Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle

Barrow Hill is now ready to explore

Grab a flashlight and enter the dark woods of the ancient burial mound.

'Barrow Hill: Archaeology meets Adventure' is now available from Shadow Tor Studios, for worldwide distribution.

Cornwall, England - April 24th, 2006 - Shadow Tor Studios are proud to announce that Barrow Hill is now available from the official website, for worldwide publication.

About the game: Barrow Hill is a creepy tale, set among the thick woods of a Cornish hillside. The ancient burial mound, known locally as Barrow Hill, has been disturbed. Arriving on the Autumn Equinox, a powerful night in the pagan calendar, you must restore balance to a Celtic world while avoiding the dangers that lurk in the forest around you. Alchemy, puzzle solving, archaeology and adventure await those brave enough to explore Barrow Hill.

www.barrow-hill.co.uk

About the website: The brand new, re-vamped, Barrow Hill website now offers:* Gameplay trailer * Fully playable demo * A 'making of' feature, * Easter eggs * The 'build your own Barrow Hill' cut out and keep postcards * An interactive map (exploring the 'real' Barrow Hill that inspired the game) * Brand new screenshots.

What the reviewers say: This traditional point and click adventure game as already gained some excellent reviews, and enthralled those who have played it:

"ominous and moody atmosphere"

"rapaciously predatory"

"a decided mysterious and menacing atmosphere"

Score: A-

Gameboomers.com

"it is just wonderful"

"It is a classic adventure game which gradually reveals a good story while exploring a beautiful setting and solving rational puzzles"

"There are quite a few "BOO!" moments"

"The graphics are lovely"

Score: A-

Justadventure.com

Find out more about Barrow Hill:

Official Barrow Hill Demo: www.shadowtorstudios.co.uk/barrowhilldemoinstall.exe

Gameplay Trailer: www.barrow-hill.co.uk/gameplaytrailer.zip

Official website: www.barrow-hill.co.uk

Source:

Press release (24th April 2006)

Creepy Celtic Horror Game, Barrow Hill, Goes Gold.

Shadow Tor Studios are proud to announce that 'Barrow Hill' has gone gold, and is available to pre-order from the official website.

Cornwall, England, 7th March 2006: UK based game developers, Shadow Tor Studios, are proud to announce that Barrow Hill, their first full adventure title, has been shipped to the manufacturers, and will be available to gamers shortly afterwards.

About the game:

Barrow Hill: The eerie Cornish landscape is brought to life like never before. Arriving during the Autumn Equinox you have one night to unravel a sinister story. Explore the well-trodden pathways across the land, seek clues in almost forgotten shrines and experience the ancient force which exists in the standing stone monument known as Barrow Hill.

Ancient Celtic Monuments: Standing stones are, perhaps, the most mysterious wonders of the ancient world. There are still no satisfactory explanations as to what they are, how they were built, and who constructed them. A detailed, and spellbinding, story is woven through the very fabric of Barrow Hill, offering possible explanations, further mysteries and a chance to get beneath the surface of archaeology like no other game before it.

• A thrilling, and creepy, adventure game!
• Windows® exclusive, with easy mouse controls and interface, presented on DVD-Rom.
• The leafy corners of ancient Cornwall are brought to life like never before.
• Archaeology meets adventure, as danger lurks in the forests around you.
• A full soundtrack of eerie music, and chilling sound effects.
• Explore an ancient stone monument from the time of the Celtic people.
• Utilise gadgets to locate clues and communicate with characters.
• Practice ancient rituals and ceremonies, almost forgotten to modern man.
• Find a deeper meaning to the variety of England's native wildlife.
• A full range of puzzles and conundrums, integrated seamlessly with the game-world.
• An online exclusive, unavailable elsewhere.
• Safe and secure online ordering.

Dig deeper: Use real archaeological techniques, and practice, to unearth forgotten artefacts and delve into the Celtic legends, which haunt the green lanes of the hill. Cornwall boasts itself as the home of many sorcerers, ancient kings and mythological characters. From the piskie folk of the hedgerows and clifftops to the beasts of Bodmin Moor. There isn't a corner of England's most western county that isn't rich in folklore, magic and danger!

