Horror Game Classics – Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem

by Spoony on October 30, 2009 · View Comments

To think that once I could not see beyond the veil of our reality… to see those who dwell behind. I was once a fool.

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Blue October 30, 2009 at 4:17 pm: I’m absolutely positive I played this wrong; I kept refilling my sanity meter with a spell just because, if I’m remembering this right, you die if it empties out, so I probably missed all the good stuff, and most of the game devolved into a running gunfight with the horrors from beyond. That said, the story was good enough that I played all the way through, and even did all three tracks, minor though the differences may have been.

That’s a good recomendation, I guess. Engrossing even when you fucking do it wrong.
Melac October 30, 2009 at 4:24 pm: okay, one bit of advice to those people who want to look up a lets play of this game: DON’T
you would lose a LOT of the atmosphere from this game, and a lot of the feel
i don’t want to spoil anything, but to really get some of the scares, you need to be playing it, NOT watching it
meltdown2insanity October 30, 2009 at 4:29 pm: Even though I never played this game, I had the opportunity to see some of things that would happen as the sanity meter was on the low side (thanks to the Internet). I must say those were probably some of the best fake out moments I have ever seen to occur in a video game. Apparently, the gaming company, Atlus, loved one of those moments, as well, because they had also used it one of their games, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner – Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army. I don’t want to say what that specific moment was, but if you want to see what I am talking about, go to these links (SPOILER ALERT!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm3BICyuRbw , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RXwjWa-ISU .
Deimos1984rd October 30, 2009 at 4:31 pm: I LOVE this game so much, the sanity effects are my favorite part of the game. I would drain their sanity meter on purpose to see the scary effects and believe me…they are fucked up.
Mr. Saturn October 30, 2009 at 4:52 pm: Any of the three possible Paul Luthor deaths ranks up there with some of the most unintentionally hilarious scenes in gaming history.
NaclynE October 30, 2009 at 4:54 pm: One of my all time favorite scary games.
Yeah it uses the same control scheme as the older RESIDENT EVIL games but I agree with spoony that the control scheme is awsomly pickup and play.
I even remember XPLAY’S review where ADAM SESSLER said “I destroyed three GAME CUBE systems because the game said it was deleting my save data”. I didn’t fall for that trick in the game but I did switch the channel one time when the game switched to channel 3 supposedly. That made me laugh. I also remember the guys parts falling apart and even the room in the WWII part were I picked up pistol ammo and when the character went back into reality, the ammo I picked up was gone.
If I still had my SEGA SATURN, my copy of ENEMY ZERO, I would love to do a double feature of playing both ETERNAL DARKNESS and ENEMY ZERO

PS: I still wonder about the upcomming sequal that’s comming out on the Wii….
Mavado October 30, 2009 at 4:58 pm: Hell yes!

Easily one of the best horror games ever made. Personally, I may have found Fatal Frame/Project Zero III: The Tormented to be scarier, but there is no denying the sheer impact that Eternal Darkness has on those who dare play it.
freemonty October 30, 2009 at 5:07 pm: You had to end on a gamecube game, didn’t you? ;-) Granted, it looks like a good one- but I could never stand the absolutely horrible shape of the gamecube controller (which I suspect has something to do with why no one tried copying the control scheme of this game). And the Wii is just plain gimmicky.

Oh well.
Taranaich October 30, 2009 at 5:31 pm: I had great difficulty completing the game: Maximilian’s level really got to me. So unbelievably frightening.

SPOILERS JUST IN CASE:

What I like most about the game (apart from the glorious sanity metre) is the episodic nature of it. I love the fact that you could start off as a feisty young girl in the 20th Century, then become a seasoned Roman Centurion, then a Cambodian slave girl, then a Frankish peasant, THEN a Persian swordsman, going on to different periods in history. I really love games like that.

I also agree with the apologising for Resident Evil controls. If being able to run while shooting and strage makes it “less scary” or “too easy” then how does that explain how certain levels in Half-Life 2, Thief, System Shock, Bioshock and countless others can be utterly terrifying AND difficult, yet with the supposed “game/tension breaking” ability of the seasoned soldier to SHOOT WHILE MOVING and STEP SIDEWAYS?

