Beyond Shadowgate

The Good
The original Shadowgate — which I gave a C+ — tends to be very highly regarded by people, and I can only conclude it's by those who played the NES port, where it likely stood out due to the fact that the console featured only a small handful of adventure games. In any event, here we have the sequel Beyond Shadowgate, which is not well known at all, likely because it was a TurboGrafx CD exclusive. It's a shame, too, because this is the far better game.

Very graphically impressive for the TGCD, it has good music and voice acting (excepting the protagonist Prince Erik) and also surprisingly features multiple puzzle solutions which helps with replayability. There's also some sharp humor with genuine LOL moments. But by far the best part of the game is its vast array of amazing deaths with incredible animations, ranking right up there — and at times, exceeding — the best of Sierra RIPathons.

The Bad
Perhaps because it's a console exclusive, the game also felt it necessary to feature a fair share of beat 'em up gameplay with predictably stiff controls, as Erik can only walk in and face four different directions.

The game could have used more dialogue (space constraints?) and more descriptive information at times.

The Bottom Line
All in all, this is a solid title and especially recommended to any Shadowgate fans who may not be aware of it.