A Legacy Sequel Done Right: A Beyond Shadowgate Review

By Manuel

Players: 1
Platforms: PC

I've been a huge fan of the adventure game genre ever since my days playing the NES, and that love grew from a trio of games that are commonly referred to as the MacVenture series today. Shadowgate, Deja Vu, and Uninvited kicked off my love for the genre, and I played just about every re-release and sequel that came out over the years. Imagine my surprise when I learned that a Kickstarter for a new Shadowgate game was released, and it was successfully funded in a matter of hours! Beyond Shadowgate is the result of that Kickstarter, and it's out now on PC via Steam. It goes without saying that I had to get my hands on the game, and we're going to see if the long wait was worth it. I have quite a lot to say about this one, so let's get into it right away!

It's like seeing an old friend again!

This line always stuck out to me in the original.

Before We Begin

​This review is probably going to be a bit on the longer side no matter what I do, but I'm going to give a brief history of Shadowgate for those who might not be as deep into the lore as I am. It is a rather confusing history, and there were some parts of it that even I was confused by until recently. Since this isn't exactly part of the core review, you can simply scroll a little further to the next section if you're not interested in any of that. However, if you're fine with me waxing poetic about a game and series I've loved for decades, then stick around just a bit longer to learn more.

Releasing all the way back in 1987, Shadowgate was the third MacVenture game made available on the original Macintosh computer. It was a point-and-click adventure game presented in glorious black and white, and saw several ports to other computers over the following years. Its most important port would come in the form of an NES release by way of Japanese developer publisher Kemco, then known as Kemco/Seika. Kemco would release three of the four original MacVenture games (Sorry Deja Vu II!), and gave them full-color graphics and memorable soundtracks. These were became a hit with anyone lucky enough to have played them back in the day, and have since become classics in their own right. Console success didn't mean an end to Mac support though, at least not at first. A fifth MacVenture title, known as Beyond Shadowgate, was nearly completed before it was shelved in order to make way for a release on NEC's TurboGrafx CD. This game wasn't so much a port of the unreleased Mac version as much as it was an original game that retained some of the original's characters and plot elements. It featured third person exploration and action sequences, and is something of a black sheep within the series as a whole. It also isn't remembered as fondly as the original, having released on a console that had an install base that was a fraction of the one found on the NES. Another sequel would come in 1999 in the form of Shadowgate 64: Trials of the Four Towers. This Nintendo 64 game returned the series to its adventure game roots, and took place in a free-roaming, first-person world. This was to be followed up by a game called Shadowgate Rising, but things would take a turn for series as a whole in the 2000s.

It's been too long!

Legally distinct Dick Tracy.

Shadowgate Rising was ultimately cancelled for reasons that aren't too clear, but the development of that game would provide fans with a comic book prequel that featured the character Raven. Outside of this comic book, and some Game Boy releases that finally gave non-PC players Deja Vu II, the MacVenture series would lie dormant for several years. That changed in 2012 when Zojoi, a company made up of some of the creators of the original MacVenture titles, launched a Kickstarter to create a new reimagined Shadowgate for modern consoles and PC. That Kickstarter was successful, and the Shadowgate reboot dropped in 2014. This would be followed up by Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok in 2021, which was a VR game made for the Oculus Quest. Shadowgate was alive and well, and thoughts began to drift back to that original Mac version of Beyond Shadowgate that was left unfinished thirty years before. Enter GrahfMetal, a three-person team who had created two games emulating the NES MacVenture style. Infested and Spectacle are both amazing games in their own right, and they impressed Zojoi enough that GrahfMetal were soon in charge of creating/finishing Beyond Shadowgate in that same style. The Beyond Shadowgate Kickstarter I mentioned at the beginning of this review launched in 2023, and was successfully funded in a matter of hours. It's been a little over a year since that point, and we finally have the game in our hands. Was the wait worth it? Was it actually necessary for me to launch into a long-winded history lesson? Did I just create a double intro for this review? I guess we'll just have to continue down this road to find out!

It begins.

Del has quite the journey ahead of him.