Honestly, I enjoy RE, but the controls are just silly.
Midnight Voyager October 30, 2009 at 5:41 pm: Goddamnit, Spoony, you have finally pushed me over the edge. I’m picking up a controller, a gamecube memory card, and this game ASAP for Wii-age.
Sifer2 October 30, 2009 at 5:43 pm: Wow Spoony your favorite game? Don’t get me wrong Eternal Darkness was good but I didn’t think it that good. I don’t remember the control scheme being that amazing. Kind of like Resident Evil just with auto aim targeting an less tanky directional movement. And the Sanity scares to be honest never got to me much because I think I am the type of person that just is not fooled by them for one second. Like in the recent Batman Arkham Asylum game they pulled that trick and I instantly figured it out an knew it wasn’t a real problem with my system or TV. But the game gets points for being original since I do think it was one of the first to do that trick. Only thing before it I could remember was maybe the part in Metal Gear Solid where Psycho Mantis is messing with you if that counts.

But anyway my favorite thing about the game was how you played as multiple people throughout different time periods. That was really fun an should have been done in more games. Hell we really just kind of need an Eternal Darkness 2. Though I think the story wraps itself up by the end so there isn’t really room for one unless it was a prequel.
Shadowdancer21b October 30, 2009 at 5:48 pm: I love Eternal Darkness. Sillicon Knights deserve an award. Also, My fave Ancient is Xelotath, because of the dialogue scenes between it and Augustus. The two voice thing is done so well. Cheers for another game we both hold in high esteem Noah!
Sifer2 October 30, 2009 at 5:52 pm: Oh yeah also I forgot to address the RE controls comment about them being bad. Personally I am an oldschool RE fanboy who always loved the original controls for playing differently. It’s really a good scheme to go along with the static movie style camera angles the old games used. It also helped make the zombies an actual threat. Cause I am sorry but a slow moving zombie is no threat when you can run while shooting an strafing an the like. But take away the persons ability to run an shoot at the same time an suddenly its a tactical decision whether to turn an run or try to stand an kill that zombie bearing down on you. It works perfectly to make a monster that otherwise would be pathetic an exciting encounter. Where your just thinking “oh shit its getting closer is it going to die before it gets me?”

So yeah for all you people that just never got the controls an the reason for them I simply say fuck you guys. Besides you should be happy RE4 gave you what you wanted. Turned the series into just another third person shooter.
John October 30, 2009 at 6:43 pm: This is probably one of my favorite survival horror games. Probably one of the best introductions to a game as well.
John October 30, 2009 at 6:49 pm: Also I believe silicon knights have stated they plan to revisit the Eternal Darkness universe. Considering how poo your pants scary this one was and how much it screws with your head I can’t wait to see the next one. I expect to be disappointed due to high hopes but there’s so much promise here and I’d like to see a new one.
JIC October 30, 2009 at 6:50 pm: Hmm… I actually didn’t like the controls very much.
Zack Dolan October 30, 2009 at 7:10 pm: I gotta admit i’m a little surprised this is your favorite game ever spoony. I have seen comments throughout this whole halloween special of people going “when are you gonna do eternal darkness?” or “this isn’t as good as eternal darkness” and frankly i’m just not seeing it. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad game at all, but it’s so not the “greatest game ever” people keep making it out to be. just another RE clone. no more or less clunky than it’s forfathers to tell the truth. don’t get me wrong there either, an RE clone isn’t a bad thing, i love RE but saying it’s so much better for having a couple more bells and whistles is like saying “super mario bros. 1 sucked, total piece of shit…BUT super mario bros, 3…now THAT was the most innovative and original game ever cuz it was super mario with…the racoon tail” ya know? if you like one, there’s no real reason not to like the other.

and the sanity thing everyone goes on and on about, particularly how it’s better than call of cthulu and that’s it’s so much more original and CoC ripped it off. besides the petty fact that without the cthulu mythos to steal from ED wouldn’t exist in the first place. I’ll grant you, it’s cool (if frustrating at times more than atmospheric) but i mean, if you really want try and say who was first and who’s ripping off who, i think both these games owe some royalties to psycho mantis who was doing silly head bending shit like this to the player back in metal gear solid in 98.

