Support NeoGAF

[SantaC]

I remember playing this one about 9-10 years ago for PC. Yeah I know the game had many flaws, but I thought it was pretty scary at the time. I freaked out when the devil(or beast) chased you, and if he catched you saw a close up when he ripped your face into 2 halves.

There is also a sequel which I never played. A puzzle of flesh.

 

[Sho Nuff]

This is the culmination of all of Roberta Williams's bizarre sexual fantasies.

No, really!

 

[explodet]

Roberta Williams was into some kinky shit, then.

 

[Midas]

Hehe, I remember it. I thought it was pretty scary too.

I dont think I finished it but one of the parts that scared me the most, was when a cat jumped out of a barn or some old house. Haha.

 

[TekunoRobby]

I actually had the pleasure of speaking with Roberta Williams at E3 when she was promoting her Kings Quest: Mask of Eternity game. While she wasn't the most interesting person to talk too she had a lot of insight and we had a great time.

Here is a list of people who worked on Phantasmagoria:
http://www.mobygames.com/game/credits/p,2/gameId,1164/

Phantasmagoria
Released: 1995
Numbers Sold: 301,138 copies

The Game:
In a marked departure from designer/writer Roberta Williams’ King’s Quest series, you play as a young wife exposing the secrets of a deadly old mansion you’ve just moved into.

The Controversy:
In addition to blood and gore, it had sex, partial nudity, and — in a cut-scene that generated the most controversy — a brutal rape.

The Aftermath:
Despite the game’s self-censoring option, Australia banned Phantasmagoria entirely, and some retail stores in the United States refused to sell it. But it was still popular enough to spawn a sequel, Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh.

Old Man Murry article on Roberta Williams:
http://www.oldmanmurray.com/features/374.html

Roberta Williams nude (far right) on a game box:

 

[Fowler]

I remember 7 CDs, but that was about it.

 

[aku:jiki]

I loved how you could push some key out of a keyhole and if you didn't do it in the right order, you were pretty much fucked and had to start the game over from scratch. In the pre-GameFAQs days, anyway.

But yeah, I liked it when it came out too. The rape and little gardening spade scenes were rough back then.

 

[Funky Papa]

little gardening spade scenes were rough back then.

That last one still hurts :-/

 

[DCX]

I remember playing this one about 9-10 years ago for PC. Yeah I know the game had many flaws, but I thought it was pretty scary at the time. I freaked out when the devil(or beast) chased you, and if he catched you saw a close up when he ripped your face into 2 halves.

There is also a sequel which I never played. A puzzle of flesh.

I played, and still have the sequel

DCX

 

[xsarien]

Not only do I remember it, I'm one of the ten people who bought the sequel.

I was never really sure what to make of Phantasmagoria. It was Sierra's figurative money shot during the whole FMV craze in the mid 90s. Hell, Sierra bragged about building an entire studio that was dedicated to the technology. But as far as gaming goes, it was never my favorite Sierra game. It was way to blatant in lifting story elements from "The Shining" and "The Amityville Horror," and the acting was miserable to boot.

 

[Duckhuntdog]

Yes, but does anyone remember Harvester???

 

[Funky Papa]

Shitty, shitty game. You can't make a game with just a showcase of gross imaginery.

 

[Revolver]

I played, and still have the sequel

DCX

Same here. Though I wish I'd never touched it.

One thing I remember about the original was the scene where the lead lady was tied to a chair begging for her life. Every time you made a wrong choice or something you got to see her head split in two over and over. That was hard to watch.

I preferred Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within, that's still the best FMV adventure game ever IMO.

 

[AirBrian]

Ha, good times. I remember opening it up and saying, "Oh man, 7* CDs!"

*Or however many there were.

 

[dark10x]

I preferred Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within, that's still the best FMV adventure game ever IMO.

The Beast Within was INCREDIBLY well done...

I never cared for the FMV addiction that devs seemed to be struggling with at the time, but GK2 was excellent.

 

[Blackace]

Sierra's golden years.... those were days.... and don't get me started on when EA was ECA...

 

[xsarien]

The Beast Within was INCREDIBLY well done...

I never cared for the FMV addiction that devs seemed to be struggling with at the time, but GK2 was excellent.

Yeah, GK2 was probably the only game to use FMV and not manage to mangle the interactive nature of the medium nor the story.

To a lesser extent, The 7th Guest as well.

 

[madara]

I actually liked this gamea alot and its sequel. But I can see where some you are coming from with FMV ascepts. Hybrid of this done right, like nearly all old sierra properties could really rule though, sure give RE and SH run for there stagnant money.

 

[bjork]

I still have Phantasmagoria. Haven't played it since right after it came out, though.