NightCaster
{{Short description|2002 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title= NightCaster
|image= Nightcastercover.jpg
|developer= VR1 Entertainment
|publisher= Microsoft Game Studios
|director=
|producer= Brett Close
|designer= David Osborne, Adam Maxwell, Chris Holtorf
|programmer= John Ramsey
|artist= Steven Morrison
|writer= Chris Zirpoli
|composer= Heather Sowards
|released= {{vgrelease|NA|January 22, 2002{{Cite web |date=2002-06-14 |title=Team Xbox {{!}} New Releases {{!}} 12/27/2001 |url=http://www.teamxbox.com/releasearchive.php?ed=1009429222 |access-date=2023-08-03 |archive-date=2002-06-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020614070823/http://www.teamxbox.com/releasearchive.php?ed=1009429222 |url-status=bot: unknown }}|EU|May 31, 2002}}
|genre= Action-adventure
|modes=Single-player
|platforms= Xbox
}}
NightCaster: Defeat the Darkness is a 2002 third-person, single-player, action-adventure game for the Xbox, developed by VR1 Entertainment and published by Microsoft. Players take the role of Arran, a novice wizard whose magical power grows as he ages throughout his quest to collect spells and rid the world of eternal night.
In December 2002, the sequel, NightCaster II: Equinox, was released, with two-player compatibility.
Plot summary
The start of the story mode introduces the player to Arran, a young boy living in a small village. One day, Arran creeps into a forest whilst playing hide and seek with his friends, and stumbles upon a glowing floating orb. The orb informs him that he must go on a quest to defeat the evil 'Night Caster'. Arran is then placed in suspended animation (even though he still ages) by the orb, presumably so that he 'will be ready' to fight the Nightcaster.
Arran wakes up, having aged to around the mid-twenties, to find his world devastated by darkness and the legions of monsters under the reign of the Nightcaster spreading terror over the populace. Arran's parents are supposedly dead when Arran finds his home to be a smoldering wreckage, at which point the orb informs him that 'it is the Nightcaster['s doing]'. So he starts his quest facing many creatures and as he ages his spells are stronger, more effective and more expansive.
Gameplay
The player directly controls Arran from a third person perspective. Spells are aimed using the orb (who also is the guide character who provides narration and objectives). There are four classes of spells: fire, water, light, and dark. Creatures have varying degrees of vulnerability to each type of spell (a "dark" creature is more vulnerable to light spells). As the player progresses, Arran finds more spells, and can cast them at higher levels by charging them.
{{clear}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = 61/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/nightcaster-defeat-the-darkness/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=Nightcaster for Xbox Reviews |website=Metacritic |accessdate=July 7, 2013 |archive-date=October 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009072314/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/nightcaster |url-status=live }}
| Allgame = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web |last=Marriott |first=Scott Alan |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=33538&tab=review |title=NightCaster: Defeat the Darkness - Review |publisher=AllGame |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115012933/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=33538&tab=review |archivedate=November 15, 2014 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 9, 2017}}
| Edge = 3/10{{cite magazine |author=Edge staff |title=NightCaster: Defeat the Darkness |magazine=Edge |issue=109 |date=April 2002}}
| EGM = 4/10{{cite magazine |author=EGM staff |title=NightCaster |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |issue=152 |date=March 2002 |page=144}}
| GI = 5.5/10{{cite magazine |last=Leeper |first=Justin |url=http://www.gameinformer.com:80/Games/Review/200202/R03.0801.1454.39772.htm |title=NightCaster |magazine=Game Informer |issue=106 |date=February 2002 |page=90 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041113163052/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200202/R03.0801.1454.39772.htm |archive-date=November 13, 2004 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 9, 2017 }}
| GamePro = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine |author=Dunjin Master |date=December 28, 2001 |url=http://gamepro.com:80/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/19421.shtml |title=Nightcaster Review for Xbox on GamePro.com |magazine=GamePro |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207120847/http://gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/19421.shtml |archivedate=February 7, 2005 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 9, 2017 }}
| GameRev = B−{{cite web |last=Sanders |first=Shawn |date=February 2002 |url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/34305-the-darkness-again-review |title=Nightcaster: Defeat the Darkness Review |publisher=Game Revolution |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040211051025/http://www.game-revolution.com/games/xbox/action/nightcaster.htm |archivedate=February 11, 2004 |url-status=live |accessdate=July 9, 2017 }}
| GSpot = 6.8/10{{cite web |last=Tracy |first=Tim |date=February 6, 2002 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/nightcaster-review/1900-2845971/ |title=Nightcaster Review |website=GameSpot |accessdate=July 9, 2017 |archive-date=May 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510010425/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/nightcaster-review/1900-2845971/ |url-status=live }}
| GSpy = 63%{{cite web |last=Chick |first=Tom |date=February 24, 2002 |url=http://archive.gamespy.com:80/reviews/february02/nightcasterxbox/ |title=Nightcaster |publisher=GameSpy |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040629045434/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/february02/nightcasterxbox/ |archivedate=June 29, 2004 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 9, 2017 }}
| IGN = 7.3/10{{cite web |last=Lopez |first=Vincent |date=December 14, 2001 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/12/15/nightcaster |title=Nightcaster |website=IGN |accessdate=July 9, 2017 |archive-date=January 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120030349/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/12/15/nightcaster |url-status=live }}
| OXM = 4.9/10{{cite magazine |title=NightCaster |magazine=Official Xbox Magazine |date=March 2002 |page=76}}
}}
The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.
{{clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/xbox/nightcaster-defeat-the-darkness}}
Category:Action-adventure games
Category:Single-player video games