Conquests of Camelot
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''Conquests of Camelot: The Search for the Grail'' is a graphic
adventure game An adventure game is a video game genre in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and/or Puzzle video game, puzzle-solving. The Video game genres, genre's focus on story allows it to draw ...
released in 1990 by
Sierra On-Line Sierra Entertainment, Inc. (formerly On-Line Systems and Sierra On-Line, Inc.) was an American video game developer and publisher founded in 1979 by Ken and Roberta Williams. The company is known for pioneering the graphic adventure game genr ...
. It was the first game in the ''Conquests'' series designed by
Christy Marx Christy Marx is an American scriptwriter, author, and game designer, especially narrative designer. She is best known for her work on various TV series including '' Jem'', ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', '' Conan the Adventurer'', ''G.I. Joe'', ...
and her husband
Peter Ledger Peter Ledger (25 October 1945 – 18 November 1994) was an Australian cartoonist, comic book artist, commercial airbrush artist, and illustrator. Biography In addition to studying art, Ledger worked with surveying teams in the Australian outba ...
. The only other game in the series was 1991's '' Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood''. Marx did the majority of the design work while Ledger created the game and package art.


Gameplay

The gameplay is typical of the Sierra adventure games of that time, including several action sequences, puzzles and riddles. Occasionally, some alternative solutions to puzzles are available. Scoring is based on three kinds of points: ''Skill'' (when the
player Player may refer to: Role or adjective * Player (game), a participant in a game or sport ** Gamer, a player in video and tabletop games ** Athlete, a player in sports ** Player character, a character in a video game or role playing game who ...
performs deeds that help him in his quest, or defeats enemies), ''Wisdom'' (when examining things, talking to others, or gaining hints) and ''Soul'' (performing good deeds to help others). The options provide a
difficulty setting Game balance is a branch of game design that is described as a mathematical-algorithmic model of a game’s numbers, game mechanics, and relations between the two. Game balance consists of adjusting values to create a certain user experience. Play ...
for the action sequences, but with lower points. The game features a soundtrack of authentic-sounding
medieval music Medieval music encompasses the sacred and secular music of Western Europe during the Middle Ages, from approximately the 6th to 15th centuries. It is the first and longest major era of Western classical music and followed by the Renaissance ...
composed by
Mark Seibert Mark Seibert (born 1960) is an American musician, composer, and producer best known for his work on various video games from Sierra Entertainment. Biography Siebert was born in California, U.S. From 1979 to 1986, he performed guitar and vocals f ...
. The message boxes (narration) are the wizard
Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
speaking and counseling the player. The in-game text displays lesser-known forms of words, for example ''Gwenhyver'', ''
Excaliber Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in the ...
'', ''Gawaine'', ''Launcelot'', and '' magick'' instead of the better-known ''Guinevere'', ''Excalibur'', ''Gawain'', ''Lancelot'', and ''magic''. The parser, however, understands all spellings. The package includes a map of Europe in Arthurian times and an illustrated
manual Manual may refer to: Instructions * User guide * Owner's manual * Instruction manual (gaming) * Online help Other uses * Manual (music), a keyboard, as for an organ * Manual (band) * Manual transmission * Manual, a bicycle technique similar to ...
called ''Liber Ex Doctrina'' (
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
for either "Book (derived) from Knowledge" or "Book of Doctrine"). This book includes information about the evolution of the Arthurian and Grail myths as well as Greek and Roman mythology; some of this information is required in order to answer riddles within the game.