Look, i’m not saying this is a bad game, it isn’t. My brother was obsessed with it, but could never finish it (maybe it really did drive him crazy) but he always picked it back up again after a while and tried again, which i guess speaks towards how immersing the story is. I myself didn’t get very far. i started playing really late after it was out and i just wasn’t easily impressed by all the tricks at that point, so i never really cared. but based on his opinion of being there from the beginning, and watching him play a lot, i can say it was good, but i think it gets too much credit. since it was silicon knights, i would hope they redo like they did RE and some other games for a new platform and maybe then i can get to enjoy it with fresh eyes.
G_enetor October 30, 2009 at 7:14 pm: When I saw you reviewed Call of Cthulhu, I immediatly tought of Eternal Darkness… And I just knew you’d talk about THAT scare, yes that one! I remember the first time I triggered it, it was in broad daylight. Just after that, I dare not move my character one tiny bit, I saved, I turned of my GameCube for three days and got back in my bed.

The parts I hated most, not because they were bad, but because I was creeped out, was in between the chapters, in the mansion. I was barely armed, runnnig around alone with all the banging in the mansion, not knowing if I would find a monster in the next room.

Anyway, good review Spoony, could not have said it better. You make me want to finish it a fourth time.
Jack October 30, 2009 at 7:20 pm: I total agree on this game, loved it. It creeped me the hell out often and was really really dark at times. A masterpiece, to bad silicon knights is wastein time makin crap like 2 human insteada makin a sequal to this.
KillerBunnyFooFoo October 30, 2009 at 8:13 pm: Amazing choice! I applaud the SpoonyOne. That game made the game cube worth having, more than Smash Brothers, Harvest Moon, Mario, and even more than Resident Evil 4. There is much to be said about a game that not only uses visuals and sounds to freak you out, but also psychologically fucks with your head. And the controls were awesome and made playing effortless, something all horror games should adhere to. When you don’t have to worry about button mashing, cheap kills, and trying to fighting the analog sticks to get your character in the right direction, that is when you can immerse yourself into the story and the frights really begin.

And while the one jump scare made me twitch, I don’t think anything was scarier than being half way through the game seeing the words “File Deleted” after trying to save.
Boadicia October 30, 2009 at 8:21 pm: One of my favorites, a real diamond in the rough

Xellotath was my favorite, though I also like Ulyaoth for being such a smartass. My absolute favorite part is Maximillian’s autopsy reports. Sometimes I play the game just to listen to them.
Sean Umphlet October 30, 2009 at 9:07 pm: YES! This game was absolutely awesome! It was a bit too easy for me though, if I remember (It was one of the first games I ever played after I bought the gamecube when it was originally released). I rented it and beat it in a week. But it does have quite a bit of replay value, and yes it’s scary as shit. Definitely recommend. I also agree with you that I’m quite surprised that the various “trademarks” of this game haven’t been ripped off yet. It is one of the very rare gaming EXPERIENCES.
superking October 30, 2009 at 9:08 pm: THANK YOU!!! I seriously thought Resident Evil’s controls were god awful and seriously detracted from the game. Being unable to move and shoot I sort of understand, but also being unable to move and melee with a simple knife is just wrong, and in a RE game, a death sentence
Caleb October 30, 2009 at 9:35 pm: Well I just picked up a copy in Tempe; hope I can finish my midterm paper in time to play it before Halloween is over.
Blaed October 30, 2009 at 10:04 pm: I want…this game
OniYouji October 30, 2009 at 10:40 pm: Somehow, I had a feeling you’d mention this game. Though, you do need to beat it and play through it three whole times to get the “true” ending, and all the cutscenes. Now I want to try beating it again. All I have left is Ch’turrgah, and then I will have a complete file!

