Aveyond: Difference between revisions
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===Chapter 4 – The Darkthrop Prophecy=== |
===Chapter 4 – The Darkthrop Prophecy=== |
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This final game in the |
This final game in the quadrilogi and was released on December 21, 2010. |
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====Plot==== |
====Plot==== |
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Revision as of 16:31, 20 November 2011
| Aveyond | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
| Developer(s) | Amaranth Games |
| Publisher(s) | Amaranth Games |
| Creator(s) | Amanda Fitch |
| First release | Ahriman's Prophecy March 7th, 2004 |
| Latest release | Aveyond - The Darkthrop Prophecy December 21st 2010 |
 |
Aveyond is a role-playing video game series by Amaranth Games. It is set in a fantasy medieval world in which players attempt to save the world from evil beings, with a number of side quests available. There are seven games thus far in the series: the first two full games, the four "chapter" releases of the third game, and the free prequel, Ahriman's Prophecy. All the games in the series were made with RPG Maker XP. Amaranth Games was the first developer to popularize RPG Maker as a commercial tool in 2006.
Ahriman's Prophecy
Ahriman's Prophecy is a freeware role-playing video game released in 2004, and is the prequel of the series. Borrowing from elements from Dragon Warrior and the earlier Final Fantasy games for its gameplay, it offers a fun and familiar experience usually limited to Japanese role-playing games.[1]
Plot
Ahriman's Prophecy starts as a young girl, Talia Maurva, is sent to be "named", a ritual set up by the people of her village to determine the profession of their adult life. Destiny changes for Talia, who, when looking into the seer's pool, sees a dark ceremony by the younger prince of a nearby kingdom, Candar. He and his dark priest were attempting to resurrect the dead warlock emperor, Ahriman, whose history in battle and warfare is legendary. The seer, sensing that Talia is different, sends her and her escort to a school of magic in the mainland city of Thais.
Devin Perry, a friend of Talia's, agrees to escort her to the mainland. Just after she completes her training three years later, Talia is summoned into a dream by her headmaster and a high priestess of the dreamland. They want her to slip across the continent to warn another order of priestesses that Ahriman is being resurrected, and the prophecy that surrounded his resurrection must be stopped before the thirteenth moon. Confused and disorientated, Talia nevertheless sets out on a journey that seems to pave the way to some peace in the world.
Reception
Ahriman's Prophecy was received well by the gaming community. Edward Zuk of Game Tunnel comments that "While Ahriman's Prophecy adds little that is new to the RPG genre, it's a pleasing mix of familiar elements."[1] Download.com's Editor's Review stated "we found the game's twee period music a guilty pleasure that reminded us of our last visit to Ye Olde Renaissance Faire. And considering the game's free, you get a heck of a lot of adventuring for your money", awarding it a score of 4/5.[2]
Aveyond 1: Rhen's Quest
The sequel to Ahriman's Prophecy, this game features a different map from its prequel except for two islands (see Backstory). Expanding on the success of its predecessor, it offers a wealth of quests, characters and endings, and has been hailed as "funny, innovative and wildly imaginative".[3]
Backstory
(Between Ahriman's Prophecy and Aveyond)
Devin Perry and Alicia Pendragon from Ahriman's Prophecy eventually married, as well as Talia and an unnamed Sun Priest. Sixteen years prior to Aveyond 1: Rhen's Quest, the forces of the demon Ahriman destroyed and sunk most of the surrounding areas and isles around Thais. This was because Alicia Pendragon, queen of Thais, was foretold to give birth to a child who would defeat a great demon and save the city if she reached adulthood. It was the foretelling of this birth that Ahriman wanted Thais destroyed. Tailor Darzon, a young but trusted general of Thais, offered to take the child to a safe place and raise her where the demon would not find her. As Thais and the queen fell, Tailor fled the kingdom with the child and escaped across the ocean to the Western Isle. He almost didn't make it, but Talia Maurva, the Druid of Dreams, saved their lives. Tailor settled in the small mountain village of Clearwater.[4]
Plot
When the game starts, the protagonist, Rhen, gets teleported in what is thought to be a part of the Dreamland. A priestess, barely alive after the daeva Agas attacked her, is quickly brought back through the portal to Clearwater. Her thousand questions were only partially answered by the stranger, who didn’t know what to tell her after all this time. Unfortunately, before she knew more, a case of mistaken identity causes Rhen, instead of the priestess, to be kidnapped by a slave trader and she was sold to a family residing on the Eastern Isle, an ocean away from Clearwater.
