Shadowgate an honest chance.

When I was finished with this game, I felt a huge sense of satisfaction. I enjoyed my time with it immensely. Despite being a rather obscure genre, I can’t recommend the experience enough.

Version Reviewed: NES  (ported to PC as part of 8-bit Adventure Anthology)

Difficulty: Hard –  Unless you are playing Shadowgate with a hint guide or a walkthrough, you are likely going to have a pretty tough time at first. It takes a moment to wrap your head around the way this game works. Once you get the gist of things, it gets a bit easier, but there’s always some new challenge to overcome.

Multiplayer: N/A

Story: The set-up for this game is pretty basic. But this was common at the time that Shadowgate was originally released.

Originality: Point-and-click adventures had been around for several years before Shadowgate hit the scene. What makes this game unique is its creepy atmosphere and clever puzzles.

Soundtrack: The NES version of the game boasts a rather catchy and infectious soundtrack. Although, I had to admit, it does get a bit repetitive after a while. Still, the music queues change as you explore different parts of the castle and they are very well done.

Fun: Gamers that love puzzles and exploration will have a field day with this game. Just go in knowing that failure is something that’s going to happen frequently. It can get frustrating but that’s part of the experience.

Graphics: The NES version of Shadowgate is colorful and does a decent job of capturing the mysterious atmosphere of the game’s setting. The graphics are on-par with most other NES titles. But, I have to admit, it doesn’t quite capture that same b&w horror movie vibe that the original Mac release does.

Playcontrol: Despite being a game designed to be played with a mouse. The NES port translates very well to a gamepad. The controls are precise and accurate.

Downloadable Content: No.

Mature Content:  Peril

Value: Getting this game as part of the 8-Bit Adventure Anthology is the way to go. This entire collection only costs $8 and it also includes two other games with nearly identical gameplay. Other versions of Shadowgate are also available as part of other bundles, but the prices vary.

Overall score (1-100): 80 – Shadowgate is a classic and one of the best known examples of the “Macventure” point-and-click style of games. It is a difficult game to review because it is so niche in today’s market. Plus, the multiple versions of the game make things even trickier. Still, when focusing exclusively on the NES version, I feel like we have a game that’s appealing to nearly everyone in some way or another. It’s a great game to try to tackle side-by-side with a friend. I played this game during over the span of several late October nights, and despite not being a horror game by design, it somehow managed to fit the bill. I can envision myself as a kid, playing through this with a friend during a slumber party. With this thought in mind, I can’t help but wish I had discovered this game earlier.

Original System: Apple Macintosh

Available today on: PC  – (Updated as of Fall 2024)

Best Experience: PC  – (Updated as of Fall 2024)

Other Reviews In This Series:

Shadowgate   –   Beyond Shadowgate (2024)

Beyond Shadowgate (1993)   –   Shadowgate 64

Shadowgate (Remake)