If they do make a sequel, it’ll be hard to top and invent new, more surprising insanity effects.
Emperor_Z October 30, 2009 at 11:28 pm: I’m mad at myself, because I already looked up the best effects of the sanity meter and the jump scare. I’ll try to find it anyway, but I think I’ve fractured what could have been the best horror experience possible if I had left it whole.
Lotus Prince October 30, 2009 at 11:43 pm: Some of those scares are downright beautiful. I won’t spoil anything, but the game makes you think that your game system has something going on with it, or even that you might be sitting on the remote control. I bought this game maybe a few months after it came out, just out of curiosity, as it wasn’t too expensive, and DAMN, was it worth every last penny. Do yourself a huge favor and do not heal your character’s sanity until it hits zero (because when it hits zero, you’ll start to lose health instead of sanity).
jadedcorliss October 30, 2009 at 11:47 pm: Oh, quite the compliment there, I only watched a little to avoid spoilers.

I might get it sometime, if I pick up a Wii or something, I sold my GC before I got around to this game.
cjhitchcock October 31, 2009 at 12:04 am: I agree with you one hundred percent on this one. This is THE greatest horror game of all time. I loved the scares in this game for the simple reason that it wasn’t screwing with the character on the screen, but with you the player. Favorite scare has to be… Never mind your right, its too good to spoil.

Unfortunately I had a friend who was an idiot. I lent him the game for a weekend and he gave it back to me saying it was unplayable. He claimed the controls were broken and the story was stupid. I asked him how far he got and he didn’t even get through the first chapter. Of course, I called bullshit, but he was too much of a hard ass to give it another go. From that point on, I’ve never truly trusted him when it came to his taste in games.
Kara October 31, 2009 at 12:57 am: I remember when my older brother bought this game. One time when I watched him play this game, his character’s sanity level so low, I was freaking out because I thought something was wrong with the Gamecube. I was very impressed with the game and I agree with you, I’m also surprised that no other game copied this kind of originality either.
Allen October 31, 2009 at 1:00 am: I have great memories of this game. Its one of the few games that would make me check under the bed and check the closet before I went to sleep, and i would still be scared.
Orin Bishop October 31, 2009 at 1:02 am: Agreed. I to feel this is one of the best games ever made. It creates a foreboding and and engrossing atmosphere without hardly ever resorting to gore or jump scares, which makes the one you were referring to fantastic. I also feel watching a lets-play of this would be completely pointless.
Disthron October 31, 2009 at 1:10 am: I really liked this game but boy did the control system piss me off. I don’t know how many times I was killed just because the camera angle changed.

It all stems from a very simple problem, the direction of the player character is linked to the camera and not the player. Up is always away from the camera, down is always toward the camera, same for left and right. This might not sound like much but think of this. If your facing someone, there left is your right, and toward you is away from them. So in terms of the game, if your running right and the camera is facing north, fine, no problem. But if the camera changes and the new angle is facing south you’ll spin around and go back the way you came. Because from that cameras perspective you were going left all along.

I don’t know how many times I’d be running away form something, the camera would change angles and my character would suddenly do a 180 and run back toward the monster and get killed. I agree that the RE controls needing to be hard is BS but I sight the same reasons here. Not to mention the many instances where the dam thing would make me do an abrupt turn straight into a wall. I don’t know about anyone else but it really pissed me off when I was killed by this crap. I don’t know, maybe that’s why no one’s copying this control style.

And yet, despite all this, I still really like this game. I think it’s probably one of the best games on the Game Cube and I’d have to agree with pretty much everything else Spoony had to say. But be warned, the movement can be pretty frustrating. I don’t seem to recall having much problem with actually fighting though, when I had enough health/ammo that is.
Pinkemon October 31, 2009 at 2:31 am: Even though I’ve only watched a let’s play of this game, I do understand why people like it game.

It is very original and it does well what it’s supposed to do, not to mention that I really like the way the ancients are portrayed. It’s a very good game.