Plot

The game begins at the decline of
Camelot Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described as the ...
because of the
love triangle A love triangle or eternal triangle is a scenario or circumstance, usually depicted as a rivalry, in which two people are pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with one person, or in which one person in a romantic relationship with so ...
between
King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
,
Guinevere Guinevere ( ; cy, Gwenhwyfar ; br, Gwenivar, kw, Gwynnever), also often written in Modern English as Guenevere or Guenever, was, according to Arthurian legend, an early-medieval queen of Great Britain and the wife of King Arthur. First ment ...
and
Lancelot Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), also written as Launcelot and other variants (such as early German ''Lanzelet'', early French ''Lanselos'', early Welsh ''Lanslod Lak'', Italian ''Lancillotto'', Spanish ''Lanzarote del Lago' ...
. This 'curse' brought famine and drought in the kingdom. After having a vision of the
Holy Grail The Holy Grail (french: Saint Graal, br, Graal Santel, cy, Greal Sanctaidd, kw, Gral) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miracul ...
covered by a silver cloth,
Gawain Gawain (), also known in many other forms and spellings, is a character in Arthurian legend, in which he is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table. The prototype of Gawain is mentioned under the name Gwalchmei in the earliest ...
, Lancelot and
Galahad Sir Galahad (), sometimes referred to as Galeas () or Galath (), among other versions of his name, is a knight of King Arthur's Round Table and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend. He is the illegitimate son of S ...
departed on a quest for the Holy Grail. However, they did not return. The player controls Arthur in his search for the missing knights and the Grail. The adventure begins at Camelot and then the player travels across England. On his way to
Glastonbury Tor Glastonbury Tor is a hill near Glastonbury in the English county of Somerset, topped by the roofless St Michael's Tower, a Grade I listed building. The entire site is managed by the National Trust and has been designated a scheduled monument. T ...
he is challenged to a
joust Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying to strike the opponent w ...
by a
Black Knight The black knight is a literary stock character who masks his identity and that of his liege by not displaying heraldry. Black knights are usually portrayed as villainous figures who use this anonymity for misdeeds. They are often contrasted with t ...
before rescuing Gawain. In the ruins of the Tor he meets a mad
hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
, a monk who serves the "Old Ones" and claims he has the Grail, left by
Joseph of Arimathea Joseph of Arimathea was, according to all four canonical gospels, the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after his crucifixion. The historical location of Arimathea is uncertain, although it has been identified with several t ...
. Afterwards, he visits Ot Moor where the frozen (due to the curse)
Lady of the Lake The Lady of the Lake (french: Dame du Lac, Demoiselle du Lac, cy, Arglwyddes y Llyn, kw, Arloedhes an Lynn, br, Itron al Lenn, it, Dama del Lago) is a name or a title used by several either fairy or fairy-like but human enchantresses in the ...
challenges Arthur to a riddle in order to rescue the imprisoned Lancelot. From
Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
, Arthur leaves England in order to follow Galahad's traces. He arrives to Gaza where he is hosted by a man called Al Sirat, who will introduce him to the cult of the Six Goddesses. At
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
Arthur is tried throughout his acts of selflessness and helping people. After traversing a series of perilous
catacombs Catacombs are man-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etymology and history The first place to be referred ...
, the player reaches the ancient Temple of Aphrodite where the goddess directs him to the Grail.


Historical references

The game is marked by folkloric knowledge that is woven between the dialogues and the descriptions as the plot unfolds. When the player moves the cursor around the map of England, Merlin will comment on legendary figures such as
Brutus of Troy Brutus, also called Brute of Troy, is a legendary descendant of the Trojan hero Aeneas, known in medieval British history as the eponymous founder and first king of Britain. This legend first appears in the ''Historia Brittonum'', an anonymous ...
or Ascapart and early legendary
saints In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual res ...
. In the scenery representing the ruins of Glastonbury Tor, there is a
Glastonbury Thorn The Glastonbury thorn is a form of common hawthorn, ''Crataegus monogyna'' 'Biflora'Phipps, J.B.; O’Kennon, R.J.; Lance, R.W. 2003. ''Hawthorns and medlars''. Royal Horticultural Society, Cambridge, U.K. (sometimes incorrectly called '' Crataegu ...
, which Merlin mentions originated with the Joseph of Arimathea. There is also a well, the lid of which resembles the Chalice Well. Before reaching Jerusalem, Arthur has a stop at the
Pool of Siloam The term Pool of Siloam ( ar, بركه سلوان, he, בריכת השילוח, ''Breikhat HaShiloah'') ( gr, Σιλωάμ) refers to a number of Rock-cut architecture, rock-cut pools on the southern slope of the City of David (Silwan), Wadi Hilw ...
.