This slave trader was, in fact, employed by Ahriman’s newest lieutenant, the sun priest Dameon Maurva. A long and bitter family history prompts Dameon to forsake his duty as the Druid of Light to serve Ahriman, as his father, the previous Druid of Light, had. When they found out about the slave trader’s mistake, Ahriman had the Dark Seer Indra read Rhen’s apocalypse. He learns then, that this child will destroy him, but he couldn't kill her or he will also be destroyed. So, he sends his minions to find her and turn her to his side, as Indra proclaimed.
Meanwhile, Rhen was found to have a great aptitude for sword magic, and was released from slavery and sent to the eastern capital city to learn the art of sword singing. After she was raised to an apprentice however, she reunites with the priestess, who was actually Talia, who tells her that she must reunite all eight druids of the world so that an artifact of great importance could be revealed, and that it was her destiny to finally vanquish Ahriman once and for all. Along her journey, Rhen will discover secrets about her past and will have to make decisions that will determine the direction of her future as well as the fate of the world.
Music Soundtrack
The soundtrack was written and recorded by Aaron Walz of Walz Music.[5] The score features many recorded symphonic instruments, a rare feature for an independent game. The soundtrack won Game Tunnel's Game of the Year: Sound award for 2006.[6]
Reception
Independent gaming website Game Tunnel awarded Aveyond their Game of the Month and Gold Award in March 2006.[7] On the other side, Game Chronicles reviewer Jason Porter highlighted awkward key mapping (which cannot be remapped) and criticized the main character's personalities, dialogues and evolution throughout the game.[8]
| Publication | Response |
|---|---|
| Ace Gamez | 9/10[9] |
| Gamezebo | 3.5/5[10] |
| Game Plasma | 8/10[11] |
| Netjak | 5.1/10[12] |
| RPGFan | 83%[13] |
| Game Chronicles | 5.5/10[8] |
Aveyond 2: Ean's Quest
Aveyond 2: Ean's Quest is a sequel to Ahriman's Prophecy and Aveyond. It includes a few returning characters from the previous games.
Plot
Ean (a male changeling) and Iya (a female song mage) are two young elves who live in a far away place called the Vale. One day, Ean wakes up to find that Iya, his best friend, has gone missing. Furthermore, none of the people of Vale remember who she is. Thus, Ean sets out on a quest to find his missing friend.
On his quest, Ean will find that dear Iya has been swept away by the Snow Queen (who last appeared in Aveyond I: Rhen’s Quest). Ean must save his friend, and Iya must learn to control her wild powers that the Snow Queen desires for herself. They must fight to stop the Snow Queen's plot to cover the world in ice.
Music Soundtrack
Aaron Walz returned to produce the soundtrack to Aveyond 2.[5]
Reception
Aveyond 2 had a good reception by the gaming community. Erin Bell of Gamezebo says, "it's a great example of a 'casual' role-playing game that delivers a delightful and accessible fantasy adventure."[14]
Neal Chandran from RPGFan said, "Aveyond 2 represents another wonderful independently developed RPG and is another feather in the cap of Amaranth Games." and that though it does not revolutionize the Aveyond series in any way, it "adds another immersive entry to this solid series."[15]
Aveyond 2 was second runner-up in the 2007 Game Tunnel Game of the Year: Player's Choice Award[16] and RPG of the Year Award.[17]
Aveyond 3: Orbs of Magic (sometimes incorrectly called Mel's Quest)
This game is unlike the other game as it is divided into four chapters, that is downloaded individually with a save game to be transferred from one game to the next. The games can also be played as a stand alone, but that is not recommended, as you miss up several key features this way.
Chapter 1 – Lord of Twilight
Plot
The next game in the series, Aveyond: Orbs of Magic centers on Mel, a thief who steals the wrong heirloom. Unbeknownst to her, Mel is a descendant of Mordred Darkthrop, (an evil sorcerer who plotted to rule the world), and only a Darkthrop can remove the Orbs of Magic from their resting place. Accidentally handing the Orb of darkness over to a megalomaniac vampire lord, she now have to run for her life and find a way to stop him from using the orb and destroying the light from the surface world. On her way she journeys she meets a prince, Edward.,[18][19] Stella gentle girl of mysteries origin and two old favourite from the first game the Vampress Te'ijal and her husband Galahad.
