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Unprecidented, and Unexpected Delight

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I know that this review is a many years late. Most people now will not have the pleasure of ever knowing this game if they missed it. Others will be turned of by the dated graphics, and lower system requirements than most games these days demand (Crysis, Bioshock etc.). I still feel compelled to write this review however, because Undying deserves nothing less than a standing ovation, but unfortunately never received one.

Originally I purchased undying with the expectation of another gory FPS (first person shooter) with supernatural enemies. Instead what I ended up with was a hybrid FPS-survival horror that had me jumping all throughout. No other games ever pulled of the same scares and atmosphere that Undying did for me. Believe me when I say that I'm no stranger to survival horror. Indeed I've indulged in almost every title the genre has pumped out same goes for FPS. I fancy myself a survival horror enthusiast and FPS connoisseur. This game filled both desires With excellence worthy of replay. True there is no multi-player, but the single-player experience more than makes up for that.

On a technical front:
The art direction is exquisite for its time as well as disturbingly rich in little details put into almost every texture. The enemies alone are simply horrifying incarnations of Clive Barker (creator of the Hellraiser series, The Midnight Meat Train, etc.)

The sounds are well produced with fantastic voice acting for all of the characters, and vicious or haunting shrieks and roars from the Demonic enemies. Not to mention an excellent soundtrack that only aids the games atmosphere.

The weapons are many and unique(Deaths' Scythe being my favorite). The game also handles its combat by left and right hand. What I mean is that one hand holds your guns while the other uses occult magic giving you two weapons at the same time, and both of which can be upgraded (Ammo types for one potency for the other.)

The games atmosphere shines as its brightest aspect in that its simply intense! The distant howls of the enemies, the dark hallways of the mansion, the dank moldy torch lit catacombs, the unreal demonic dimension, the symbolic and bloody horrors revealed to the user through use of scrye (Magic Spell), and the heart pounding ambushes that are thankfully not overused.

Honestly games these days that have tried to pull off the FPS-Survival horror Hybrid (Eg. F.E.A.R., Condemned, Doom 3) have been fun, but don't even come close to Undying! And in some cases left me disappointed. This game set the bar at a high level and though a few games have come close to it non have reached it yet. I'm always saddened by game magazine and website writers When they do their top 10 scariest games lists, and Undying isn't even mentioned, but alas Undying never had good publicity.

Obviously I Really enjoyed this game, and if your looking for a game that perfectly blends FPS with survival horror and manages a deep and intriguing story, look no further, This is the Game for you! Better get it before you miss out entirely.

Did the lights just flicker, or...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 14, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Having played Clive Barker's Jericho, I went into Undying with cautious optimism. Jericho's story was interesting, but the gameplay proved to be far too frustrating and, frankly, unenjoyable. Undying, fortunately, is a different breed of monster.

Coming from a man such as Clive Barker, the story is obviously well fleshed-out and downright terrifying. Being on an island, with no outside help coming or expected, is enough to start the goosebumps to raise. But while Jericho's seven-man team play was poorly implemented, Undying's one-man sojourn into unknown and occult territories is provocatively addictive.

While it's true the graphics are outdated, they still hold up fairly well, and the voice-over work is excellent (featuring Mr. Barker himself as one of the characters). Jericho may have turned you off to Clive's video game attemps, but don't look past his previous if somewhat unknown successes. Undying will grap you with a cold, damp fist, and won't let go until everything turns black.

Then, your true journey can begin...

This game was creepy wierd and fun.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 31, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I loved Undying it is a blast to play. The interface is hard to get used to but when you do it is a breeze. Undying is based on the Quake 3 graphical engine so it performs smoothly and isn't choppy even when fighting multiple enemys. It worked great years ago on my parents pentium 3 with a nvidia mx200 graphics card and works like a dream on my 2 gig athalon with a geforce6200.

Spooky and original.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 10, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Well, based on the story alone this game is worth getting.
Despite the now dated graphics, it is still a far better game than the newer Clive Barkers "Jericho".
Although both games share a few familiar elements, like the main character being able to use magic and also having some skill with conventional weapons.
This is a seriously under-rated game and should not be overlooked by anyone who wants to try something new and get freaked out at the same time.
I highly recommend this to both survival horror fans and FPS shooter fans alike.
The only downside is that some people may have trouble running this on some newer PC systems.