Missing!: Barrow Hill has been plagued by mystery throughout its modern history. A construction team, building the nearby Service Station, vanished one chilly November night. No sight, nor sound, has ever been offered as explanation. Could the ancient ring of standing stones be responsible? Certain academics certainly think so. Amelia Rumford, famed (and rather eccentric) archaeologist performed a survey of the stones in the 1980's. Her findings have since been ridiculed, as the content seemed to suggest that the stones moved during her time there. Utter nonsense? Sadly, there is no way of checking, as Amelia (like the construction workers) vanished without trace.

The time is now: The Autumn Equinox, a powerful night in the pagan calendar, has thrown a dark cloak across the landscape. The ancient stones have been disturbed. Middlestone's respected archaeologist Conrad Morse has launched a new 'dig' at the site. He has invited others to join him, each proficient in their chosen fields. The circle must give up its secrets to these new arrivals, in the form of geophysical mapping (ground radar), and scientific crafts like palaeobotany (the study of near fossilised plants, and seeds). Each of the standing stones are unique, and un-surveyed. What clues hide underneath the rich soil of the Barrow's mound? When you arrive at the site, not all is as it should be. Something is very wrong. You have one night, the Autumn Equinox, to find out what lurks beneath Barrow Hill.

Source:

Press Release: 7th March 2006

"Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle" Goes Gold

**The myths and mysteries of ancient Cornwall set to haunt North America this September

Weston, CT – August 10, 2006** - Got Game Entertainment LLC today announced that "Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle" has gone gold. The unique first person adventure game for the PC is set to haunt retail shelves September 1st. Set against the eerie Cornish landscape, and bundled with bonus travel features on the real Cornwall, “Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle” steeps you in the ancient mysteries and supernatural wonders of England’s famed county. “Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle” is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB for Alcohol and Tobacco Reference and Mild Violence and will debut for a suggested retail of $19.99.

“Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle” finds you stranded on a lonely road leading to Cornwall’s ancient burial ground of Barrow Hill. Following in the footsteps of fictional archaeologist Conrad Morse, you soon discover that this barrow is frighteningly more than just a mound of earth and a collection of forgotten standing stones. Via the game’s point and click interface, and using real archaeological techniques, you will explore well trodden pathways across the land, seek clues in almost forgotten shrines, unearth ancient artifacts, and delve into Celtic legends to ultimately unravel a detailed and spellbinding mystery.

The engrossing story and Cornish setting of “Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle” transport you to another place. Artistically detailed and moody game environments reflecting the mystical countryside of England’s westernmost county, famous for its tales of pirates, ghosts, and sinister ancient sites, coupled with the included bonus travel features, allow you to delve deeply into the supernatural wonders of Cornwall. >From the piskie folk of the hedgerows and cliff tops to the beasts of Bodmin Moor, there isn't a corner of this land that isn't rich in folklore, magic and danger.

For more information, visit www.barrowhillgame.com.

Source:

Press release (10th August 2006)

Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle Digs into North AmericaUnique first person adventure game sets archaeological mystery against the backdrop of an eerie Cornish landscape

Weston, CT – August 22, 2006 – The myths and mysteries of ancient Cornwall now haunt North America as Got Game Entertainment LLC today announced that "Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle" has shipped to game retailers. Adventure meets archaeology against the backdrop of an eerie Cornish landscape in this unique first person adventure game for the PC which also comes bundled with bonus features on the real Cornwall, a land rich in folklore, magic, and danger.

"Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle" finds you stranded on a lonely road leading to Cornwall's ancient burial ground of Barrow Hill. Following in the footsteps of fictional archaeologist Conrad Morse, you soon discover that this barrow is frighteningly more than just a mound of earth and a collection of forgotten standing stones. Via the game's point and click interface, and using real archaeological techniques, explore well trodden pathways across the land, seek clues in almost forgotten shrines, unearth ancient artifacts, and delve into Celtic legends to ultimately unravel a detailed and spellbinding mystery.

