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Abstraction Games Bringing Retro Adventure Classics home for Halloween
I’m a sucker for retro videogames. They were part of my childhood, after all. And while I never got into many adventure game when I was younger, Abstraction Games is looking to rectify that come Halloween with their 8-Bit Adventure Anthology (Volume One), the first volume (duh) of classic adventure titles.
Set for release October 31st on Steam, PlayStation 4, and XBox One for $6.95 USD (13% off the normal retail price of $7.99), Volume One of 8-Bit Adventure Anthology contains three classics from ICOM Simulations: The Uninvited, Shadowgate, and Déjà Vu. For those keeping track, these three games were all at some point ported from the Apple Macintosh to various computers and consoles, including the NES (which are the versions included in this first volume).
The compilation will feature a new 8-bit style menu, beautifully composed chiptunes, and “the most outstanding ‘old TV’ effects you’ve ever seen”. Basically, you’ll be able to play the games as if you were on an old CRT monitor or television. If you’re not into that, you’ve got the plain vanilla look. While you’re at it, be sure to check out the retro-inspired website for the collection, which as you can probably guess, has some classic adventure gaming elements to its navigation.
This story was originally posted on Plenty Dreadful. Head there for more horror video game goodness!
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war, but it was a cheerful illustrator from England who helped to define the terrifying war-torn imagery that inspired what we now know as Grimdark (a hybrid genre combining horror with sci-fi/fantasy).
Unfortunately for fans of Warhammer 40,000, Trench Crusade and countless other sources of Grimdark thrills, veteran artist John Blanche passed away this week after struggling with health issues for the past few years.
While the artist retired back in 2023, he leaves us with an enormous legacy of iconic artwork that continues to inspire gamers and storytellers around the world to this very day.
The news is especially gloomy as it was only last year that Daniel Lowman and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder released The Grim & the Dark: The Search for John Blanche, a documentary following Heder’s exploration of the Grimdark genre culminating in a heartwarming encounter with Blanche in his own home.
Below is one of my favorite pieces by Blanche, his highly influential depiction of Warhammer 40k’s God-Emperor of Mankind on his Golden Throne.
We send our deepest condolences to John Blanche’s family, friends, and fans.
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