Plot

Beyond Shadowgate places you into the shoes of Del Thornwood, a fenling thief who is currently in the dungeons beneath Castle Gwenynthell following a botched attempt to steal a mystical ruby from the Duchess of Traehelm. He manages to make his way to freedom, only to be intercepted by a wisecracking wisp who speaks of adventure far beyond the scope of what Del is used to. In leaving the dungeons he discovers that the King of Gwenynthell is locked up within them too, along with several of his closest supporters. The disappearance of the King has actually sparked civil war throughout the land of Kal Torlin, and there is talk of evil doings across the land. To make matters worse, the legendary Lord Jair has arrived with an army camped directly outside of the castle's walls. Lord Jair was the hero who challenged the living castle Shadowgate 35 years before, and ultimately defeated the Warlock Lord. He was once himself an unlikely hero, and that mantle is now on the shoulders of Del. Not only must he stop a plot that goes to the very top of royalty, but he has to do so in way that doesn't cost him his life. In trying to set things right regarding the imprisoned king, Del learns that the current advisor to Prince Elryth (The King's brother who currently sits on the throne.) may have dark plans of his own. Belezsarr, the advisor in question, might even have plans that involve the dreaded Castle Shadowgate...

I'm being intentionally vague regarding the plot of Beyond Shadowgate as I think that's it's one of the best parts of the game, and can easily be spoiled with too much detail. Adventure games live and die by the stories they tell, and what we get here is one that's full of twists and turns, and more than a few callbacks to other games in the series. Fans of Shadowgate 64 might recall that it too featured a protagonist also named Del, and that Del was trying to stop the plans of a villain known as Belzar. I wonder if that means that Shadowgate 64 also borrowed bits from the unfinished Beyond Shadowgate, but I'm not really sure if that's the case at this point. What I can be sure of is the sheer scope this game offers. Del's adventure takes him far beyond the limits of a single castle, and give him an entire kingdom to explore. Jair can only hope to have travelled as much of the land during his adventure as Del does, with Del even going to places that don't make too much sense in the grand scheme of things. The glory of Kickstarters is that they often have stretch goals attached to them, and Beyond Shadowgate was able to successfully funded two chapters based on to the other MacVenture games. Though completely out of left field, Del's journey will ultimately take him to the worlds of both Deja Vu and Uninvited. This means that the plot is quite large, and it offers plenty for played of all types to enjoy. There's a rich, sometimes light-hearted, fantasy story for those who are looking for simply that, as well as a tale that's sure to please those who have been waiting years for a proper Shadowgate sequel.

Thankfully, you're not alone.

Damn, he's racist too!

Gameplay

Considering it was created in a style similar to the NES game, it goes without saying that Beyond Shadowgate is a point-and-click adventure game at its heart. The world is presented to you in a first-person view, with the current screen being shown in the top left of the screen. Each location has several elements that can be interacted with, with some of them making up puzzles that must be completed in order to finish the game. A set of commands takes up the bottom half of the screen, and it's these that you'll use to interact with the world. Doors can be opened or closed, items can be used, people and objects can be hit, Del can move from one screen to the next, just about everything can be looked at, and so on. Most actions can be done in a trial and error sort of way, but some can actually lead to your death. Don't worry if you die, as death is a common occurrence in the MacVenture games. As a matter of fact, there's a lot of fun to be had simply in discovering the many ways that Del can meet an untimely end. You're always placed a screen away from whatever killed you anyway, so you don't have to worry too much when it comes to experimentation. Speaking of which, Beyond Shadowgate does not allow for players to ever become soft-locked. Certain choices could be made in the original games that would lock out players from being able to complete the game, but none of that can be found here. This is definitely an improvement over the core design of the original games, and is made all the more important when you realize that Beyond Shadowgate is well over five times the size of the original. I don't even want to imagine what it would be like making a wrong choice in the eleventh hour that forced me to restart the game entirely.

Fans of the original MacVenture games, as in the versions released on the Macintosh, will most likely be familiar with the time limits those games featured. Shadowgate in particular required the player to always have a torch lit, and there were only a finite number of torches available in-game. Running out of torches meant a game over, and you could screw yourself good if you took too long to play the game. This was technically the only time limit that made its way to the NES port, and I'm pleased to say that there's no torch mechanic to be found here. Even though the soft-locking part of the equation is gone, there is something akin to a timer present in Beyond Shadowgate. The Grim Reaper is always lurking above the main game screen, and the flashing Eyes of Death mean that you have to make a decision fast. Basically, certain scenarios will have a fixed time limit where a solution must be found before Del dies. This usually occurs when you're facing off with enemy, or if you have to move to safety when something dangerous is headed your way. I found this is a fun way to include the time limit found in the original, while keeping it from becoming annoying. I rarely had trouble with these timed sections, with their solutions often feeling clear to me in the heat of the moment. If timed puzzles aren't your cup of tea, you don't have to worry. These timed events can actually be turned off within the options menu. This is just one of the new gameplay elements that keep the game accessible to those just wanting to experience the game's story, and it goes hand-in-hand with the hints that the wisp provides. The wisp will never directly give you a solution to any of the game's puzzles, but they'll often point you in the right direction if you're lost. You might be asking why you'd need hints at all, and we're going to have to take a look at the game's puzzles in order to explain that.

