Dark Seed II

Dark Seed II
Developer(s)	Destiny Media Technologies
Publisher(s)	Cyberdreams
Artist(s)	H. R. Giger
Platform(s)	Windows, Macintosh, Sega Saturn, PlayStation
Release date(s)	1995
Genre(s)	Adventure
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	RSAC: V3: Blood and Gore NS2: Partial Nudity L2: Expletives USK: 16
Media/distribution	CD-ROM

Dark Seed II is a sequel to the adventure game Dark Seed. Developed by Destiny Media Technologies and published by Cyberdreams in 1995, it features the further adventures of Mike Dawson in the "Dark World", based on the artwork of H. R. Giger and designed/written by future James Bond novelist Raymond Benson. The game was released for the Windows 3.X, Macintosh, Sega Saturn and PlayStation. The console versions, once again, were released only in Japan, and this time both versions were fully dubbed in Japanese.

Development

Raymond Benson wrote the script, puzzles and dialogue of the game. ^[1] His writing for the game drew influence from David Lynch's Twin Peaks. ^[1]

H. R. Giger did not produce any original artwork for the game. Artwork that he had previously created was licensed for use in the game.

David Mullich was the producer and oversaw development of the game.

The character of Mike Dawson was played in the first game by game developer Mike Dawson. In this game the character is portrayed by a different actor. ^[1]

Storyline

Mike Dawson saved the world from the 'Ancients' in Dark Seed, but the experience causes him to have a mental breakdown. In attempt to regain his sanity he returns to his childhood home town of Crowley, Texas, and moves in with his mother. A year goes by, and Mike is still suffering from serious mental problems and memory lapses. To make matters worse, his high school girlfriend, Rita, is found murdered after their high school reunion and everyone seems to believe that Mike is the murderer, except for his friend Jack. It would seem that the 'Ancients' have returned, and in order for Mike to clear his name he must venture through different realities, solve puzzles and stop the Ancients from taking over the world.

If Mike gets killed, he winds up in the Underworld, where he meets the Keeper of the Souls. She states that one day Mike will die. If Mike dies again, he will return to the Underworld and plunge into a River of Blood and then the Friendly Keeper of the Scrolls tells the Player that the Ancients have created a Monster called "The Behemoth" and that it has sucked the life force from the World. This will also happen if Mike Dawson fails to clear the Dark world maze.

Mike enters the dark world version of his home. His mother greets him and says "Here, Mike, this will explain everything." Her head promply explodes. He then sees Rita's head in the steam from his mom's cooking and she tells him about the Behemoth and that the Sword is powerful enough to kill it. The Keeper of the Scroll tells Mike to take the Shortcut through the maze. If he succeeds, he will kill the monster with the Sword given to him by the keeper of the Sword.

Afterwards, Mike blows up the Ancients Spaceship and The Keeper of the Scrolls congratulates him. He wakes up in his doctor's office and finds Jack next to the doctor's body. Mike then realises that he is the Shapeshifter as well as his Dark World counterpart and gets stabbed by him. The Sheriff then enters and, apparently oblivious to Jack's presence, comes to the conclusion that Mike was responsible for all the murders that happened over the course of the game and committed suicide. Jack is then seen exiting via the Dark World, leaving it ambiguous as to whether the events of the game really happened or were part of Mike's delusions.

External links

• Dark Seed II at MobyGames
• Dark Seed II at Adventure Classic Gaming
• Dark Seed II at the Internet Movie Database
• Dark Seed II at the Let's Play Archive

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Part 55: Bonus Chapter". http://lparchive.org/Darkseed-2/Bonus/. Retrieved 11 November 2011.