Dark Earth
**A NEW DAY DAWNS FOR ADVENTURE GAMERS AS MICROPROSE RELEASES DARK EARTH’
Graphically Stunning Real-Time Adventure CD-ROM Puts Player in Control at Each Twist and Turn**
ALAMEDA, CA, October 21, 1997 -- MicroProse, Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS:MPRS) announced today the cataclysmic real-time adventure game Dark Earth’ has shipped to retail stores nationwide. In Dark Earth, players adventure across a 24th-century Earth enshrouded in darkness with the fate of the world and their own lives hanging in the balance. Created by European developer Kalisto Entertainment, Dark Earth promises to stand out among other adventure titles on the market because players control the destiny of mankind with each real-time character interaction and combat move they make within an evolving, visually stunning environment.
“Dark Earth is a ground-breaking real-time adventure game representing the next generation for this genre,” said Derek McLeish, senior vice president, marketing at MicroProse. “Players will see the difference in interactivity between Dark Earth and other old-school adventure titles. Unlike other adventure games, Dark Earth compels the player to solve the game quickly or else. In addition, it offers the player the freedom of action to explore the world without artificial constraints.”
Story Line The Earth is blanketed by dark clouds of dust -- the result of hundreds of devastating asteroid collisions in the year 2054. The denizens of the Dark Earth have formed primitive cities beneath mystical shafts of sunlight which pierce the clouds. As Arkhan, an elite Guardian of the Fire in the city of Sparta, players race against time, battling both human and inhuman foes to save themselves and Sparta from the forces of evil and eternal darkness.
Game Play Players encounter challenge after challenge as they interact with more than 100 beautifully modeled 3-D characters in 250 pre-rendered animated scenes in this Windows® 95 CD-ROM. Differentiating itself from other adventure games, Arkhan’s mood, set by the player, will affect the outcome of encounters with other Dark Earth characters. Featuring a tantalizing mix of character interaction, combat and time pressure, Dark Earth provides constant, engaging gameplay.
MicroProse is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for use on CD-ROM-based personal computers. The company is also developing software for the use on next generation 32/64-bit console machines, the Internet and online gaming services. The company has five development studios located in Alameda, California; Hunt Valley, Maryland; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Austin, Texas and Chipping Sodbury, England. Products are available nationally and internationally and are sold through major distributors, retailers and mass merchants. Products and company information are available for download from the MicroProse Web site at http://www.microprose.com.
Source:
Press Release
You are your own worst enemy in the moody world of Dark Earth. Debris fills the air, and your flesh is being attacked by a deadly virus. Poisonous clouds drift and photosynthesis has ceased. Still, it's your mission to uncover a secret history that'll help restore the one thing that can save all of humanity - light. You'll uncover dark murder plots through real-time adventure and engage in treacherous combat as you interact with sinister and bizarre characters. Your foes envelope the City you protect whether you're there or not, and then continue to prey upon you as you ponder your next move. But, there is a ray of hope - you simply have to find it. www.darkearth.com
IF YOU CAN'T ACT IN THEFACE OF DANGER,YOU BETTER KNOW HOW TOPLAY DEAD.
Source:
Back Cover - US Windows
"Das Programm hat meine kühnsten Erwartungen übertroffen: Technisch glänzt es durch selten gesehene Perfektion, und das von Grafik und Sound überzeugend umgesetzte Endzeit-Ambiente sucht einfach seinesgleichen. Auch für Einsteiger absolut empfehlenswert."
HERBERT EICHINGER (PC ACTION 10/97)
Wertung 85% "Weltuntergangs-Epos der absoluten Extraklasse"
PC ACTION 10/97
"Ja, bei Dark Earth kommt Freude auf. Als alter Fan von "Alone in the Dark" habe ich schon lange auf einen Titel gewartet, der eine ähnlich gelungene Stimmung rüberbringt."
TOM SCHMITT (POWERPLAY 10/97)
GOTT IST DAS SONNENLICHT.
DUNKELHEIT EIN TODESURTEIL - UND DIE ZEIT IST DER FEIND.
IM 24. JAHRHUNDERT HERRSCHT DIE ZEIT DER DUNKELHEIT. DIE ZIVILISATION ĂśBERLEBT IN DEN WENIGEN STĂ„DTEN DES MYSTISCHEN LICHTS. SIE SIND ARKHAN. IN EINEM TĂ–DLICHEN RENNEN GEGEN DIE ZEIT MĂśSSEN SIE SICH UND IHRE STADT VOR DEN HEERSCHAREN DES BĂ–SEN BEWAHREN.
ERLEBEN SIE EINE EINZIGARTIGE WELT: Dark Earth - DAS ATEMBERAUBENDE ECHTZEIT-ABENTEUER!
Source:
Advertisement in PC Games, December 1997 (German)
One Ray of HOPE Against A Poisonous and Treacherous DARKNESS
Earth is a dark world. Dust and debris chokes the air and your flesh is being attacked by a deadly virus. Poisonous clouds drift across the black sky; animal and plant life has all but died out. In this unforgiving landscape you must uncover a secret that will help restore the one thing that can save all humanity - Light!
You'll discover grisly murder plots through real-time adventure and fight treacherous, greedy and bizarre characters in fully-controlled combat. But beware! If you're not careful, foes will destroy the city and your life as you ponder your next move.
Jump into a real-time graphic adventure game set in a robust, active and visually-stunning world
Experience real-time combat and character reactions, matched by intense time pressure to solve the game
Immerse yourself in 25 minutes of high-quality video scenes, 100 unique separately-modelled characters and 260 pre-rendered camera views
Easy to control character movement, combat, conversations and inventory management
The EARTH IS DARK. But there is a ray of hope and YOU have to find it!
Source:
Back of Box - Windows (UK)
Contributed by skl, Xoleras, Jeanne.