Hidden items are sometimes hidden well.

A slightly different puzzle.

Most puzzles found within Beyond Shadowgate are of the "use item on this or that to proceed" variety. NPCs will send you on fetch quests, and you'll often find your path blocked until you find the right combination of items that will allow you to progress. Not only that, but just about every door will be locked too. Your inventory does get rather large by the end of the game, but Beyond Shadowgate does a good job of eliminating a lot of the fluff. The original game featured a "Drop" command that could be used to get rid of items that were no longer necessary, but that option is removed here. This doesn't mean that your inventory will become bloated with nonsense though, as it simply means that the process is now automated. You no longer have to worry about trying items that have long become useless here, though there still are a few red herring items to be found. With that in mind, I personally feel that the puzzles are easier to figure out than in previous MacVenture games. I don't want to make it sound like the game is easy, but I instead mean that they don't require leaps of logic to figure out. I was able to get through much of the game without using any sort of guide, though I did look up solutions to a couple puzzles that had me stumped longer than I was hoping for. It never gets too bad, but I'd be lying if I said that Beyond Shadowgate didn't come with its own brand of "Moon Logic". Thankfully messing up a puzzle's solution will only briefly kill you, so your adventure is rarely interrupted.

Besides inventory management, the magick system from the original Shadowgate also returns. Your spell book is a bit bigger this time around, with the spells having more optional uses. Several of them still act as indirect items, but it's a nice piece of world building nevertheless. I could've definitely done with the spells having a dedicated button, as clicking through each page of the inventory did get old after a while, but it was never too much of an issue. One does have to question how easy it is to learn magic within this world, but that's neither here nor there. Oh, and now's a good time as any to mention that some puzzles have multiple solutions, and said solutions can actually alter the way certain later events play out. Though essentially an extension of the games that came before it, it's clear that a lot of work was put into streamlining the NES MacVenture gameplay. There's still hints of that NES clunkiness, but it all comes together to make a system that feels very intuitive, while also still being challenging.

Fast travel is a thing.

Better move fast!

There are some final things I want to cover regarding gameplay before I move on, and they mostly involve Steam achievements. I actually had to rewrite this part of the review as a recent update fixed some of the complaints I had previously mentioned. If you go to the Steam community tab, you'll find plenty of players feeling that they've locked themselves out of the ending, and saying that they were forced to restart. Without giving away any spoilers, what they actually stumbled upon was the beginning of a second route of the game. While I'm not exactly a fan of having to play a game fully a second time if you want to see everything, that's what you have to do here. My previous complaints revolved around having to go through hours of text to get back to that point, but the aforementioned update added a new special options menu that allowed for in-game text to be skipped. This menu also allows for the game's timer to be displayed, which is important for certain achievements and speedruns. I can't begin to describe my shock when I figured I'd never get the "Beat The Game In Under 2 Hours" achievement, only for it to unlock when I reached the end. I had been playing for about six hours up to that point, but I guess the game only turns on the timer on certain occasions. While I like that the developers cared enough to make repeat playthroughs easier, I can't help but wish that they'd just give players the option to create multiple save files. The branching paths could've been handled so much easier with this one fix, and it would also allow players to revisit areas that become closed off once completed. Enjoyed those looks at the world of Deja Vu and Uninvited? Well, the only way to see them again is to play the game a second time! Thankfully most of the achievements can be finished within a single playthrough, but it can be a nightmare for completionists.

A very iconic image.

You can't reason with a skeleton.