However, I must say that I prefer Rule of Rose. Even though it IS one of those horror survival games with clunky controls and a glitchy battle system, I do feel like this is more of a work of art than ED. It’s also more creepy than actually scary but it does give you a feeling of uncomfortableness and dread.
You really feel sorry for the main character and you desperately want to help her out, yet she keeps getting hurt in one way or another, despite the fact that she really tries to make it through her nightmarish situation.
Shmoyle October 31, 2009 at 3:12 am: Love your reviews Spoony! By the way, I watched the bathtub jab in the dark the first time I played through this one and holy beejeezuz, I didn’t sleep for three days w/o seeing the image. Glad to see that ED is finally getting a little air time in this world of Res Evil (even though I play through that series too like a maniac). Good review and good luck with the web awards.
Kaleion October 31, 2009 at 4:12 am: Even though I’m not a horror game fan (mainly because I haven’t found scary any of the horror games that I have played and I’ve played most of the Resident Evils, Silent Hill 2 (yes only 2 I don’t have a PS2 and I don’t have 1 for my ps1), Dead Space (which I absolutely HATE really jump scares do not work if you use them every 2 seconds!!) and Clock Tower) I really like this game even though I personally did not found it scary and I played it when I was 12 I found this game really entertaining and interesting and unlike all the other Horror I’ve played I actually found it fun to play(let’s face it most horror games are not fun to play unless they actually scare you) and also if you don’t find the sanity meter thing scary it can at least cause you some hilarity, seriously I couldn’t stop laughing when my character’s head exploded and he was just screaming in panic, sadly I could never finish the game because I rented it (like 5 times) and eventually realized I needed a second disc to keep playing and there was only one (or I least I think I needed a second disc is that or I got stuck in the game), but yeah a really entertaining game that I think even non-horror game fans will enjoy
Kaleion October 31, 2009 at 4:46 am: Oh also I wanted to add that I would wait untill my sanity meter ran out I finnished each chapter because I really found it’s effects absolutely hillarious (even though they are supposed to be scary), ah the memories I must get this game so I can finally finnish it since I just found out it wasn’t a 2 disc game as I had thought it was a teaser for a second game not a you need to change to disc 2 ah silly me!
i October 31, 2009 at 7:40 am: This seriously is one of the most under appreciated games I’ve ever seen. Glad to see it getting some recognition, Spoony!
Chris October 31, 2009 at 7:41 am: Unfortunately, I couldn’t enjoy this game. We were looking around in Gamestop after it came out, and all the employees were constantly talking about the psyche-out moments. So I basically heard all the “surprising” parts before ever seeing them, meaning when I played the game they just became “oh yeah, this part”.
MacGregor October 31, 2009 at 8:03 am: Here be Spoilers:

I love this game, one of the few games i can play over and over again. The most shocking scare for me though was the one were you’re character walks into a room and you get the “Gamecube Controller 1 is not connected” message while he’s being attacked by zombies. My favourite chapter is the one with the Indiana-Jones like archeologist in the temple. (I think that guy, is one of the few who actually survive the game). But did anyone else have problems with the big guardian in the WW1 cathedral level? It took some time for me to figuire out when the right time was to cast the attack spell.
Ray October 31, 2009 at 10:40 am: I think the one complaint I have about the game is the fact that you had to play through (essentially) the exact same game three times to see the ending.

Granted, it might be the best ending to anything ever, but it’s still rather frustrating to play through the game 2 extra times for a few different cutscenes, and the real ending.
Doc Belmont October 31, 2009 at 10:42 am: No H.P Lovecraft characters?

…you mean other than Inspector Legrasse, look and all?

LOL. Just ribbing ya, Spoony. I love your stuff.
Suzina October 31, 2009 at 2:05 pm: I remember this game… and yeah… it was awesome to play. Just awesome. Better than resident evil.

I don’t know if it could be as good if you just heard what happened.. it’d be like being told, “Then there was a loud noise on the screen and something jumped at the camera.” regarding a horror movie… it’s not the same being told what happened.
Michael Rittenberry October 31, 2009 at 2:08 pm: AWESOME game. Glad to see you giving it the love it deserves!
Tyro October 31, 2009 at 2:54 pm: wasn’t this the game that says in one part “your game data has been erased” ?
Oxy October 31, 2009 at 3:55 pm: I agree. This game is so goddamn awesome in every aspect :)
NightTrap October 31, 2009 at 4:48 pm: I really, truly want to like this game. However, the Black Guardian fight pisses me off so goddamn much, and I *still* haven’t bothered to beat him.
Joe October 31, 2009 at 8:42 pm: Have you ever played a game called “Fatal Frame”? NOW THAT’S FUCKING SCARY!
Ashenge October 31, 2009 at 9:26 pm: It actually is nice to see you like a game for a change. I mean… It’s common to see you like a movie, but not games.