"Sun God, Bless Me With Your Rays..."

Here's an update on my next video project...

Taking it easy after publishing my feature-length Elder Scrolls documentary/analysis, I'm now working on a smaller-scope video, another entry to the popular Not Forgotten series. This time focusing on a PC-exclusive game made by French developer Kalisto, this is an adventure game I don't hear much about, but remember and think about often.

1997's Dark Earth is a post-apocalyptic game set in a world destroyed by an astronomical cataclysm which destroyed civilization and shrouded the world in a blanket of dust and darkness. The few who survived the apocalypse came upon one of the few remaining vestiges of sunlight and built the Stallite: the last known remaining city in the world.

In a captivating setting and atmosphere, you play a member of the Guardians of Fire, the order of law enforcers who vow to protect the upper level of the Stallite, the higher part, closer to the sun. In this new broken society in a world of darkness, sunlight is literally worshiped. Every aspect of society revolves around the Light and is governed by the Sunseers: the appointed priests/aristocrats of the new world.

Even when it comes down to saving your game, you will need to find a Sun God symbol on the wall and pray to them to bless you with their rays. It's a fully-fleshed out world that anyone who played them likely wanted to see more of.

Mechanically speaking, it was an evolution of the "tank controls" adventure games popularized by Alone in the Dark and Resident Evil. But this wasn't really a horror game, despite some nightmare fuel cutscenes. It was primarily an adventure game where you had to talk to X person, gather Y item and use it on Z object. But there are so many experimental and innovative features it touted, such as branching paths for many quests, killable NPCs, being able to talk to or interact with objects in a light or dark mood. A light mood will plead and ask for help or gingerly open doors and chests, a dark mood will kick open doors and yell and growl at the citizens of the Stallite. There is also a meter which acts as both a time limit and a way to tempt you to darkness, which I will explain in more depth in my video.

I don't want to spoil everything in the game here, but there is a lot to admire about this game, despite it's crude 1990's graphics. I've finished recording gameplay and am now knee-deep in the scriptwriting process. Thanks for all your support, and I will update you soon on my progress!