Sword of Sodan
| Sword of Sodan | |
|---|---|
 Genesis cover |
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| Developer(s) | Discovery Software (Amiga) Innerprise (Genesis Version) |
| Publisher(s) | Discovery Software (Amiga) Electronic Arts (Genesis Version) |
| Designer(s) | Søren Grønbech |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, Sega Genesis, Macintosh |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | Hack and Slash |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Mature |
| Media/distribution | cartridge |
Sword of Sodan is a hack and slash video game released for the Amiga in 1988 by Discovery Software and Apple Macintosh System 7 in 1993 by Bethesda Softworks, with a scaled down port released for the Sega Genesis in 1990 by Electronic Arts.
Contents |
[edit] Story
The background story is set in a fictional medieval like time where Lordan is the ruler of the northern kingdom. Zoras, an evil necromancer, is plotting in his tower made of human bones, making a second attempt to take the reign over the land. His first attempt was defeated by Sodan.
Zoras then studied ancient parchments where he could experiment with long forgotten spells. He was soon able to conjure all kinds of nightmarish creatures. He spawned so many of them that they were marching through the land towards Lordan's castle, leaving a path of death and destruction.
To protect his children, Lordan arranged for his young son Brodan and his twin sister Shardan to be taken away from the castle across the Cthol mountains to the farthest corner of the land. After Lordan lost to Zoras' legions and was killed, his children were raised by an old bitter man, who also trained them in the art of sword combat. Before they start their journey to defeat Zoras, the old man hands over to them the sword of Sodan.
Armed with the mighty sword of Sodan, they fight their way to castle Craggamoor where they face the tyrannical Zoras. After Zoras was defeated by the children of Lordan, people accept them as the true rulers and saviors of the land.[1]
[edit] Gameplay
Amiga Version:
Most of the levels consist of simply fighting your enemies with the sword, but sometimes also avoiding traps or jumping over rolling barrels. There are also little puzzles to solve, like to feed an obscure ostrich like creature to avoid drowning in a trap later on.
Brodan or his twin sister Shardan are playable characters. Despite the physical appearance, there are no differences in gameplay between the two. The protagonist walks in a horizontally-scrolled world from left to right while defeating enemies. The player can wield their sword while standing or on their knees. Though equipped with a shield, the player is not able to use it. The shield was completely removed from the Sega Genesis version.
Before each level starts, a map shows the player's progress through the land to castle Craggamoor and scrolls give additional information about the current location. Once the player enters the castle Craggamoor they see a gloomy picture from outside view of the castle instead of the map.
The player starts the game by having five lives, an energy meter (which is reduced by every hit from enemies) and a hit strength level which can be increased by potions over time.
There are multiple types of potions. Some increase hit strength, some give an extra life, and others provide short-term invincibility or kill the current opponent immediately.
Sega Genesis Version:
The core of the gameplay mechanic is the same as on the Amiga version, but several changes were done. Enemies attack from both directions, while in the original Amiga version all enemies were on the right side. The protagonist now relies on a much more regular use of potions, which are also dropped more often.
[edit] World & Foes
Amiga Version:
The protagonist wields a sword through 11 different areas, five in the surrounding area of castle Craggamoore and six within the castle. The player starts at the city gate, progressing through the city streets, a forest, and a graveyard. Within castle Craggamoore, the player wanders through catacomb-like levels, which leads to the wizard's tower at the end.
The world is inhabited with 13 different enemies and a single supporting character, the ostrich-like creature called "the animal" in the game.
Enemies: Guards (with a Lance), City guards (with an Axe), a giant soldier (with a Club), One-legged forest inhabitants wearing a mohawk, Lizard/Scorpion creature, Zombies, a Fighter/Mage, bat-like creatures, flying cloud-like creature (which whom you feed "The Animal"), Wizards, grotesque creatures with wings at the end, and Necromancer Zoras.
Supporters: The Animal
Sega Genesis Version:
The areas are reduced from eleven to eight. Some got completely cut (for example the forest area), while others were joined into one level. The areas were also altered in terms of spawning more enemies. There are only eight of the thirteen different enemies from the Amiga game, but spawned more often over different areas.
[edit] Development
Sword of Sodan was created by a group of three Danish engineers from Discovery Software. Two years later the people of Innerprise Software created a scaled-down port of the game for the Sega Genesis, which differs in reduced graphics and sound quality, and also notable changes in overall gameplay. The Genesis port was published by Electronic Arts. The game was again ported in 1993 by Bethesda Softworks to Apple Macintosh System 7.
