The Dark Rites of Arkham Now Available
#1360659
02/03/26 05:50 PM
02/03/26 05:50 PM
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In the Naughty Corner
BrownEyedTigre
OP
The Sassy Admin and PR Liaison
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OP
The Sassy Admin and PR Liaison
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In the Naughty Corner
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A macabre ritual murder puts Arkham PD detectives Jack Foster and Harvey Whitman to the test. As the investigation progresses, they will unveil a disturbing connection between the Salem witch trials of the 17th century and the end of humankind.Check out the trailer here.Check out the Demo and game here.Detective Jack Foster rejoins the police department after a traumatic incident to take over the investigation of what appears to be mere political blackmail. Soon, however, he's faced with the discovery of a gruesome ritual murder that took place in a sealed room, from which no one could have gotten in or out without being seen. Along with his new partner, Harvey Whitman, an expert on cults, Foster dives deep into the shadows of the city of Arkham.
The case will get even darker when they find out it is related to three witches that escaped the Salem trials in 1693, and a conspiracy that could put an end to the world as we know it.
Pulp & Click adventure based on dialogue and inventory puzzles.
More than 90 detailed pixel art backgrounds to explore.
A story inspired by the works by H.P. Lovecraft, where we will meet well-known characters such as Herbert West, Keziah Mason, Doctor Eric Moreland, and Henry Armitage.
Jazzy ambient music composed by Matías J. Olmedo (An English Haunting).
Visit the Arkham Museum of the Unusual and lose yourself in its chambers, the biggest attraction of which is the artwork of the sensation of the moment: painter Richard Upton Pickman. Happy Gaming!
Don't feed the Trolls
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Re: The Dark Rites of Arkham Now Available
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1360704
02/04/26 02:51 PM
02/04/26 02:51 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,164
Near Walt Disney World
Orion
Addicted Boomer
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Addicted Boomer
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,164
Near Walt Disney World
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Thank you Ana. This game looks very interesting. The video itself has me wanting to give this one a try. I have to get past the pixelation, not a fan of
It's never too late!
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Re: The Dark Rites of Arkham Now Available
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1360761
02/05/26 09:08 PM
02/05/26 09:08 PM
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 452
Chicago, IL
rtrooney
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 452
Chicago, IL
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"More than 90 detailed pixel art backgrounds to explore" (Emphasis mine)
This particular line from your description scares me, as it turns an intriguing storyline into a game I probably won't play. FWIW, I have a long standing dislike of retro graphics. (Although not here, of course.)
To be fair, I have not played the demo yet, so the word "probably" above stands until I do. Give me a few days.
To me, there are only three reasons to use 1980s graphics in decade two of the 21st Century, and, IMO, they are all bad ones:
1. You think it looks good. (Nobody thinks that.)
2. It was cheaper/It was a cash issue. (Find more funding, or find a way to produce a better product for the same money.) (See 3 below)
3. The graphic engine limits me to retro graphics. (Find another engine. There are alternatives available.)
For whom the games toll.
They toll for thee.
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Re: The Dark Rites of Arkham Now Available
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1360807
Yesterday at 08:56 PM
Yesterday at 08:56 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,413
Long Beach, Australia
flotsam
Staff Reviewer
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Staff Reviewer
BAAG Specialist
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,413
Long Beach, Australia
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Let me retort  I am definitely someone who loves a high-end graphical world, and have been known to update my video card (and even a few more components) so I could play the latest thing that took my fancy (some of the Myst gaes spring to mind). In that context, a pile of pixels shouldn't ring my bell. But on accasion it does. As far as the four mentioned factors are concerned, I can accept 2 and 3, although perhaps it isn't as easy to just pivot to a different engine. I doubt though that nostalgia is relevant, and I disagree that no-one likes them. To that end I put myself forward as exhibit number 1  Let's be clear, I don't like all of them, and something being pixel-art will raise a warning flag. But then there are things like Hobs Barrow, a game that uses pixels to their best extent and is an excellent adventure on top of that. I get we are all different. But if you avoid every pixel game you will miss some very worthy adventure experiences. 
Quantity has a quality all of its own
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Re: The Dark Rites of Arkham Now Available
[Re: Mikael]
#1360808
Yesterday at 09:46 PM
Yesterday at 09:46 PM
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 452
Chicago, IL
rtrooney
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 452
Chicago, IL
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[quote=Mikael]I’ve been wondering along the same lines as you, rtrooney. I like to add one more reason:
4. The retro/nostalgic feeling. [quote/]
I was thinking of that because it is one reason to "occasionally" justify using retro graphics. The use of retro graphics is justified if the purpose is to emulate the style of another game. The developers of Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman's Mine intentionally emulated the graphic style (as well as several other styles) of Freddy Pharkus Frontier Pharmasist. I beleive friend Josh Mandel was brought in as a dialog consultant. I can understand why becuase he and Al Lowe were the creators of FPFP.
However, there is a reason why games as varied as Gabriel Knight, Broken Sword and Syberia, among many, many others, update their graphic style when they are "Remastered". I'd hazard a guess it was out of a desire to find a new audience. Not to pay homage to an earlier style.
Last edited by rtrooney; Yesterday at 09:51 PM.
For whom the games toll.
They toll for thee.
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Re: The Dark Rites of Arkham Now Available
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1360846
3 hours ago
3 hours ago
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 84,968
In the Naughty Corner
BrownEyedTigre
OP
The Sassy Admin and PR Liaison
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OP
The Sassy Admin and PR Liaison
Sonic Boomer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 84,968
In the Naughty Corner
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I know a ton of people in my adventure game groups that love and actually look for old school pixelated games. There is definitely a desire for it out there. That said, I myself cannot even scroll through the screenshots without making my eyes funky. I could never play one again. I do appreciate that there are options for all out there! Ana
Don't feed the Trolls
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Re: The Dark Rites of Arkham Now Available
[Re: BrownEyedTigre]
#1360849
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 452
Chicago, IL
rtrooney
Settled Boomer
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Settled Boomer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 452
Chicago, IL
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I did download the demo, and played a few minutes of it. Graphically it was better that I thought it would be. But not as good as I hoped it would be, if that make any sense. The last "pixelated" game I played, and enjoyed, was Loco Motive. I can say I enjoyed it despite the graphics. I.e., the gameplay, the wordplay, the voice acting, the multi-player interaction, the puzzles .... made it enjoyable. Plus. I was playing it as a CPT so player interaction played a role too. I'm not sure I would have played it solo.
I don't get that feeling with this game. The 90 pxelated locations are promoted as a feature of the game. To me they would be a slow walk through Dante' Inferno. Retro graphics in this day and age are just not my thing.
For whom the games toll.
They toll for thee.
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