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[Tizoc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnOXk3QJWN8

RagnarRox's newest video showcases an interesting little game released originally in 1994.
Ecstatica is a 'Horror'-themed Action Adventure game where you explore an abandoned village in search of a princess...or someone.
Turns out the village was ravaged by monsters who are lurking around and you must navigate through the game collecting weapons and battling monsters.

The cover gives off the vibe that this is going to be a creepy and terrifying experience.
That is until you see what the game looks like, but even then it still manages to give off a very menacing vibe.

 

[BeeDog]

Damn, thanks for highlighting this. Loved both the Ecstatica games despite me being young enough to never finish them (and being terrified by the werewolf at the same time). Will never forget the ellipsoid graphics engine and the scene in the first game where you stumble randomly and the werewolf beating the shit out of you.

 

[Tizoc]

I can see this duology getting the remake treatment but keeping the somewhat 'light hearted' looking theme of the originals.

 

[Tunahead]

I think Ecstatica is mostly just forgotten because PC gaming wasn't so ubiquitous in that era.

I didn't even have to look up the year, that's how memorable it was. I can't remember my PIN codes but I remember it was 1994. I was a stupid teen and didn't know anything about anything, but if I'd known what avant-garde meant, I could have described Ecstatica and Dreamweb in one word.

A world made of balls where a farting bear and a little girl keep owning me. A top down perspective point-and-click adventure with full frontal male nudity and an unhinged protagonist. What a year in gaming.

 

[Allforce]

The video is dead on about anyone who played this remembering it forever. I know I have.

I RENTED this game from the local video store back in 1994, when such a thing was actually possible. I remember it being totally terrifying despite the cartoonish exterior, and the concept of a game not telling you anything at ALL about how to play was just crazy to me at 15 years old.

 

[TheRedSnifit]

I feel like we just had a thread on this game.

I never thought the games were very good tbh.

 

[Plumpbiscuit]

I feel like we just had a thread on this game.

I never thought the games were very good tbh.

Indeed. I made a thread on this game shortly after getting confirmed on NeoGAF.

 

[Chev]

One minute into the video, I've gotta mention the quest wasn't "to rescue his princess". The protagonist (male or female) came to the village looking for water, and then the goal is just to escape or otherwise deal with your impending doom. It just happens that picking up a girl (who isn't a princess but a mere villager) is part of the escape process.

EDIT: otherwise it's pretty good.
I liked the first game a lot more than the sequel, which was a bit more arcadey and reusing stuff where first had a very Alone in the Dark, monsters-are-unique feel. I definitely thought of Ecstatica 2 when I first played Dark Souls though.

 

[virtuo]

The video is dead on about anyone who played this remembering it forever. I know I have.

I RENTED this game from the local video store back in 1994, when such a thing was actually possible. I remember it being totally terrifying despite the cartoonish exterior, and the concept of a game not telling you anything at ALL about how to play was just crazy to me at 15 years old.

I played this when I was 8 years old and remember it vividly - it was confusing, disturbing and totally fascinating to me. I literally went from playing Chip's Challenge to Ecstatica and Doom.

 

[Danneee]

Ellipses everywhere!

 

[The Illiterati]

I never played this but I remember seeing the sequel in PC Gamer or a similar magazine and really wanting to play it. This is a real cool memory.

 

[CharminUltra]

Not by me! I never played it, but I remember seeing the screenshots on gaming magz from back then and it looked amazing. Was just thinking about it the other day, too.

 

[lazygecko]

I played this game back in the 90's. I always thought the werewolf was meant to be some manner or ape or monkey. The horror atmosphere, and I think especially the sense of paranoia shined through the funky presentation very effectively.

In the "bad" ending

Spoiler

you are awarded your very own S&M dungeon.

I only ever played the demo of Ecstatica 2 and barely remembered anything about it. Seeing good quality gameplay footage of it now, honestly it looks better in motion now than plenty of 1997 3D games, in spite of iterating further on the ellipsoid graphics.

 

[Raitaro]

Thanks for posting OP.

I didn't know this channel yet but the fact that it covers this quite obscure game from my childhood is definitely a reason to check it out.

As for the game, I definitely remember it for its haunting and sometimes downright weird atmosphere in addition to its punishing difficulty if you didn't know what you were doing (like me). I was a bit too young for it back then so I think I never got further than the opening village but I did enjoy trying new routes and approaches though the beginning areas to avoid the Werewolf and find weapons. Definitely a game that deserves to be remembered more imo.

 

[taoofjord]

I adored the first game as a kid. Extremely memorable and I'd love for some indie dev to try a modern take on this. I loved how unique each aspect of the game was and how little the game held your hand. Thinking back on it now, it reminds me of a Clark Ashton Smith short story. Or pulp weird fiction in general.