The engrossing story and Cornish setting of "Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle" transport you to another place. Artistically detailed and moody game environments reflecting the mystical countryside of England's westernmost county, famous for its tales of pirates, ghosts, and sinister ancient sites, coupled with the included bonus travel features, allow you to delve deeply into the supernatural wonders of Cornwall.

"Barrow Hill: Curse of the Ancient Circle" is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB for Alcohol and Tobacco Reference and Mild Violence and will debut for a suggested retail of $19.99.

Source:

Press Release (Aug. 22, 2006)

ARCHAEOLOGY MEETS ADVENTURE

The Autumn Equinox, a powerful night in the pagan calendar, has thrown a dark cloak across the landscape.

The sacred stones have been disturbed. A team of archaeologists have begun to excavate the site known as Barrow Hill. Uncovering layers of the past brings them closer to the dangers which exist beneath the ancient earth.

The old ways are almost forgotten, but the bright Autumnal moon tells you there is still hope. As you make your way towards the sacred stone circle, you will realize that you will need more than blind faith to survive the night.

Source:

Back of Case - Windows (UK)

Venture to Barrow Hill if you dare ...

Somewhere deep within the woods a timeless force is stirring.

Beneath the ancient burial mound known locally as Barrow Hill, a forgotten myth awakes.

Following in the footsteps of the well-known archaeologist Conrad Morse, you will discover that the Barrow is more than just a mount of earth and a collection of forgotten standing stones.

What mysteries inhabit this ancient earth? Is all archaeology for the best? Or should some things remain buried and undisturbed?

Perhaps it is too late for that ...

Join the adventure and uncover the secrets of the past. The legends of the Cornish world will live again: renewed, refreshed and hungry.

Time has no meaning, as the sun sets low across the landscape. Stranded on the lonely road, you must make your way through the trees and the darkening landscape and out onto the Barrow itself.

GAME FEATURES - Spellbinding storyline - Haunting soundtrack - First person non-linear point-and-click adventure - Solve puzzles using real archaeological techniques - Intricately detailed graphics - Bonus features on the real Barrow Hill & Cornwall

Source:

Back of Box - Windows (US/Canada)

Game Summary

Somewhere deep within the woods a timeless force is stirring. Beneath the ancient burial mound, known locally as Barrow Hill, a forgotten myth awakes.

Join the adventure, and uncover the secrets of the past. The legends of the Cornish world will live again; renewed, refreshed and hungry.

Following in the footsteps of the well-known archaeologist, Conrad Morse, you will discover that the barrow is more than just a mound of earth and a collection of forgotten standing stones. However, not all archaeology is constructive, for some things should be left buried and undisturbed. Perhaps it is too late for that...

In Barrow Hill your character arrives stranded on the lonely road during the Autumn Equinox and you have just one night to unravel a sinister plot. Explore the pathways across the country side, seek clues in almost forgotten shrines and experience the ancient forces which exist in the standing stone monument known as Barrow Hill. Following in the footsteps of the well-known archaeologist Conrad Morse, you will discover that the barrow is more than just a mound of earth and a collection of forgotten standing stones. However, not all archaeology is constructive, for some things should be left buried and undisturbed. But perhaps it is too late for that... Barrow Hill: a thrilling and creepy adventure, brought to you on DVD-Rom!

Features: * Archaeology meets adventure, as danger lurks in the ancient forests around you. * Utilise gadgets to locate clues and communicate with characters. * A full range of puzzles and conundrums, integrated seamlessly with the game-world. * Explore an ancient stone monument from the time of the Celts and practice ancient rituals and ceremonies, almost forgotten to modern man. * In a leafy corner of ancient Cornwall you will find a deeper meaning to the variety of England's native wildlife. * A full in-game soundtrack of eerie music, and chilling sound effects.

Source:

lighthouse-interactive.com