Clive Barker's Undying

Okay, I know what you’re thinking (I thought it too)  - Here’s another effort to take a genius in the literature field and put that talent to work in the more “visual” arts. Not to say that there haven’t been successes in translating those literary-type concepts and works to the movie and gaming world, but let’s just say most of the time the efforts miss the boat, leaving you to feel that you were missing part of the story. Does Clive Barker’s Undying escape the curse? Well, yes and no.

Atmosphere: Clive Barker’s Undying has a lot of it. It seems that every other game tries to pass off atmosphere as a number of dimly lit screens and dark corners. No action game really justifies the use of it quite like Undying. Instead of immediately searching for the brightness controls, I let the ambience snare me into thinking there were Howlers in the dark corner just waiting to spring. The monsters are suitably gory and are perfectly happy to munch on you or tout your head as a trophy (or an hors d’oeuvre) when they get the better of you.

The atmosphere doesn’t stop with the visual aspects of this game. The sound team behind Clive Barker’s Undying deserves an award for really putting some effort into areas that most games neglect. Storms, screams, wind, growls: Even without surround sound – the noises and “bumps in the night” were enough to make me look around my own house to see if something was amiss. The actual soundtrack is manipulated subtly and effectively to enhance, but does not distract from the tense nature of the game.

Enemy AI is another outstanding feature of Undying. These supernatural critters don’t waste any time when they get a whiff of a human presence. They don’t just wander up at you dead on, waiting to be killed. The monsters are smart, and quick! It’s easy to get yourself in real trouble really fast, even on the medium level early on in the game, being careless and over-confident is going to turn you into a buffet. They will outmaneuver your aim and sneak up on you from every direction. There are also enough variations of denizens of the darkness to convince you some imagination went into the development of them.

Weapons, physical and spiritual, are pretty standard although there is a pleasant authenticity and realism to some of them. For instance, your old-time gun is going to painfully remind you how quickly bullets can go and how awkward and how long reloading takes. Things will get better for you as you go along; as your weapons will get more effective and more sophisticated.

For those of you who are put off by linear gameplay, well, you might get a little frustrated with Undying. Free exploration is virtually eliminated – doors are mysteriously jammed if you are not supposed to be going into the next room just yet. However, since there’s no real benefit to go around killing things aimlessly, as compared to genres such as RPG where you need experience points, it really just keeps you from wasting time. There’s plenty of other trouble waiting for you just behind the next corner.

So far so good, right? In order to answer than I must return to my opening paragraph – the examination of exactly how many of Clive Barker’s ideas went into the game (other than the name on the box). Unfortunately, plot is abandoned almost completely other than in the beginning of the game and left only to be read at your disposal.: Only essential information to gameplay is related to you in live conversations – anything else is learned through pretty much optional journal entries. You almost get the feeling that the elaborate idea came first and then it was just shaved farther and farther away until the game would be acceptable and streamlined enough for the most impatient of the FRAG-KILL crowd. It’s almost as if you’re being told: “Well if you want more than the movie, read the book."  Unfortunately in compromising for one crowd, the other was sacrificed.

In conclusion, I would like to say that action-horror fans should run right out and purchase Undying. It’s one of the best horror-shooter games released. You get great atmosphere, little puzzle interference, and a storyline you can choose to get into as much or as little as you want. The graphics are gorgeous and you will definitely want to keep an extra light on if you’re faint of heart. There is an established storyline behind this game, but unless you’re willing to work for it – it’s definitely almost an afterthought.

Install: Easy
Install was straightforward and not any more taxing on resources than you’d expect from such a graphically intensive game. I really enjoyed the fact that the game optimized its display options automatically to best suit my system capabilities.

Gameplay: 7
The controls in Undying are intuitive and easy to learn. As long as your system is matched to the correct detail levels in the game, your gameplay should run fairly smoothly with the exception of when you’re surrounded by a larger amount of enemies. Level design is on par with what you’d expect from an action/shooter. You can save your game at any point during gameplay. There are frequent instances where the game must access information, however, and you’ll have to wait a few seconds while the screen displays a “loading” message. The gameplay is also extremely linear – which can be good or bad depending on your taste.

Graphics: 9
Undying is without a doubt, a visually impressive game. There are subtle shadings and vividly rendered scenes. Your detail will definitely have to be adjusted down a notch or two unless you have a brand new, top of the line, gaming machine. Fortunately, the installation process conveniently determines and suggests the settings which will optimize your gaming experience.  

Sound: 9
I’m normally a big soundtrack fan, believing that music can make or break any mood, but in the case of Undying, the placement of the actual musical pieces is done artistically – almost similar to how music is used in a movie. The “atmospheric” sounds are exceptionally well done, adding to the “creepiness” factor; for instance things like shattering windows and creaking wood have a way of projecting themselves around you and seem more like they are occurring in reality.

Difficulty:  9
The game offers the standard difficulty options. Don’t sit back and relax, action fans, enemy AI is not going to sit back and let you slaughter them. The puzzles are very easy, no matter what level you’re playing on – unobtrusive for action fans.

Concept: 7
I have always stood firmly on the conviction that 99% of the time, attempts to turn the work of an author into a more “interactive” or visual medium is a feat of impossibility. In the end, the game is more than an impressive atmospheric shooter, but any in-depth work that was done to develop a unique and captivating plot for Undying can too conveniently and too easily be ignored or disposed of.

Multiplayer:  N/A
Rumor has it that this option may be added in the future through a patch. 

Overall: 8.5

Minimum System Req:
Window 95, Windows 98, and Windows ME ( Windows NT and Windows 200 are supported) 400 Mhz Intel Pentium II or AMD K6-2 processor 64MB RAM, 8x CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive, 90 MB free hard disk space plus space for saved games (additional space required for Windows swap-file and DirectX installation) Supported 16 MB Direct 3D or glide capable video card with DirectX 8 Compatible driver. DirectX 8 compatible sound card; Keyboard; Mouse.

Recommended:
500 Mhz or faster Intel Pentium III or AMD Athlon processor; 128 MB RAM: Supported 32 MB Direct3D or Glide capable video card with DirectX 8 compatible driver; 610 MB free hard disk space plus space for saved games; Environmental Audio capable sound card.