Themes

A theme seen throughout the game is the intermediate period of
Sub-Roman Britain Sub-Roman Britain is the period of late antiquity in Great Britain between the end of Roman rule and the Anglo-Saxon settlement. The term was originally used to describe archaeological remains found in 5th- and 6th-century AD sites that hint ...
before
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
, as a new religion, replaces the old ones. In Camelot there is a Chapel dedicated both to
Mithras Mithraism, also known as the Mithraic mysteries or the Cult of Mithras, was a Roman mystery religion centered on the god Mithras. Although inspired by Iranian worship of the Zoroastrian divinity (''yazata'') Mithra, the Roman Mithras is linke ...
(who is however represented by a labarum) for the soldiers of Roman heritage, and
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
for the Christian soldiers.
Cernunnos In ancient Celtic and Gallo-Roman religion, Cernunnos or Carnonos was a god depicted with antlers, seated cross-legged, and is associated with stags, horned serpents, dogs and bulls. He is usually shown holding or wearing a torc and somet ...
and
Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols include ...
are portrayed as real gods, but their powers and influence are in decline because of the advent of Christianity. In the ending sequence of the game, the Grail obliterates the purported "symbol of Mithras" in the chapel. The Grail's power seems to be universal both as a Christian relic and an artifact (the
cauldron A cauldron (or caldron) is a large pot (kettle) for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a lid and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger and/or integral handles or feet. There is a rich history of cauldron lore in religion, mythology, and ...
) of feminine power of the Goddess in pagan folklore. Another theme interwoven with the gameplay is that Arthur is supposed to perform good deeds to prove himself worthy of the Grail. In the Jerusalem sequence, the player has to discern the locals' problems and help them in order to advance the game. If the player decides not to help even one of his knights and thus avoid the trials and action sequences, the game can be completed, but the Grail will kill Arthur at the very end of the game.


Reception

In the July 1990 edition of ''
Games International ''Computer Games Magazine'' was a monthly computer and console gaming print magazine, founded in October 1988 as the United Kingdom publication ''Games International''. During its history, it was known variously as ''Strategy Plus'' (October 19 ...
'' (issue 16), Theo Clarke stated that "''Conquests of Camelot'' has a delicacy that is unusual in this field. There is little overt humour but a gentle wit pervades the game", but felt that the EGA graphics needed to be upgraded. Nevertheless Clarke concluded by giving the game excellent ratings of 9 out of 10 for both gameplay and graphics, saying the game was "a refreshing, challenging adventure game which should appeal strongly to those with a taste for medieval romance". In the July–August 1990 edition of ''
Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...
'', Scorpia stated that ''Conquests of Camelot''s EGA graphics were inferior to those of previous Sierra games, and she did not recommend the game to more experienced adventurers because of the low difficulty level of the puzzles. In the August 1990 ''
Dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
'' (Issue 160), Hartley, Patricia and Kirk Lesser called this "a beautifully crafted animated adventure. Sierra, long recognized as a leader in the animated adventure market, continues to lead the way with offerings such as this colorful journey to the time of King Arthur". They concluded by giving the game an excellent rating of 4½ out of 5, saying, "''Conquests of Camelot'' is yet another 'must buy' from the talented folk at Sierra".


Reviews

*''Amiga Joker'' (Sep, 1990) *''
Amiga Computing ''Amiga Computing'' was a monthly computer magazine of a serious nature, published by Europress and IDG in both the UK and USA. A total of 117 issues came out. The games section was called Gamer, although later '' Amiga Action'' was incorporated ...
'' (Sep, 1990) *''Enchanted Realms'' (Nov, 1990) *''
Atari ST User ''Atari ST User'' was a British computer magazine aimed at users of the Atari ST range. It started life as a pull-out section in ''Atari User'' magazine. From March 1986 onwards it became a magazine in its own right, outliving its parent by a numb ...
'' (Apr, 1991) *''Joker Verlag präsentiert: Sonderheft'' (1993)


References


External links


Game presentation and download
from Christy Marx's official page *
''Conquests of Camelot''
- the Sierra Chest {{DEFAULTSORT:Conquests Of Camelot: The Search For The Grail 1990 video games Adventure games Amiga games Atari ST games DOS games Holy Grail in fiction ScummVM-supported games Sierra Entertainment games Video games based on Arthurian legend Video games scored by Mark Seibert Video games set in Jerusalem Video games set in medieval England Video games set in the State of Palestine Video games developed in the United States Single-player video games