Visuals

If there's one aspect of Beyond Shadowgate that is executed to near perfection, it has to be its visuals. I don't think I'm exaggerating one bit when I say that this could very well be a long-lost NES game. It really looks that spot on, and there aren't too many modern twists that ruin the illusion. Everything is pleasantly retro and pixel-y, and it's proudly presented in fullscreen with an ever-changing border. Not only is the pixel art great, but the world of Beyond Shadowgate is varied in its characters and locations too. Even though it all takes place in what essentially amounts to one really long day trip, you'll never once get bored with the scenery. Not only are the main visuals amazing, but the sections related to Uninvited and Deja Vu manage to capture the look and feel of those games as well. The graphics are easily the best part of this entire package, and it makes sense considering the previous games in GrahfMetal's catalogue. I can recall playing Infested and wondering what a new, official NES MacVenture game would look like. What we have here is the answer to that question, and it doesn't disappoint. I'd be remiss if I didn't also point out that there aren't many graphics options, but why mess with perfection? I guess I might've preferred the inclusion of a CRT filter, but I completely understand why there aren't any pixel-smoothing modes to be found in the options menu. I honestly don't have a single bad thing to say about the visuals, beyond maybe wishing there was more of the world to see. Beyond Shadowgate is about twice as big as any of related games that came before it, but you can never have too much of a good thing.

A hero returns!

They really should've just killed him.

Audio

One of the most interesting aspects of the original MacVenture games has that the soundtracks we've come to associate with the games. The thing about those soundtracks is that they're only found in the NES ports which were handled by Kemco. The original games didn't feature full soundtracks in the proper sense, so those classic themes have a rather tenuous connection to the series as a whole. This obviously causes a bit of problems for Beyond Shadowgate, as it's meant to emulate those NES versions. Sadly, none of the familiar themes are present in this release. I guess I should say that I don't know the recent Zojoi titles well enough to recognize tracks that might've come from them, but those looking for a truly nostalgic NES journey will be left a bit disappointed. With all that said, the music we do get in this game is by no means bad. It's actually a great collection of tracks that are just as memorable as those found in the NES versions. Also, since it's all created using an 8-bit style sound font, it feels like it could very well have come from a game of that vintage. The music adds to that "long lost NES game" thing I mentioned earlier, and I eventually stopped caring that the game didn't feature the NES MacVenture themes.

I like to say things like "I'm going to look into getting the soundtrack after I'm done with this review." and for once I'm one step ahead of that. Not only do I already own the soundtrack, but listening to it outside of the scope of the game really allows one to appreciate how good these tracks really are. This is the point of the review where I shamelessly plug the soundtrack, and remind everyone that it's also available for purchase on the game's Steam page. It's not just the music either, as the sound effects manage to capture the vibes of the NES Shadowgate as well. The thunks and zaps of attacks and strikes, and even the screen wipes that are used to transition one room to the next, live rent free in my head even right now, days removed from actually playing the game. Lastly, there is no voice acting to be found here, but were you really expecting any? The greedier part of me wishes there was the option to switch between "retro" and "modern" versions of the music, and maybe add in some crunchy voice samples too, but I'm totally pleased with what we have here as it stands.

Del lowkey becomes a wizard!

Lakmir really should've handled this all better.

Value

One of the things that really shocked me about Beyond Shadowgate was how long it took to beat. I'm used to adventure games maybe taking more than five hours to clear, but that's not something I was expecting from a game in the MacVenture series. This is a series of games that notoriously all had some form of time limit, with Shadowgate having limited torches that would kill you if they ran out. For better or worse, this is a much more drawn out experience. I have fond memories of beating the original Shadowgate for fun in an afternoon, taking maybe an hour and a half or so at most to beat it. Comparatively, my first run of this game took me a bit over six hours, and I have to admit that I looked up solutions for two of the game's trickier sections. It's safe to say that a first time player will take anywhere from 6-10 hours to clear this one, and that's just on one playthrough. I don't want to get into spoiler territory, but if you plan to 100% the game, you'll need to clear it at least twice. Not only that, but there's also plenty of achievements to collect, the Developer's Commentary to check out, and the simple fun of just trying out different solutions to the game's many puzzles.

Beyond Shadowgate is a highly replayable game, and it's priced perfectly at $17.99. Not only that, but you can also add on the DLC pack for another $6.99 if you want the complete package. The DLC pack includes a prequel comic featuring Del's adventures before ending up in the dungeons of Castle Gwenynthell , another comic featuring Raven (The main character from the cancelled Shadowgate Rising.), and yet another comic that acts as a hint guide to the original NES game. You also get a digital map of the lands that the Shadowgate series takes place in, the full soundtrack I raved about earlier, and a strategy guide that's made to look like a Nintendo Power Player's Guide. I have to admit that I found the strategy guide to be lacking since it didn't include information on how to 100% the game, but it was a fun read nevertheless. It leaves out quite a bit, but I guess that's what exploration and trial and error are for. No matter how you choose to pick this one up, you're looking at a lot of bang for your buck.