One of the most frightening game experiences ever...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Yes, I know what you're all going to say: "THIS GAME'S TOO OLD FOR ME! I ONLY PLAY BRAND NEW GARBAGE WITH FANCY-SHMANCY GRAPHICS AND LOTS OF ACTION! YAHHHHHHHHHH!"

But please don't let the age of this product get in the way of your dull sensibilities (come on, kids, it's not even 10 years old!) First of all, the graphics are very good (not amazing, mind you, but still very good). The only graphical thing I wish was different is the way they did the sky and backgrounds. The first-person environment is incredible but the distant skies and backgrounds look very still and cruddy.

As for the rest of the game, I have no complaints. The enemies are all varied and frightening in their own right. Whenever your health hits zero, you get a lovely animation of the opposing force killing you in their own unique fashion, whether it be by stabbing, decapitating, ripping, sucking, or eating you to pieces.

Seriously, though, Clive Barker's Undying is enough to make the most stouthearted of folks look over his or her shoulder while playing.

The game's atmosphere is the scariest part of the whole experience. Without unearthly sound effects, the whole thing would be startling but not frightening. When I first started playing, I admit I was scared, not because of the game itself but because I was expecting really sudden and disturbing things to happen that would shake me up. In the beginning, things were pretty tame...but as I progressed through the story, the enemies and environments definitely become a lot more jarring.

I finally came to the realization that the reviews I had read were right: This game was indeed quite frightening.

If I had to categorize this experience, I'd say it feels like an Indiana Jones game. There are supernatural elements, period weapons, and a very exploration-centered gameplay (however, the thought of dead relatives coming back to kill a sibling is certainly NOT Indiana Jones). I got stuck several times before I realized that I hadn't explored enough and that the answer was right next to me the whole time.

Speaking of period weapons, since it takes place in the twenties, the weapon technology isn't great. The supernatural weapons are interesting and powerful but I kept feeling the urge to whip out a machine gun or something similar and blow everything to hell. But then again, this isn't your typical first-person shooter. It requires patience and a keen sense of knowing your surroundings.

All in all, I'm giving this one a solid 5 stars. Excellent story, excellent environments, simple controls that work well, and fairly good graphics (a bit flawed). I don't consider it a classic...but it comes pretty damn close. A worthwhile, disturbing experience that will haunt you for years to come.

For a real unsettling evening, play this thing by yourself at night with the lights off and the volume turned up. I promise you won't be bored.

Remember, this game is not going to be readily available one day.

If you're up for a good scare and smart gameplay, get it now.

Top 5 after all these years

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: December 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I've played many games and Undying is still in my top 5. I've played through about 6 times since 2002 and could say that I will again. While more modern games may have more advanced graphics (Undying's are very good), they do not rival the story and interesting gameplay Undying offers.
The entire premise is captivating and unfolds neatly. There are a great variety of environments and monsters throughout so it never gets boring. The controls and two handed spells/weapons are very unique and I haven't seen another like it.
Many games focus on graphics or stick close to a genre. Undying put a unique spin on the FPS and is simply one of the most memorable games I've ever played. To put it into perspective, my top 5 games are: Half Life 1, Resident Evil 4, Far Cry, MOH Allied Assault and Undying. These are the 5 games I would take on a desert island. Along with Salma Hayek.

Creepy fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Strictly my opinion but for those that like playing games such as: Thief, Alone in the dark, Doom.....Undying will deliver. The storyline is great with twists along the way and the rich environments make for good creepy exploration. The game is challenging without being impossible to advance if you pay attention and use clues. All and all I found Undying a title worthy to sit beside the others in it's genre.

A great game to lose yourself in for days

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Patrick Galloway, adventurer, set out to become a debunker of superstition and the supernatural. Instead, he becomes a believer- and a highly sought after expert at combating hostile forces from beyond this plane. It is for this reason that he returns to his native Ireland in 1923. His former commanding officer during the Great War, Jeremiah Covenant, has summoned his old friend to free his family of the ancient curse that threatens to destroy its every member.

