Deception Retrospective, Floor 1: Invitation to Darkness
You’ve heard the rumour about that house in the forest, haven’t you?
On dark, frigid nights, when the wind cuts through your skin, and the white eye of the moon looks down on you, you must never tread into that forest. The stars may beckon you – may draw you in, between the tall, sturdy trees – deep into that lonely blackness. A flicker of light may dance before you for a scant moment, and stoke your curiosity. You may be deceived.
But you must never go to that house.
When you approach it, all will be silent. Not a single living creature will stir. You will hear no voices. You will feel no chill. You will be alone… yes, even with others by your side, you will be alone. And then…
What was that!? In the window, there! A figure – is someone in that house? No, no, it couldn’t be. No one has lived there for ages. There is nothing to fe— ah! There, just past the door! Did something fly by? That house… is there something inside that house!? Someone!? No, it couldn’t be… has a light come on? Has a flame been lit?
Who is in there!? Who is in that house!? Out, you fiend! You monster! If you will not come out, I will come in! I will…! I will…
You blink. And again the world is silent. The house is dark. The moon is bright. No one, surely, is inside.
You turn back. It all seems silly, doesn’t it? It’s just a dusty, lonely, rickety old house. You find your way back through the forest, chuckling at your ridiculous, baseless fears.
Ah… What was that? The rumour? Ah, yes. There is a rumour about that house. It, too, is silly. You’ll laugh when I tell you. You see, the rumour about that house is that…
…The devil lives there.
This is Part 1 of Retro Game Talk’s Deception retrospective, written by noted forum acolyte and general evilton “Gorse”. Come in, please – you're letting out the heat.
Background: King’s Field, the Playstation, and Evil
Pop Quiz, Question #2: If you could pick one title to represent 3D video gaming released before 1995, what would it be? Think about your answer carefully. Remember, I’m looking for a FULL 3D game. 2D sprites aren’t allowed, and neither are 2D games played with 3D models. I want a 3D game that couldn’t have been done in 2D.
That’s odd. You’ve gone quiet. Allow me to provide an answer for you: King’s Field, released in Japanese markets on December 16th, 1994, for a new video game console called the “Playstation”.
Did you know that King’s Field, developed by From Software (I’m sure you’ve never heard of them before), was a PS1 launch title? It’s not the first Playstation game (Air Combat holds that trophy) but, with serial number SLPS-00017, it is the seventeenth, released not even a fortnight after the console came out. King’s Field, in many ways, didn’t just codify a lot of 3D adventure game tropes – it invented them.
Push up on the d-pad to go forward. Push the attack button to swing your sword ahead of you. If an enemy attacks, you may dodge by moving left, right… or backwards. Interested in what’s above or below you? Simply hold a trigger on your controller, and your character will look around. Like you look around, in real life. Just, you know… in a video game.
Of course, revolutionizing the medium always comes at a cost. In King’s Field’s case, that was the game’s premise. By necessity, it has a simple, basic story, barebones and cliched even for the time: You are a knight. There is an evil in the land. You must venture into the dungeon and defeat it. Game over. Wizardry called, and it would like its creativity back.
But what does any of that nonsense have to do with Deception? Well, everything. For you see, Deception is King’s Field… in reverse. It’s the opposite. If King’s Field is light, Deception is dark. If King’s Field is yin, Deception is yang.
If King’s Field is good, Deception is evil.
In Deception, you are not the hero in the dungeon. You are the dungeon. The hero comes in. You must defeat him. Well, “defeat” is a strong word. Nobody is really “defeated”, are they? No, no. When the hero strikes the villain, the villain is killed. In this game, you are the villain, so when you strike the hero… he is killed. You must kill him.
And that, my friend, is Tecmo’s Deception: Invitation to Darkness.
Story: Dealing with the Devil
There is trouble afoot in the medieval kingdom of Zemekia. The king has been mysteriously slaughtered, and at the worst possible time – tensions with a rival nation have boiled over, and war has broken out. But who would do such a thing? An enemy spy? One of the king’s own men? Perhaps, even… his own son? The finger is cast at you, prince of land, by your own brother. You protest desperately as you are marched to the gallows, knowing that your flesh has betrayed you, but nobody listens.
You are forced up the steps. The noose is brought around your neck. As you look out over the crowds on this dark, dreadful night, your panic turns to fear… then to rage. Who is your brother to steal the throne? Who is he to be the next king, when it should be you? But, alas, your time has come. The noose is tightened. The floor is taken away. Your body drops, and your feet touch nothing. As air leaves your lungs, and the night grows even darker, you make one final plea to whoever might be listening.
You do not ask for mercy – you ask for revenge. Your eyes close, the world disappears, and…
Mm-hm-hm-hm…!
As it turns out, someone was listening. Unfortunately for you, that someone was Satan.
Lord of lies. Creature of sin. The actual devil, not just some random monster or spirit. Prince of evil. Yes, he is a prince, too, and he sympathizes with you. He has heard your plea. He is happy to offer revenge. Power, too – the power to destroy not only your brother, but every last one of your enemies. Perhaps every last person in the world. And all he needs is a little favour from you.
You see, Satan is in a touch of bother, at the moment. Trapped in Hell by the world’s holy forces, he is unable to work his dark influence upon humanity, and his body is locked in stone. Luckily, there is a way out – a gate into the human world exists in an old house at the edge of Zemekia. The gate is locked, now, but with several artifacts from across the realm, it could be unlocked, and he could be freed.
So! Here’s the deal: You will enter the house. You will collect the artifacts. You will release Satan. And that’s that! It couldn’t be any easier for you – Satan will draw people to the house, you will “defeat” them, and, sooner or later, those artifacts will turn up. Then, all you need to do is place them in the gate. And power will be yours.
Mm-hm-hm-hm…!
Again, the woman giggles at you from her crimson lips. Her name is Astarte, and she is Satan’s… assistant, let us say. She will keep an eye on you, and periodically evaluate your progress. If you succeed, she will reward you. If you fail… well! It won’t do to fail.
You close your eyes. You open them again. You are not dead – quite the opposite. You are standing in the entrance of a large, old house.
The doors close. Welcome home.
Gameplay: Trap Simulation
Do you remember when I said Deception was the opposite of King’s Field? That extends to the gameplay, as well. In King’s Field, you are armed with a sword, an arsenal of spells, and a growing inventory of protective armour. Deception grants you no such treasures. Instead, this is a game about traps.
[Continued below.]
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