Avadon: The Black Fortress

Avadon: The Black Fortress
Logo for Avadon: The Black Fortress
Developer(s) Spiderweb Software
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Mac OS X
Linux
Android
iOS
Release
  • NA: February 28, 2011
Genre(s) Role-playing video game
Mode(s) Single-player

Avadon: The Black Fortress is a single-player role-playing video game developed by Spiderweb Software. It is the first game in the Avadon trilogy. The game was released for Mac OS X in February 2011,[1] and for Microsoft Windows in May 2011.[2] Version for the iPad has been released on June 18, 2011.[3][4] It was later also released for Android and Linux in order to be included in the Humble Bundle for Android 2.

Setting

The Avadon series is set on the fictional continent of Lynaeus, which is divided between two warring factions. There is the Pact, an alliance of five nations, and the Farlands, a loose-knit group of faded empires and barbarian territories. The Pact has banded together for safety and to fend off invasion from the other lands of Lynaeus.[5]

The fortress of Avadon is a force within the Pact, a small army of warriors, spies, and assassins tasked to protect the Pact and eliminate any threats to its safety before they have the chance to grow. The servants of Avadon have great power and are not bound by the laws of the Pact, though this can lead to corruption and abuse.

Avadon is led by Redbeard, a powerful and mysterious figure. The player controls a group of Hands of Avadon, warriors under Redbeard's command who seek out and fight a conspiracy against the Pact.

Gameplay

Avadon: The Black Fortress is a single-player role-playing video game. The player assumes the role of a Blademaster, a Shadowwalker, a Shaman, or a Sorceress and after that can recruit up to two other characters (from the same set of four classes) for missions assigned by the leaders of Avadon.[6]

Each character class in Avadon has its own set of several dozen abilities. These can be spells to inflict damage or summon aid, blessings and curses, and rituals that heal wounded party members. Avadon features elaborate scripted encounters that are intended to encourage a variety of tactics.[7][8]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings77.44% (PC)[9]
Metacritic75/100 (PC)[10]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame (MAC)[11]
(PC)[12]
GamePro[9]
GameSpot7/10[13]

Avadon: The Black Fortress has generally received favorable reviews from gaming critics, scoring 77% at Metacritic from seven reviews and 77% from GameRankings from nine reviews.[9][10] The game has been met with praise for its depth of storytelling and gameplay,[14][15] while simultaneously receiving criticism for the use of crude graphics and lack of better sound effects.[16][17]

Rock, Paper, Shotgun gave Avadon a positive review, claiming that, "As simple as it looks, it’s one of those games that’s very easy to fire up for a few minutes, only to be magically transported without supper to 5AM the next day."[17] GameSpot awarded the game 7/10, claiming that, "Just like the developer's earlier efforts in the Avernum and Geneforge franchises, the game compensates for its archaic visuals and sound with an engaging focus on storytelling and turn-based party combat that recalls the glory days of the Gold Box games from the late '80s and early '90s."[13]

References

  1. ↑ Avadon Support Page
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Avadon Main Page
  4. ↑ Inside Mac Games Holiday Q&A 1
  5. ↑ Inside Mac Games Avadon Preview
  6. ↑ Subgamers Interview With Jeff Vogel
  7. ↑ RPG Codex Interview With Jeff Vogel
  8. ↑ Gear Diary Review of Avadon
  9. 1 2 3 "Avadon: The Black Fortress for PC - GameRankings". Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Avadon: The Black Fortress for PC Reviews - Metacritic". Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Avadon - MAC Review - allgame". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Avadon - PC Review - allgame". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  13. 1 2 GameSpot Review Archived January 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ Inside Mac Games Review
  15. ↑ GameBanshee Review Archived January 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ Digital Entertainment News Review
  17. 1 2 Rock, Paper, Shotgun Review
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