Shade: Wrath of Angels
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2013) |
| Shade: Wrath of Angels | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Black Element Software |
| Publisher(s) | Cenega Publishing Tri Synergy |
| Designer(s) |
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| Programmer(s) |
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| Artist(s) |
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| Composer(s) | Jaroslav Kašný |
| Engine | Enforce[5] |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | October 1, 2004[1][2][3] |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Shade: Wrath of Angels (Czech: Shade: Hněv andělů; originally called Nefandus) is a 2004 video game for Microsoft Windows, developed by Black Element Software and published by Cenega. The game's story revolves around an ancient war between angels and gods. A Nokia N-Gage version was planned, but never released.[6][7]
Gameplay
[edit]Shade: Wrath of Angels is a third-person RPG offering over 30 hours of playtime. The gameplay features action/adventure and exploration elements. The game consists of four chapters spanning different historical eras and alternate dimensions, divided into thirty levels (tutorial included). In battle, the protagonist has the ability to wield melee and ranged weapons and cast spells against twenty unique types of enemies. The protagonist is also able to assume a demonic form for a limited period of time. The protagonist's health and magical power can be upgraded by collecting golden drops, which are hidden throughout the game.
Plot
[edit]The game follows an unnamed male protagonist, who receives a letter from his estranged brother, 'B'. In it, B claims to have discovered an important archaeological site somewhere in Europe, which appears to be ancient. However, upon arriving at the town indicated in the letter, the protagonist finds it completely deserted. He makes his way to the hotel where B was staying at; a note left behind by B directs him to a nearby church. Armed with a pistol, the protagonist encounters zombies, and also starts seeing visions of fire and demonic creatures.
At the church, the protagonist descends into the crypt below, which contains the archeological site. The protagonist finds no trace of his brother, but discovers a mysterious orb, which he picks up. A figure engulfed in mist appears in front of him, introducing herself as the Angel of Faith, one of Holy Four - a group of angels deposed by the ancient gods. She explains that the orb is, in fact, her heart, and tasks the protagonist with releasing the other three angels, trapped in parallel worlds they each once ruled over. In return, she promises to bring back B, who has fallen under the curse of the gods; she also states that B has initiated the ritual of merging the four worlds together, and is therefore the only one who can complete it. Overwhelmed by the angel's revelations, the protagonist agrees to do as told. To aid him in his quest, the angel assigns him a demonic servant, and also grants him an enchanted sword.
Guided by the Angel of Faith, the protagonist uses an ancient monolith called Nefandus to enter each of the worlds, where he locates the orb-like hearts of the other three angels. The three worlds are as follows:
- A world themed after Medieval Europe, inhabited by undead soldiers and knights. The protagonist explores a ruined castle of a Gnostic military order and a spider-infested necropolis, and acquires the heart of the Angel of Blood.
- A world themed after Ancient Egypt, inhabited by reanimated mummies, giant scorpions and undead worshipers of the god Set. The protagonist explores an underground temple and the realm of the dead, and acquires the heart of the Angel of Souls.
- A world of eternal darkness, referred to as the Shadowland, inhabited by creatures of shadow.
After the protagonist collects the three hearts and restores the angels' power, the Angel of Faith appears before him, revealing her true, horrifying form. The Holy Four turn out to be fallen angels, who opposed the gods in the past and set the war between the four worlds.
The protagonist vows to stop the evil by breaking all the hearts of the angels, but the other three noble angels appear and ask the player to destroy the demon, who helped him on his quests. The protagonist kills the demon with his magic sword, and the noble angels trap the Angel of Faith. The angels then reveal to him that B's soul is sealed and can not be made to live again. The angels then transform the protagonist to an immensely powerful guardian, to protect all the four hearts of the angels with his magic sword till the end of time, or (if the player has opted to charge the sword with power, instead of the demon, during the course of the game) the protagonist will wake up in the train and his brother is seen on the railway platform.
Reception
[edit]| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 52.62%[8] |
| Metacritic | 50/100[9] |
The game received mostly mixed reviews. It currently holds a 50/100 score at Metacritic based on 12 reviews.
References
[edit]- ^ Pringle, James B. (2004-10-01). "Shade: Wrath of Angels Ships". IGN. Archived from the original on 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ "Shade release date set for PC". GameSpot. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ "Shade: Wrath of Angels Gold Master Released". GamesIndustry.biz. 2004-08-31. Archived from the original on 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
- ^ "Shade: Wrath of Angels (2004) Windows credits - MobyGames". Moby Games. Archived from the original on 2017-01-24. Retrieved 2013-03-15.
- ^ "Horor Shade: Wrath of Angels bude česky". Games.cz. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ^ Jasnoch, Hendrik (June 8, 2004). "2 neue Spiele in der Mache". n-page.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2004-11-16. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
- ^ Carrasco, Antonio (June 9, 2004). "Cenega desarrollará títulos para N-Gage" (in Spanish). Meristation. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
- ^ "Video Game Reviews, Articles, Trailers and more - Metacritic".
- ^ "Shade: Wrath of Angels". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2025-03-20. Retrieved 2025-03-20.