Original Amiga Credits :
Original Program by Søren Grønbech, Torben Larsen
Movement and Magic by Søren Grønbech
Illusions and Illustrations by Torben Larsen
Conjure and Compositions by Julian Lefay
[edit] Unreleased port and sequel
A partially-completed port for the Apple IIGS was advertised and shown at the CES Expo in 1989 by Visual Concepts, Ltd.[2] It was playable with a joystick and approximately 70% complete, only requiring a handful of levels to be added in and some bug stability issues worked out. Shortly thereafter, as progress continued, a three level self-playing demo was next released and shown in stores, which was virtually identical graphically and animation-wise to the Amiga version [3]. At some point during development, a dispute between the Apple II programmer and Discovery Software caused an unexpected delay while a replacement programmer could be hired to take over the project. A new programmer was found and development eventually resumed. Despite these developments and appearing in magazine ads and on vendor's price lists, it was never released. Ports for Atari ST and Commodore 64 were vaguely planned but never developed.[4]
A sequel was developed but never released. A single screenshot however was shown in a magazine.[5]
[edit] Reception
The original release in 1988 for the Amiga got mostly favorable reviews by the magazines, praising the graphics, especially the big detailed sprites, which were unusual at the time. The budget re-release in 1993 on the Amiga however were met with negative reviews. Websites like I-Mockery.com or Somethingawful.com mock the Genesis version of the game for its bad graphics, small annoying sound effects, frustrating controls and difficult gameplay.
According to programmer Søren Grønbech homepage, Sword of Sodan on the Amiga was at the top 10 selling charts for more than six months and selling about 55.000 copies.[6]
Due the violent nature of the game such as when enemies are beheaded or impaled by spears and spikes this game was indexed by the German BPjS/BPjM in 1989.
Amiga reviews in 1989:
If you buy one Amiga action game this year, this has got be it. - 9/10 - AUI Vol 2 No 10 (Oct 1988)
I was well pleased with Sword of Sodan. - 85% - Computer + Video Games 90 (Apr 1989)
If you're looking for a big game, they don't come any more impressive than this - 83% - CU Commodore User Amiga-64 (Mar 1989)
It's a shame then that the gameplay doesn't live up to the standards set by the aesthetics. - 62% - The One for 16-bit Games 6 (Mar 1989)
Computer Gaming World gave the game a positive review, praising the game's graphics and sound but noting the game is relatively short.[7]
Amiga reviews in 1993 (budget re-release):
Pity, but the graphics have overtaken the gameplay. - 52% - Amiga Format 47 (June 1993)
Don't be swayed by the half-decent static screenshots, because Sword of Sodan is crap. - 34% - The One Amiga 56 (May 1993)
Great big fat and juicy graphics do not make a fun game. - 29% - Amiga Power 27 (Jul 1993)
Sega Genesis reviews:
Just walking around slashing things with your chopper is exceptionally monotonous after a couple of plays. - 57% - Computer + Video Games 112 (Mar 1991)
Even the first level requires mastery of the crappy controls, and the game is just too damn boring to warrant enough repeated attempts to get "good" at it. - -46 - somethingawful.com[8]
Apple IIGS preview:
Visuals on the IIGS reach a boggling new high with Discovery Software's Sword of Sodan. It's another hack-and-slash action game but with hugh on-screen characters, remarkable graphic detail, and outstanding digitized sound effects. - A+ Magazine (April 1989)
[edit] External links
- Amiga Longplay on Youtube
- Apple IIGS demo preview on YouTube
- Sega Genesis Longplay on Youtube
- Sword of Sodan at MobyGames
[edit] References
- ^ Summarized from the Amiga manual
- ^ http://www.whatisthe2gs.apple2.org.za/sword-of-sodan
- ^ http://www.virtualapple.org/swordofsodandisk.html
- ^ Computer + Video Games 90 Magazine (Apr 1989)
- ^ http://www.playright.dk/screens/swordofsodan2_ami_01.jpg
- ^ http://www.sodan.dk/oldbits/sos.html
- ^ Rohrer, Kevin C. (May 1989), "Sodan Impact", Computer Gaming World: 23
- ^ http://www.somethingawful.com/d/rom-pit/sword-sodan.php