Barker truly created a superb atmosphere in this game. It reminds one of a Lovecraft or Hodgson story, but with a generous helping of Barker's trademark creepiness mixed in. The overall plot, the main characters, the monsters, and above all, the level design are all first rate. The covenant mansion is probably the most intricately designed building that I've ever seen in a game, but you also have a huge monastery (which exists in two times), the family mausoleum, catacombs, lighthouse, pirates' lair, Oneiros (a dream dimension), the Land of Eternal Autumn, etc. The environments are incredibly large, detailed, and elaborate- you have entire worlds in this thing.

I somehow missed this game when it first came out in 2001. That is just as well. If, like me, your system will not run the latest games, then this is a chance to run something first rate that an older system can handle (you might also like to check out Heretic II- another overlooked gem.)

My only complaint is the load times. When you play this game you might like to keep a book or magazine handy. I've never seen so much loading in a level- or such long load times. It is almost like they tried to do too much with the technology available at the time.

A great game to lose yourself in for days

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: July 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Patrick Galloway, adventurer, set out to become a debunker of superstition and the supernatural. Instead, he becomes a believer- and a highly sought after expert at combating hostile forces from beyond this plane. It is for this reason that he returns to his native Ireland in 1923. His former commanding officer during the Great War, Jeremiah Covenant, has summoned his old friend to free his family of the ancient curse that threatens to destroy its every member.

Barker truly created a superb atmosphere in this game. It reminds one of a Lovecraft or Hodgson story, but with a generous helping of Barker's trademark creepiness mixed in. The overall plot, the main characters, the monsters, and above all, the level design are all first rate. The covenant mansion is probably the most intricately designed building that I've ever seen in a game, but you also have a huge monastery (which exists in two times), the family mausoleum, catacombs, lighthouse, pirates' lair, Oneiros (a dream dimension), the Land of Eternal Autumn, etc. The environments are incredibly large, detailed, and elaborate- you have entire worlds in this thing.

I somehow missed this game when it first came out in 2001. That is just as well. If, like me, your system will not run the latest games, then this is a chance to run something first rate that an older system can handle (you might also like to check out Heretic II- another overlooked gem.)

My only complaint is the load times. When you play this game you might like to keep a book or magazine handy. I've never seen so much loading in a level- or such long load times. It is almost like they tried to do too much with the technology available at the time.

An excellent shooter that delivers everything you would expect from the writing of Clive Barker.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 11, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Undying was sadly overlooked by most PC gamers when it was first released. At a glance it looks like a rather straight forward shooter with a popular writer's name attached to it for that extra push. Fortunately Undying quickly becomes a memorable experience precisely because of Barker's presence. While the gameplay is interchangeable with any generic shooter the writing lifts the game above this label by injecting enough tension and horror to keep you constantly wrapped up in the story.

Rather than give a synopsis of the game's story I'd rather go into detail about what to expect in terms of "scares". One of the reasons why the game is so memorable to me is because it manages to create a feeling of dread all around you. There are moments where the old stand-by of a creature blind siding the player and giving him a quick jolt of adrenaline are used but these moments are thankfully kept to a minimum. For the most part the terror in the game comes from the wonderful use of atmosphere, particular in the outer planes section of the game. An opportunity to create a completely abstract realm is often wasted on designers that can't come up with anything other than a familiar interpretation of Judeo-Christian hell. Fortunately the outer planes resemble something more along the lines of limbo, with their suspended platforms floating amongst a red sky. The silence in these areas is almost as bone chilling as the creatures that inhabit it, providing a completely different atmosphere than that which can be found in the mansion and monastery.

I've focused mainly on the atmosphere thus far because it truly is the one outstanding aspect of this game. As mentioned before the gameplay is rather straight forward, with most of your arsenal involving human weapons and some magic spells to aid you along. These spells mainly stay in the defensive and passive categories with conventional (and later on not-so-conventional) weapons making up your main offensive arsenal. The graphics are solid, although they haven't aged well. The models in particular haven't done well. However, the level design and artwork are fantastic. Sound is where the game really shines, as with most horror games it is a big part of your experience and works wonders to immerse you, from the far-off howls of demonic creatures to the deafening silence of the wind calmly blowing in the outer planes.

A solid experience throughout, even if you generally don't enjoy First Person Shooters you may very well enjoy this game.

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