It was released on June 5, 2009.[20]
Chapter 2 – Gates of Night
Plot
Chapter 2 is a direct continuation of chapter 1 and all items and spells are carried over. You continue your adventures to find your way to Naylith and have the final (or at least a final) confrontation with the Vampire Lord.
Chapter 3 – The Lost Orb
This game is not a direct continuation of the previous. All items are removed, as are several of the characters because they considered the quest to have ended in The Gates of Night. This chapter was released on February 15, 2010.
Plot
Things ended pretty good in chapter 2 but now it seams that Lydia is up to no good. What should have been the most romantic day in Mel’s life (if Edward proposed to her) turns into a nightmare. Having nothing left for her in Thais Mel sets out to find the fourth and final “lost” orb, to prevent it from being used and prevent “The Darkthrop Prophecy” from happening.
Chapter 4 – The Darkthrop Prophecy
This final game in the quadrilogi and was released on December 21, 2010.
Plot
Mel has been living Harakauna for the last year after discovering that she had magic when she is finally found by the darklings that now know that she is the prophesied one. Before they can take her, she is rescued by Edward and two scholars from a land far away. (A land that hasn’t been seen since Rhen’s quest). They offer her magical training at their academy but she only agrees to go if Edward will train with her.
After arriving in Veldarah, she eventually accepts her magic and starts to love it. It all goes well until the attack. They came for her, but almost no one believes her. One unnamed professor wants to meet with her in a lone cabin far out in the woods, and Mel decides to check it out.
When it is, unsurprisingly, a trap she is captured by her former nemesis, the former vampire lord. This game differs from the others in that there are two different parties. Mel’s and Stella. Players swap between them, but they never meet and merge. Players therefore have two completely different inventories.
Te'ijal & Galahad will be back as main characters, I'm introducing a new character Mel, a girl thief. She will be the protagonist. You saw a glimpse of her in Ahriman's Prophecy (Jack's cohort). The main bad guy is a pretty tough Vampire Lord who wants to enslave the "day walkers" and blot out the sun or something. We might actually see Galahad set free, and I've got a wicked surprise at the end.
— Amanda Fitch, [19]
References
- ^ a b Zuk, Edward (2008-04-12). "Ahriman's Prophecy Review by Game Tunnel". Game Tunnel. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ^ "Editor's review of Ahriman's Prophecy". download.com. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
- ^ Cekanska, Eva (2006-03-18). "Aveyond". Grrlgamer. Retrieved 2009-03-11. [dead link]
- ^ Aihoshi, Richard (2006-03-30). "RPG Vault: Aveyond Interview". RPG Vault. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
{{cite web}}: More than one of|author=and|last=specified (help) - ^ a b "Walz Music: Collect Our Music". Walz Music. Retrieved 2009-03-09. [dead link]
- ^ "2006 Top 10 Games of the Year". Game Tunnel. 2006-12-30. Retrieved 2007-12-12.
- ^ "March 2006 Indie Game Monthly Round-Up". Game Tunnel. 2006-03-19. Retrieved 2007-04-21.
- ^ a b Porter, Jason (2006-03-12). "Aveyond - Review". Game Chronicles. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
- ^ Wilcox, Greg. "Reviewed - Aveyond". Ace Gamez. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
- ^ Saltzman, Marc (2007-07-10). "Aveyond Review". Gamezebo. Retrieved 2007-05-24. [dead link]
- ^ Vawter, Andrew (2006-02-12). "Aveyond Review". Game Plasma. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
- ^ Edwards, Mark (2006-08-29). "Aveyond - Windows Review". Netjak. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
- ^ Buchanan, Levi (2006-06-28). "RPGFan Reviews - Aveyond". RPGFan. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
- ^ a b Bell, Erin (2008-05-09). "Aveyond 2 Review". Gamezebo. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ^ a b Chandran, Neal (2007-12-23). "RPGFan Reviews - Aveyond 2". RPGFan. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ^ "Game of the Year - 2007 Player's Choice Award". Game Tunnel. Retrieved 2009-03-09. [dead link]
- ^ Carroll, Russell (2007-12-26). "2007 Role-Playing Game of the Year". Game Tunnel. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ^ Fitch, Amanda (2008-07-13). "Plan for this year: Aveyond 3, Disco Drink Factory & Shaz!!!". Amaranth Games. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- ^ a b Fitch, Amanda (2008-05-15). "Re: Yummy Drink Factory... RIGHT..." Amaranth Games. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
- ^ "Aveyond 3 release". aramath. 2009-05-01. Retrieved 2009-05-17.