| Dracula Unleashed | |
|---|---|
 DOS cover art | |
| Developer(s) | ICOM Simulations |
| Publisher(s) | Viacom New Media Sega (Sega CD) |
| Director(s) | Mike Plant |
| Producer(s) | David Marsh |
| Designer(s) | Anthony Sherman David Marsh Karl Roelofs Katherine Tootelian |
| Programmer(s) | Fred Allen |
| Artist(s) | Katherine Tootelian |
| Writer(s) | Anthony Sherman Andrew Greenberg William Bridges |
| Composer(s) | Byte-Size Sound |
| Platform(s) | DOS,Macintosh,Sega CD,DVD |
| Release | 1993 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Dracula Unleashed is a 1993video game created byICOM Simulations and published byViacom New Media for theDOS,Macintosh andSega CD platforms.
It was one of the earliest titles to make heavy use offull-motion video as an integral part of the gameplay. Other contemporary titles utilizing full-motion video includeNight Trap,Sewer Shark andSherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective.
The player assumes the identity of a youngTexas businessman named Alexander Morris, who has come toLondon during thewinter of 1899 to research the strange surroundings involving his brotherQuincey's death 10 years earlier. In the process, he meets an English woman named Annisette Bowen and becomes engaged to marry her.
Due largely to their "extremely close relationship", Quincey's good friend,LordArthur Holmwood, has proposed Alexander's induction into the mysterious and exclusiveHades Club. However, Alexander Morris soon discovers a part of his brother's life he had no knowledge of: Quincey Morris was part of a group which destroyed the legendaryvampire,Count Dracula.
As Alexander Morris, the player must travel to specific locations in London at certain times with certain items gathered throughout Morris' travels in order to gather clues about the events which occur during the game and achieve victory over Dracula.
Alexander's inquires lead him to learn that a vampire known as the "bloofer lady" has been sighted in London, who he later identifies as a friend of Annisette whose husband was also a member of the Hades Club. Alexander and his allies manage to kill the bloofer lady at her funeral with a stake but discover that Dracula has kidnapped Annisette and taken her to the Hades Club which are revealed to be responsible for Dracula's resurrection. At the Club, Alexander learns that Dracula had killedHolmwood months before his arrival and has been impersonating him ever since. The Count attacks Annisette and Alexander until they manage to uncover several wall mountedcrucifixes, causing the room to cave in and impale Dracula with a beam, destroying him.
In 2002, Infinite Ventures, Inc. released the game onDVD. The game is identical in play, but uses full-screen, DVD-quality video. It also has a "behind the scenes" featurette, as well as some audio bloopers.
There are some minor differences between the DVD version and the Sega CD and PC versions:
The game had a budget of more than $2 million.[1]
When it was released for the Sega CD, it was given an MA-13 label by theVideogame Rating Council. The game has a spooky atmosphere and musical score, along with some images of blood and a campy bookstore owner. It was also reviewed byBBFC and attributed a 15 rating.
Computer Gaming World in January 1994 called the PC version ofDracula Unleashed ICOM Simulations's "most compelling interactive adventure yet" and "the most effective 'interactive movie' to date". The reviewer compared it toDark Shadows andMacVenture games such asUninvited, and approved of the improvements on theSherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective series' graphics and user interface. He concluded that "computer and theater have been brought one step closer together".[2] In April 1994 the magazine said that players "can count on many hours of haunting play ... Live actors and sets add a strong cinematic realism", with "memorably creepy performances throughout", recommending the game to "anyone with more than a passing interest in the horror genre".[3]GamePro gave the Sega CD version a positive review. They criticized that the slow-moving cursor and long load times can make the game painfully slow, but highly praised the audio, gameplay, and "well-acted and nicely staged video", especially the "eerie" dream sequences.[4]Electronic Gaming Monthly commented that despite the full motion video being excessively grainy, the riveting storyline and "excellent" soundtrack keep the player invested in the game. They scored it a 7.25 out of 10.[5]
James V. Trunzo reviewedDracula Unleashed inWhite Wolf #41 (March, 1994), giving it a final evaluation of "Excellent" and stated that "Dracula Unleashed will be overly praised in some quarters and unfairly dismissed in others. The truth is that the game delivers in a way not seen before. Bram Stoker might have enjoyed interacting with this product. What else can I say?"[6]
