Summary
- Release Year: 1990
- Genres: Adventure, Puzzle, Role-playing game (RPG)
- Platforms: Amiga, Atari ST/STE, Commodore C64/128/MAX, DOS
- Developers: Horror Soft
- Publishers: Accolade
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1990)
Released in 1990, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a survival horror video game developed by Horrorsoft and published by Accolade for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS computers. It is the second published game by Horrorsoft, following 1989’s Personal Nightmare, and stars Cassandra Peterson as her character Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark.
The game follows Elvira as she is held captive by dark forces in the castle of her ancestor, Queen Emelda. The player takes control of an unnamed protagonist who must explore the castle, rescue Elvira, and prevent the imminent return of the evil sorceress.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a well-received game that was praised for its atmosphere, graphics, and gameplay. It was followed by a sequel, Elvira II: The Jaws of Cerberus, in 1991, and a spiritual successor, Waxworks, in 1992.
Gameplay
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a survival horror game in which the player explores a castle filled with monsters and traps. The player must use a variety of weapons and items to defeat the monsters and solve puzzles in order to progress.
The game is played from a third-person perspective, and the player can move Elvira around the environment using the arrow keys or joystick. Elvira can attack enemies with a variety of weapons, including a knife, a gun, and a crucifix. She can also use items such as keys, potions, and food to help her survive.
The game features a variety of puzzles that the player must solve in order to progress. These puzzles range from simple tasks, such as finding a key to open a door, to more complex tasks, such as figuring out how to activate a machine.
Plot
The game begins with Elvira being held captive by dark forces in the castle of her ancestor, Queen Emelda. The player takes control of an unnamed protagonist who must explore the castle, rescue Elvira, and prevent the imminent return of the evil sorceress.
As the player explores the castle, they will learn more about Elvira’s past and the dark forces that are holding her captive. They will also encounter a variety of monsters and traps that will try to stop them from completing their mission.
Development
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark was developed by Horrorsoft, a small game development company founded by Steve Cartwright and John Passfield. The game was inspired by the 1988 film of the same name, which starred Cassandra Peterson as Elvira.
Peterson was heavily involved in the development of the game, and she provided the voice and likeness of Elvira. She also helped to write the game’s script and design the game’s characters and environments.
The game was developed using the AGOS operating system, which was a popular development environment for Amiga computers at the time. The game’s graphics were created using Deluxe Paint, a popular graphics program for the Amiga.
Release
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark was released in 1990 for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS computers. The game was a commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies worldwide.
The game was praised for its atmosphere, graphics, and gameplay. It was also praised for its humor, which was a departure from the more serious tone of most survival horror games at the time.
Legacy
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is considered to be one of the best survival horror games of the 1990s. It was followed by a sequel, Elvira II: The Jaws of Cerberus, in 1991, and a spiritual successor, Waxworks, in 1992.
The game has also been ported to a number of other platforms, including the Sega CD, 3DO, and PlayStation. It has also been released on a number of digital distribution platforms, such as Steam and GOG.com.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark remains a popular game today, and it is still enjoyed by fans of survival horror games. The game’s atmosphere, graphics, and gameplay are all top-notch, and it is still a challenging and rewarding experience.
Review Score
8/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