Don't bring a crossbow to a gun fight.

Uninvited can totally become an anthology series.

The Future?

Before I wrap up the review, I want to close out my thoughts regarding the MacVenture series as a whole, as well as those pertaining to this game's placement in the series. First off, the weird mishmash of plots and names in this one do wrap themselves up neatly by the end, but I'm left a bit disappointed that the TurboGrafx CD game is apparently retconned out of the main continuity. Having said that, I do appreciate that Beyond Shadowgate essentially acts as a solid conclusion to the original MacVenture NES trilogy. (Sorry again Deja Vu II!) It closes out pretty much every storyline from the main games, and even manages to wrap up all of the loose ends found within the greater Shadowgate series too. The question is, what's next? It would make obvious sense to give this same level of treatment to Deja Vu and/or Uninvited, but I'm not sure if that's actually a good idea. While I'm all for those games getting legacy sequels too, I also feel that they were already wrapped up nicely here. Maybe Ace Harding has a few more adventures up his sleeve, but what else is there for Uninvited besides a different horror game created in its style? Part of me feels sad that the bonus chapters in Beyond Shadowgate were funded at all, since I would've loved to see those games stand on their own, and not just act as inserts for this one. Then again I found out about the Kickstarter a bit too late to join, so I have no real reason to comment on it anyway.

I guess what I'm trying to get as is that I can't help but think that future games have their work cut out for them if they're ever going to get made. A better idea would be to just create new standalone Shadowgate games (Since the world is so big.), or maybe just create all-new games in general. I can only assume that Raven's inclusion in the prequel materials means that Shadowgate Rising is back on the table, and I'd love to see that game get made. Also, and I know this is a bit of a reach, but I'd love to see the original non-NES version of this game eventually get made too. I get that it's a bit weird to be asking for the developers to basically create a game in the style of an old Mac game, but those original design documents just looked so good! Anyway, I guess I'll stop rambling and close out this review. Sorry about the distracted review, I just really love Shadowgate and want to see more of it.

Just play it already!

No, thank YOU for all the great games!

Final Thoughts

It probably won't surprise anyone that I give Beyond Shadowgate the highest of recommendations, and hope that it sells well enough that we see a boom of new MacVenture-style games from both Zojoi and GrahfMetal. I remember there being talk of Steam versions of both Infested and Spectacle, and I hope that we hear more on that front soon. Whether those releases happens or not, run out and grab this game now. (And maybe Infested and Spectacle too, since they're both free on itch.io!) Beyond Shadowgate is a must-buy for fans of the Shadowgate series, the original MacVenture games, the Kemco-developed NES ports, and anyone looking to play good adventure games in general. There really aren't many games with this level of charm to them out there today, and I'd hate to see it fly under the radar. Stop reading and go buy it already. You can thank me later. Now if you'll excuse me, I think it's time to give that old NES game another run for old times’ sake... See you in the next one!

Check Out Beyond Shadowgate on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2332240/Beyond_Shadowgate/

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Story: A+
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A+
Music/Sound: A
Value: A

Overall: A

Pros:
+ Not only is this a perfect NES-style MacVenture game, but it's just an all-around great adventure game too!
+ Delivers a healthy dose of nostalgia while still providing a fresh story full of challenging puzzles and quirky death scenes.
+ The hint system, and omission of situations that could end in a soft-lock, make this accessible even to those new to the genre.
+ Both the visuals and sound are worthy of infinite praise. This looks like it could very well be a long lost NES game.
+ Includes sections related to both Deja Vu and Uninvited, and also wraps up just about everything Shadowgate-related by the end of the game.
+ Plenty of achievements, as well as multiple endings, make this one highly replayable.
+ Not only is it available at a good price point on Steam, but there's a neat DLC pack that includes plenty of bonuses too.

+/- Neither here nor there, but it's refreshing to see a Kickstarter simply deliver on its promises.

Cons:
- There are some puzzles that feel like they're too random to solve without resorting to hints. (Damn you moon logic!)
- Not having access to the classic NES themes is a bit disappointing.
- Though decently integrated into the story, the Deja Vu and Uninvited sections feel somewhat out of place.
- I don't know if I should hold it against the game or not, but I was left wanting more. Here's hoping Zojoi and/or GrahfMetal have plans for more releases soon!

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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I could sure go for a drink after this one!